How 2 key characters in 'Woman of the Hour' are based on people who had brushes with Dating Game killer Rodney Alcala

• "Woman of nan Hour" is based connected nan existent communicative of serial slayer Rodney Alcala appearing connected a making love show.
• Amy, nan film's young runaway, is inspired by Monique Hoyt, 1 of Alcala's targets who escaped.
• The characteristic Laura represents nan group who voiced concerns astir Alcala but were ignored.

Netflix's caller movie "Woman of nan Hour" takes inspiration from nan chaotic communicative of serial slayer Rodney Alcala competing connected a making love show, but recenters nan communicative connected a female who narrowly evaded becoming 1 of his victims.

"Woman of nan Hour," starring Anna Kendrick arsenic Sheryl and Daniel Zovatto arsenic Rodney, is simply a dramatized rotation connected Cheryl Bradshaw's brushwood pinch Alcala connected an section of nan ABC show "The Dating Game" successful 1978.

The movie is Netflix's latest to provender into its audience's obsession pinch true crime. Since releasing connected Friday, "Woman of nan Hour" has peaked astatine No. 2 connected Netflix's play Top 10 database of nan most-watched films, pinch 9.9 cardinal views during its first week of availability.

"Woman of nan Hour" chiefly focuses connected Sheryl and Rodney's brushwood connected nan making love show. But nan movie besides specifications respective of Alcala's murders that took spot earlier and aft his primetime appearance, showing really he preyed connected unsuspecting women and gained their spot earlier sidesplitting them.

In existent life, Alcala was convicted of nan murders of 7 women and girls, though nan existent number is believed to beryllium complete 100. Few people, mostly notably Tali Shapiro and Morgan Rowan, survived their interactions pinch Alcala.

Here's really 2 cardinal secondary characters successful "Woman of nan Hour," Amy and Laura, are inspired by real-life people.

In 'Woman of nan Hour,' teen runaway Amy outsmarts Rodney and is instrumental successful him getting arrested

Amy (Autumn Best) meets Rodney successful San Gabriel, California, connected Valentine's Day 1979. Rodney charms her by calling her beautiful and asks her to beryllium his exemplary for a photograph title he wants to enter.

While taking photos of her successful nan desert, secluded from immoderate imaginable witnesses, Rodney tackles her. She wakes up pinch her hands and ankles tied, jeans pulled down, and humor connected her look and clothing.

Amy asks Rodney not to show anyone astir what happened because she'd beryllium embarrassed. She past fools Rodney by asking if they could spell backmost to his place, which he agrees to. When Rodney stops astatine a state position to usage nan bath and lavation humor retired of his fingernails, Amy takes nan opportunity to fly earlier he returns to his car.

The movie ends pinch Amy opinionated astatine a adjacent diner aft calling nan constabulary and watching successful restitution and alleviation arsenic they apprehension Rodney.

Amy is based connected Monique Hoyt, a existent personification who survived her brushwood pinch Alcala

"Woman of nan Hour" includes a postscript that references nan real-life inspiration for nan characteristic Amy.

Hoyt was a 15-year-old runaway erstwhile she met Alcala connected February 14, 1979. After Alcala raped her, she escaped by asking him to support their brushwood a concealed and convinced him that she wanted to proceed seeing him.

The movie ends pinch him being captured by nan police, but successful existent life, Alcala killed much group earlier yet being convicted of 7 murders of women and children. During Alcala's 3rd trial successful 2010, Hoyt, now an adult, testified against him.

"According to nan prosecutor, 'She showed up and put nan nail successful Rodney's coffin,'" nan "Woman of nan Hour" postscript reads.

Alcala died of earthy causes successful July 2021 while incarcerated astatine Corcoran State Prison. Hoyt seemingly kept a debased floor plan and small is known astir what happened to her aft testifying.

The characteristic Laura represents nan real-life group who tried to speak up astir Alcala but were ignored

In "Woman of nan Hour," Laura is an assemblage personnel connected "The Dating Game" who recognizes Rodney arsenic nan man who raped and murdered her friend Alison nan erstwhile year.

In 1 scene, Laura expresses regret complete leaving Alison unsocial pinch Rodney astatine a bonfire contempt sensing thing was disconnected astir him. Throughout nan movie, group uncertainty Laura and don't return her earnestly erstwhile she voices her suspicions astir nan "Dating Game" contestant. This includes her fellow Ken (Max Lloyd-Jones), a information defender connected nan show's set, and an serviceman astatine a constabulary station.

Laura's acquisition reflects nan measurement nan existent Alcala was reported to rule enforcement aggregate times but didn't look consequences until overmuch later successful life.

"Laura really functions arsenic benignant of a practice of each nan group that tried to raise nan siren and were ignored," Kendrick told Tudum. "There are truthful galore heroes successful this story, but nan heroes were outnumbered and outgunned by incompetence and negligence and a civilization that did not prioritize victims."