Anna Kendrick Donates Her ‘Woman of the Hour’ Paycheck to Charity After Feeling ‘Gross’ Profiting from Real-Life Crime Story
Anna Kendrick has revealed that she donated her salary from Woman of the Hour to charity because she felt uncomfortable profiting from a project based on real-life crimes. In the film, Kendrick both directs and stars as Sheryl, an aspiring actress who becomes involved with a serial killer while appearing on The Dating Game in the 1970s. The movie tells the true story of Rodney Alcala, the notorious “Dating Game Killer.”
While discussing the film on the Crime Junkie podcast, Kendrick shared her concerns about the ethical implications of true crime projects. “I had some valid ethical questions around true crime,” she explained. “So I donated my salary for the project to RAINN and the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC).”
Although Kendrick was initially motivated by artistic passion, the film’s sale at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to Netflix for a reported $11 million made her question the commercial aspects of the project. “I had a moment where I realized, ‘Oh, the movie’s going to make money,’” she said. “Then it was like, ‘Oh, money is going to exchange hands.’ I asked myself, ‘Do you feel gross about this?’ and I did. So, I’m not making money off of the movie.”
Kendrick explained that the film “was never a money-making venture” for her, and that all the resources went directly into the film’s production. In response to her gesture, representatives from RAINN and NCVC expressed gratitude, noting that Kendrick’s donation was a meaningful contribution to supporting survivors of sexual violence and reshaping the narrative around true crime.
The film centers around Alcala, who appeared on The Dating Game in 1978 while in the midst of his killing spree. Although he was convicted of five murders, many believe the true number of his victims could be as high as 130. Kendrick emphasized that the focus of the film was on the victims and the botched investigation that allowed Alcala to evade justice for years.
Woman of the Hour has already proven successful, becoming Netflix’s No. 2 film globally for the week of October 21-27, with over 13 million views.
During the press tour for the film, Kendrick also opened up about her own experiences with an emotionally abusive relationship, which she had kept private for years. Reflecting on the film’s themes and her role in Alice, Darling—which touches on psychological abuse—Kendrick explained that it was time for her to speak out and share her personal truth.
With her donation and her advocacy for victims’ rights, Kendrick is showing that there is more to storytelling than simply making a film—it’s about amplifying the voices that truly matter.
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