Anna Kendrick Donates ‘Woman of the Hour’ Paycheck to Charity: “I Felt Gross Profiting from a Real Crime Story”
Anna Kendrick made the decision to donate her entire paycheck from Woman of the Hour to charity after grappling with ethical concerns about profiting from a true crime story. Kendrick both stars in and directs the film, which depicts the chilling real-life story of Rodney Alcala, known as the “Dating Game Killer.” She plays Sheryl, an aspiring actress who unknowingly goes on a date with Alcala, who had been selected as one of the bachelors on the popular TV show in the 1970s.
In an interview on the Crime Junkie podcast on October 25, Kendrick explained that after reflecting on the ethical dilemmas surrounding true crime entertainment, she decided to give her earnings to two organizations: the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC).
“This film was never meant to be a money-making venture for me,” Kendrick explained. “All the resources went into making the movie itself.” But when the film was sold to Netflix at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival for a reported $11 million, Kendrick had a moment of realization. “I thought, ‘Oh, the movie’s going to make money.’ Then it hit me—‘Money’s going to be exchanging hands.’”
At that point, she asked herself if she felt uncomfortable profiting from such a sensitive topic. “I did,” Kendrick said. “So, I’m not making money off of the movie.” She donated the money from the film’s earnings to the two organizations, a gesture she felt was the least she could do given the nature of the project.
A spokesperson for NCVC expressed gratitude for Kendrick’s donation, calling her support a reminder that “behind every statistic, and true crime ‘story,’ is a human being with a powerful story to tell.” RAINN also issued a statement thanking Kendrick for raising awareness about sexual violence through her work.
The film’s real-life basis centers on Rodney Alcala, who was convicted of five murders in the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared on The Dating Game in 1978 while in the midst of his killing spree. Though Alcala’s crimes were horrific, Kendrick made it clear that her focus in the film was on the victims and the failed investigation that allowed Alcala to evade justice for years.
Woman of the Hour is currently streaming on Netflix, where it was the second most-viewed film globally for the week of October 21-27, with 13.2 million views.
During the promotional tour for the film, Kendrick also opened up about her personal experiences with emotional abuse. She revealed in an interview that she had been in a psychologically abusive relationship for seven years, a realization that she had while working on both Woman of the Hour and Alice, Darling—another film about abuse. Kendrick described the difficult decision to share her experience publicly, saying that it was time to “rip off the Band-Aid” and be honest about her past. “I couldn’t spend another second breathing dishonest air,” she shared.
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