Is Woman of the Hour Based on a True Story? Release Date And Cast
by Ritu
Updated Oct 17, 2024

Is Woman of the Hour Based on a True Story?
Yes, Woman of the Hour is based on a true story. In Netflix's Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick stars as a contestant on the game show The Dating Game, where she ends up choosing a serial killer as her date. This story is based on real events that took place in 1978. Kendrick not only acts in the film but also makes her directorial debut with it. The movie tells the true story of Cheryl Bradshaw, who selected Rodney Alcala, a notorious serial killer, as her winning contestant on the show. So here we have given the answer to the question "Is Woman of the Hour Based on a True Story". Scroll down and check Woman of the Hour cast, release date and trailer.
In the movie, Anna Kendrick plays Cheryl who is bold, ditching the innuendo-based questions on her cue cards for questions like “what are girls for?” In real life, Cheryl asked the men, “I’m serving you for dinner. What are you called and what do you look like?” Rodney’s creepy answer? “I’m called the banana and I look good,” adding “peel me.” When Cheryl asked “what’s your best time?” he answered “because that’s the only time there is… night time is when it gets really good,” which could have been a dark reference to his crimes.
The movie focuses on a notorious episode from the 1978 season of The Dating Game, which aired from 1965 to 1986. In this episode, Cheryl had to choose from three bachelors: Rodney Alcala (played by Daniel Zovatto), Jed Mills, and Armand Cermani (the latter two are portrayed by Matt Visser and Jedidiah Goodacre in the film). As with other episodes, Cheryl bases her choice on the bachelors' answers to her questions.
Rodney Alcala Story
What is Rodney Alcala Story? Before appearing on The Dating Game, Rodney Alcala had already been connected to several murder cases. He had served time in prison for sexually assaulting and beating two victims, including an eight-year-old girl in 1972. While he was eventually convicted of killing six women and a 12-year-old girl, authorities believe he could be responsible for as many as 130 deaths, making the true extent of his crimes uncertain.
Rodney was taken into custody in 1979 and convicted of multiple crimes, receiving a death sentence. However, this initial conviction was later overturned. His second death sentence was also invalidated in 2003 after new DNA evidence linked him to additional murders. In 2010, he was convicted on five counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death once more. Rodney faced additional murder charges until his death from unspecified natural causes in prison in 2021 .
Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick
In Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick plays Cheryl Bradshaw, a contestant on The Dating Game. During the show, she is introduced to three anonymous bachelors, one of whom is labeled as Bachelor Number 1. This bachelor, who describes himself as a photographer and daredevil, is Rodney Alcala. At the time he appeared on the show, Alcala had an alarming criminal history that included offenses such as assault, child molestation, rape, and murder.
Rodney Alcala’s presence on the show is particularly chilling given his later convictions for multiple murders. His story highlights the disturbing reality of how someone with such a violent background could participate in a public dating show, ultimately deceiving both the contestant and the audience.
What Happened to Cheryl Bradshaw?
In 1978, Cheryl Bradshaw was an aspiring actress in Los Angeles who also worked as a drama teacher. She was selected by producers to participate in The Dating Game, but after filming, she chose to cancel her date with Rodney Alcala, one of the contestants. Cheryl reached out to contestant coordinator Ellen Metzger to express her discomfort, stating, “I can’t go out with this guy; there’s weird vibes coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable.”
Her intuition likely protected her from a dangerous situation. While details about Cheryl's current life are scarce, it's clear she narrowly escaped a potentially tragic fate by trusting her instincts regarding Alcala.
Woman of the Hour
Woman of the Hour is a 2023 American crime thriller film, marking Anna Kendrick's directorial debut. The screenplay, written by Ian McDonald, is inspired by the chilling true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who infamously appeared on the game show The Dating Game in 1978 while in the midst of committing his crimes. The film focuses on the events surrounding the show and features Kendrick in the role of contestant Cheryl Bradshaw.
Woman of the Hour Cast
Actor | Character |
---|---|
Anna Kendrick | Cheryl Bradshaw |
Daniel Zovatto | Rodney Alcala |
Nicolette Robinson | Laura |
Tony Hale | Ed Burke |
Kathryn Gallagher | Charlie |
Pete Holmes | Terry |
Autumn Best | Amy |
Jessie Fraser | Lisa |
Kelley Jakle | Sarah |
Taylor Hastings | Melanie |
Jedidiah Goodacre | Arnie |
Darcy Laurie | Marty |
Woman of the Hour Release Date
What is Woman of the Hour Release Date? Woman of the Hour is set to be released on October 18. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023. In the trailer for the upcoming film, we see Cheryl Bradshaw struggling to get by as an actress in Los Angeles. After facing a letdown in an audition, her agent suggests she try out as a contestant on The Dating Game—a decision she makes mainly to help cover her rent.
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