Anna Kendrick says she felt “gross” profiting from her new Netflix crime thriller Woman of the Hour, so she donated her pay to survivors of sexual abuse. Kendrick stars in and directs the true crime thriller based on the harrowing story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. In 1978, Alcala appeared on an episode of The Dating Game, where, sight unseen, he won a date with a woman named Cheryl Bradshaw. Despite picking Alcala as her potential suitor, Bradshaw’s instincts deterred her from ever going through with a date. At the time, Alcala had committed several murders and was a registered sex offender.
During an appearance on the Crime Junkie AF podcast, Kendrick described why she ultimately decided to donate her salary from the film:
“It wasn’t until the week before TIFF [Toronto International Film Festival] that I thought ‘Oh, the movie is going to make money. I went from being like, ‘Let me know when the movie happens,’ to being like, ‘Oh god I am responsible for this,’ and then it was making the movie, making the movie, we just barely made the deadline to get into TIFF, and then it was like, ‘Oh, there’s money gonna be exchanging hands,’ and I sort of asked myself the question, ‘Do you feel gross about this?’ And I did.”
Kendrick expanded that she had, or would, donate her earnings from the film to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime. Both are non-profit organizations dedicated to helping victims of crime.
Woman of the Hour Earns Anna Kendrick High Praise
Woman of the Hour premiered at 2023’s Toronto International Film Festival, where Netflix acquired its US distribution rights after the film received several offers. Woman of the Hour landed on the streamer on October 18 and quickly rose to the number one spot on Netflix’s streaming chart. While Woman of the Hour marks Kendrick’s feature directorial debut, she was first attached to it to portray Sheryl Bradshaw (the character based on the real-life Cheryl Bradshaw). During a recent interview with Netflix’s Tudum, Kendrick explained why she made a pitch to serve as the movie’s director.
“Once I pitched myself to direct the movie, I realized that I love the character, but I love the movie as a whole significantly more than I love the character. I think I was particularly invested in the script and in pieces of the script that [my character is] not in, in a way that I normally wouldn’t be.”
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Kendrick has earned acclaim for her directorial outing, and the film – which currently holds an impressive 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – has been commended for its exploration of the challenges faced by women in the 1970s and beyond. Kendrick stars alongside Daniel Zovatto, who delivers a chilling portrayal of Rodney Alcala, Tony Hale, and Nicolette Robinson. It was written by Ian McDonald.
Alcala was convicted of seven murders and sentenced to death, but law enforcement and investigators believe that his victim count could be as high as 130. While appearing on The Dating Game, Alcala was introduced as a successful photographer who enjoyed skydiving and riding motorcycles. He was ultimately sentenced to death for his crimes, and died of natural causes on July 24, 2021, while on death row.
Anna Kendrick stars in her directorial debut, Woman of the Hour – 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.