Is Woman of the Hour a true story? How Rodney Alcala's Dating Game episode differs to the film

31 October 2024, 17:14

By Sam Prance

Where is Rodney Alcala now? Here's what happened to the serial killer and Cheryl Bradshaw in real life.

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Netflix's Woman of the Hour explores the shocking true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. How accurate is it though?

Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, Woman of the Hour has received widespread praise from viewers and critics alike. Told from the perspective of Rodney Alcala's victims, the film explores how the serial killer murdered multiple women and even appeared as a contestant on The Dating Game where he managed to woo Cheryl Bradshaw.

Most of the film is based on real life but some parts were devised for the screen. With that in mind, we're here to let you know which parts actually happened and where Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw both are now.

Read more: Woman of the Hour's viral parking lot scene praised for how terrifyingly "accurate" it is

Is Woman of the Hour based on a true story?

Watch Netflix’s Woman of the Hour trailer

Can you watch Rodney Alcala's The Dating Game episode?

As Woman of the Hour starts in 1977 with a focus on Cheryl as well as Rodney's victims, there's a lot of Rodney's story that doesn't play out on screen. While he studied as a fine arts student at UCLA in 1968, Rodney assaulted an 8-year-old girl named Tali Shapiro. Police failed to catch him but he was added to the FBI's most wanted list.

Rodney then managed to enrol at NYU film school. It was only while working as a camp counsellor in New Hampshire that he was caught after two girls recognised his face and reported him. Tali Shapiro decided not to testify. Rodney pleaded guilty to child molestation, was registered as a sex offender and spent 34 months in prison.

However, Rodney then managed to work at the LA Times as a typesetter and get a job as a wedding photographer because no one checked his sex offender status. When Rodney appeared on The Dating Game in 1978, he had already murdered multiple women but was yet to be caught.

Footage from Rodney Alcala's The Dating Game episode is now all over YouTube. While the dialogue differs in the Woman of the Hour, Rodney's behaviour is very similar, including him being very handsy with Cheryl when she selected him as her date.

That being said, Cheryl did not go for drinks with Rodney in real life and the parking lot scene was completely invented for the movie.

Laura is also a fictional character created to represent those who tried to report Rodney but were ignored.

Can you watch Rodney Alcala's The Dating Game episode? Picture: ABC

How was Rodney Alcala caught?

Rodney met many of his victims by offering to photograph them. In 1979, he tried to take photos of 12-year-old Robin Christine Samsoe and her friend Bridget. Bridget's old neighbour noticed and intervened but Robin's remains were discovered 12 days laters. Police found Rodney after Bridget's old neighbour gave them his description.

On 24th July, Rodney was charged with Robin's kidnap and murder. Police then learned that Rodney had a storage locker in Seattle where he stored over 1,000 of explicit photos of young women. During his court trials, they also linked him to seven other murders. As the film states, it's possible Rodney killed 130 victims.

Rodney was eventually sentenced to death in California for five murders. He then died at the age of 77 of natural causes while still on death row.

How was Rodney Alcala caught? Picture: Michael Goulding/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

Where is Cheryl Bradshaw now?

Little is known about Cheryl Bradshaw in real life. Anna Kendrick's character Sheryl in Woman of the Hour is only loosely based on the actual Cheryl. For example, Sheryl's backstory is fictionalised and it's unclear if Cheryl Bradshaw actually aspired to be an actress. Following her appearance on The Dating Game, Cheryl has lived a life removed from the public eye.

Nevertheless, Cheryl did speak to The Sunday Telegraph about her experience in 2012. Describing meeting Rodney, she said: "I started to feel ill. He was acting really creepy. I turned down his offer. I didn't want to see him again."

Cheryl added that Rondey made her feel "uneasy".