Anna Kendrick is a celebrated actress who has showcased her range and depth of emotion through her storied career. But with the movie “Woman of the Hour,” Kendrick embarked on a couple of firsts. This was her directorial debut, helming the Netflix film on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his appearance on “The Dating Game” in 1978 in the midst of his killing spree. Another first for Kendrick – she did not take a salary for her work on this movie. Instead, the 39 year old actress donated all her pay to charity.
On the Crime Junkie AF podcast, Kenrick revealed that she felt uncomfortable taking a salary for a movie with this subject matter. Instead, she donated it to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime.
“This was never a money-making venture for me,” Kendrick said. “Eventually, Netflix bought the movie. But it wasn’t until, like, the week before [the movie’s premiere at] TIFF that I thought, ‘Oh, the movie’s gonna make money. I asked myself the question of, ‘Do you feel gross about this?’ And I did. So I’m not making money off of the movie,” she said. “The money is going to — or has gone to — RAINN and to the gNational Center for Victims of Violent Crime. That felt like the least that I could do.”
It’s one thing to go on a press tour and talk about the importance of the film, it’s another to put your money where your mouth is – and Anna Kendrick has done just that with this tremendously generous gesture. In an era where many are criticizing the romanticism of killers like Alcala, Kendrick’s donation makes sure that the emphasis stays on the most important feature of stories like these: the victims. Alcala was convicted of five murders, but many believe he was responsible for more than 120 deaths.
Scott Berkowitz, the President of RAINN, spoke about the importance of Kendrick’s donation. “We’re so grateful to Anna Kendrick for her support of RAINN and all survivors, and for being a compassionate storyteller when it comes to raising awareness of sexual violence,” said Berkowitz. “Her donation will help us continue to provide free, 24/7 support through RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline.”