Anna Kendrick has shared that she chose to donate all of her earnings from her latest film to charity because it made her feel ‘gross’.
The movie marks her debut as a director, and she also plays a starring role. It has been trending on Netflix and currently ranks among the top three films on the platform in the UK.
The story is inspired by the true-life account of Cheryl Bradshaw, who is played by Kendrick. It recounts her appearance on the 1970s dating show, The Dating Game, and her unsettling experience with serial killer Rodney Alcala, portrayed by Daniel Zovatto.
The film, titled Woman of the Hour, has sparked mixed reactions. Some viewers criticized it for falling short in certain key areas, while others on Rotten Tomatoes praised it as their ‘favourite movie of the year’.
The tale is undoubtedly chilling, as it shows how Alcala appeared on the dating show right in the middle of his spree of murders.
Despite choosing him as the winning contestant, Bradshaw ultimately refused to go on a date with Alcala because she found him unsettling after meeting him in person.
On the show, Alcala was introduced as a photographer who enjoyed activities like skydiving and motorbiking. However, no background check was done on him.
If one had been conducted, the producers would have found out that Alcala had been convicted for child molestation in 1971. Authorities managed to catch him after he was featured on an FBI Most Wanted poster, and he spent nearly three years in prison for that crime.
The photographs he had taken ended up being crucial during his trials after he was finally captured and charged with murder. In 1980, Alcala was sentenced to death for the killing of a 12-year-old girl, and he was later found guilty of other crimes, including eight murders.
Authorities believe, however, that his true number of victims likely exceeded 100 women.
Kendrick’s film covers the tragic stories of Alcala’s victims, and due to the disturbing nature of the content, she decided she did not feel right profiting from it.
Because of this, Kendrick chose to donate the money she earned to nonprofit organisations dedicated to supporting victims of violent crime.
In an interview on SiriusXM’s Crime Junkie AF podcast, Kendrick said: “Once I realised, ‘Oh there’s going to be money exchanging hands,’ I asked myself the question, ‘Do you feel gross about this?'”
She continued by adding: “And I did. So I’m not making money off the movie. The money is going to RAINN and the National Centre for Victims of Crime.”
People online were quick to commend her for this decision, with many calling her ‘dope as hell’.
Woman of the Hour is currently available to stream on Netflix.
