One of Ted Bundy's survivors has spoken out about Zac Efron's controversial film

30 January 2019, 13:51

By Katie Louise Smith

Kathy Kleiner Rubin, one of three survivors of Bundy's attacks, has addressed the backlash surrounding 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile'.

The trailer for Zac Efron's new Ted Bundy film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile dropped a few days ago and it's copped quite a bit of backlash from the internet.

The film, which sees Efron portray the notorious serial killer, rapist and necrophile Bundy tells the story through the eyes of his fiancée Elizabeth Kloepfer. Some people were calling it out for presenting the horrifying real life story as a kooky upbeat romance-thriller (and "over sexualising and romantiscing" Bundy himself), while the other half were pointing out that the film is actually just portraying Bundy as he was in real life, a "handsome" man who used his charm to attract his victims.

People are thirsting over serial killer Ted Bundy and the tweets will scar you for life

There's been a looooooot of conversation about it online and now, Kathy Kleiner Rubin, one of the only survivors of Bundy's attacks, has spoken out about the reaction to the film and Zac Efron's portrayal of the man who tried to murder her.

What happened to Kathy Kleiner Rubin? How did she survive?

Kathy was attacked by Bundy in 1978, when he broke into her sorority house. Two of Kathy's sorority sisters were murdered during Bundy's rampage that night. When he entered Kathy's room, Bundy repeatedly hit her while also attacking her roommate Karen Chandler. The only reason they survived was because Bundy was soon scared away by a car light that shone into the room.

Following the backlash and the veeerrry disturbing tweets from people apparently lusting after Bundy (yes, they exist... and also, REALLY?!), Kathy has now spoken out about what she thinks of the film and the backlash it's been getting. Speaking to TMZ, Kathy said: "I don't have a problem with people looking at it, and as long as they understand that what they're watching wasn't a normal person."

"I believe that in order to show him exactly the way he was, it's not really glorifying him, but it's showing him, and when they do say positive and wonderful things about him... that's what they saw, that's what Bundy wanted you to see," she continued.

She also went on to explain that the film might actually glorify Bundy more than it should, but still hopes that it will eventually help women stay safe and understand how these kind of men operate.

"The movie does glorify it more than I think it should be. But like I said I think everyone should see it and understand him as what he was even when he was the perfect son. I think hopefully it will make women [...] be more aware of their surroundings and be cautious. He had different tactics that he used for people to help him get in cars or do things, and in your gut, if you just feel that something doesn't feel right, just say no."

Watch the trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile at the top of the page.