How Russell Crowe Was Integral In Serial Killer Casting For Anna Kendrick’s Netflix Movie Woman Of The Hour

Russell Crowe played an important role in Daniel Zovatto being cast for Woman of the Hour. Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who Zovatto plays in the Netflix thriller. Woman of the Hour‘s cast of characters features Rodney winning a date with aspiring actor Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick) when she is a contestant on The Dating Game television show, which led to him becoming known as the “Dating Game Killer.”

Kendrick and Zovatto spoke with Entertainment Weekly and explained how Crowe encouraged Zovatto to play the role of Rodney. When Zovatto was offered the role, he was filming The Pope’s Exorcist with Crowe, who praised Kendrick’s work and told Zovatto to accept the offer. Zovatto also explained how he was immediately impressed with Kendrick and why he wanted to work with her after being initially encouraged by Crowe. Check out Kendrick and Zovatto’s comments below:

Kendrick
: He was away filming, and it took us forever to finally connect. I think he was filming with Russell Crowe at the time and told Russell Crowe about the offer, and apparently Russell Crowe was like, “Oh, I think I like her. I think you should do it.” So I owe Russell Crowe the biggest fruit basket of all time.

Zovatto
: Yeah, I was in Ireland shooting Pope’s Exorcist with Russell, which, f—, that was a dream already. He’s a very giving guy. So when this audition came about, I was really into the movie with Russell, and I heard about it, and I was like, “Oh, that would be really cool.” But my mind was somewhere else.

I went to Russell, and I was like, “Yo, there’s this movie Anna Kendrick is directing for her first time. I’d play the serial killer, but I don’t know, bro, because I’m shooting here. I want to go back to my thing.” He’s like, “You’re going to do it, Danny.” I was like, “All right, dude, I’ll do it.

I was like, oh my gosh, she’s going to kill it. She was so prepared, and she knew the story inside out. I saw her passion in the way that she conveyed herself in the meeting, and I was like, man, I really want this part.

What This Means For Woman Of The Hour

Russell Crowe’s Encouragement Made All The Difference

Woman of the Hour‘s reviews have been largely positive, including a 91% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and with Zovatto’s performance being highlighted as one of the movie’s greatest strengths. It is difficult to imagine a different actor playing the role as effectively, which makes it all the more important that Zovatto was the one who was cast, and that Crowe helped it to become possible. These factors have helped the movie have a strong streaming debut on Netflix.

In addition to the leading performances, Kendrick is being praised for her directorial debut. While she is a popular and successful actor, directing comes with its own unique challenges. Crowe’s support helped ensure that Kendrick got the actor she wanted and that the movie needed in order to thrive. While there are always issues in Hollywood, it is important to see how creatives are supporting and encouraging each other as well, with Crowe’s advice helping Kendrick, Zovatto, and the movie as a whole.

The Industry Is Better When Creatives Support Each Other

The tense ending to Woman of the Hour and the events that precede it are riveting to watch. Much of the credit for this goes to Kendrick and Zovatto, but it is also important to recognize the small, but important role that Crowe played in making the movie thrive as well. It is a reminder of how movies and creators can thrive when uplifted by others in the industry, with Woman of the Hour and everyone involved ultimately benefiting from Crowe’s insistence that Zovatto be part of it.

Source: EW

Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.

DirectorAnna Kendrick

Release DateSeptember 26, 2023

WritersIan MacAllister McDonald

CastAnna Kendrick , Daniel Zovatto , Autumn Best , Andy Thompson , David Beairsto , Tighe Gill , Bonnie Hay , Thomas Strumpski , Nicolette Robinson , Kathryn Gallagher , Kelley Jakle , Tony Hale

Runtime94 Minutes