This article contains mentions of murder and sexual assault.
Woman of the Houris a true crime thriller, but its approach to the material is rather unique. The movie, which begins streaming October 18 on Netflix, follows aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw as she negotiates attempts at stardom in 1970s Los Angeles before landing a guest spot onThe Dating Game, where she is thrown into the path of one Rodney Alcala. Known as the “Dating Game Killer” in real, Alcala was eventually convicted on 5 counts of murder and 2 counts of rape, all part of a violent (and allegedly much deadlier) crime spree that took place even as he flirted with Cheryl on national TV.
Anna Kendrick pulls double duty, not only playing Cheryl but also directingWoman of the Hour.The crime thriller, written by Ian Mcdonald, dovetails her innocent search for fame with Alcala’s (played byDavid Zovetto ofStation Eleven) much more sinister hunt for his next victim. But Cheryl is not the only woman whose story is highlighted, and the film also stars Nicolette Robinson as Laura, Autumn Best as Amy, and Kathryn Gallagher as Charlie. Each character’s arc, whether they are based on a real victim or not, has a lesson to offer about society’s tendency to overlook danger rather than actively protect women from harm.
Woman Of The Hour Trailer: Anna Kendrick Wins A Date With A Serial Killer In True Story Thriller
The Woman of the Hour trailer teases the true story of Anna Kendrick’s character who unknowingly wins a date with a serial killer on a TV game show.
Screen Rantinterviewed Robinson, Best, and Gallagher about their admiration for Anna Kendrick doubling as lead actress anddirector inWoman of the Hour. The trio also discussed how they stepped into their respective characters, which elements helped them better envision the 1970s — and how despitethe movie’s “true crime” tag, its themes are just as relevant today.
Music & Costumes Set The Scene For Woman Of The Hour – But Life Experience Was First And Foremost
“This film took place in the ’70s, but that element… is still deeply present today.”
Screen Rant: I think this is such a fascinating film, and I did not know it was a true story before. Did you each have a way into the time period?
Nicolette Robinson: Music, for sure. Also for me, I feel like costumes and wardrobe really just can immediately transport you. It’s really incredible. Once that is introduced, you just become the person in a way.
Kathryn Gallagher: I mean, we’re here at The London. We’re across the street from Whisky [a Go Go], so I think that’s my first thought when you said that. The Doors are at their 60th anniversary. They started right there.
Screen Rant: Nicolette, Laura highlights those who tried to ring the alarm bells and were ignored. Can you speak to the larger impact, both in terms of ignoring red flags and also societal failings?
Nicolette Robinson: you may see it everywhere. This film took place in the ’70s, but that element of the film is still deeply present today. Certainly, I feel like I have had my dose of experiencing that in my own personal life. But to really go through and walk in Laura’s shoes, it’s awful.
I hope that people can come away from seeing this film and have more of a consciousness of that. I think it starts with that, the awareness both between men and women, and just hopefully empowering women to really step into themselves and honor their instincts.
Screen Rant: Autumn, what was your way into Amy, who shows both restraint and bravery at once?
Autumn Best: Thank you. I definitely just pulled from a lot of my own life experiences because I feel like the character is so similar to me as a person. I grew up very religious, and so I grew up being very good at restraint and being very good at filtering my own feelings and my own instincts. I really didn’t have to do that much digging to find Amy because she’s right here with me.
And then a lot of the physical stuff comes from costumes and comes from [the fact that] I love to journal on set and sketch on set to take in the physical landscape and be in my physical body. That really helps me. It really was just a lot of sitting with myself and having hard conversations with myself.
Woman Of The Hour Stars Praise Anna Kendrick’s Directorial Vision
“We just felt like we were in really capable, passionate hands.”
Screen Rant: Kathryn, did you have any conversations with Anna about the role of Charlie that helped you frame her story?
Kathryn Gallagher: Absolutely. I think that Anna was so considerate and intentional throughout this whole process. She really knew exactly what to say and was very open to any question, and she created a set that was so safe to try things in, which I think is sort of the key to feeling safe enough to give a good performance. She was just a real teammate.
All of us come from theater, and Anna is, of course, one of the youngest Tony nominees ever. So, I think we were all pretty used to being on our feet and trying new things.
Screen Rant: Was there anything that stood out to you most about Anna wearing all the different hats?
Nicolette Robinson: Oh, my God. Well, it’s a mutual fan club. We can’t stop talking about her. She’s incredible. She’s just so creative, and she just knows film. She’s been doing it for so long and has such a love of film, so we just felt like we were in really capable, passionate hands.
Autumn Best: She was so humble too. She was so just honest about her feelings and honest about how she was feeling that day, and that really helped bring everyone’s walls down a little bit. And she’s a problem solver too. She’s the best she can think so quickly on her feet. It’s really impressive.
Nicolette Robinson: And you just see her on set in her hair with her curlers getting ready because she’s in the film as well. [It’s] insane and wild to see this beautiful, passionate woman just telling everybody on set what to do. She’s amazing.
More About Woman Of The Hour (2024)
The stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles and a serial killer in the midst of a yearslong murder spree, whose lives intersect when they’re cast on an episode of The Dating Game.
Woman of the Hour
Cast
Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.
