The person sitting on a bed and being interviewed for a documentary is clearly in distress, tears welling.
“Can we take a break for a second?” Delaney Colaio, 18, asks the co-directors of We Go Higher, a documentary about the life experiences of “9/11 Kids,” people with parents murdered in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Someone offers water, but no break is given to Colaio. The directors, the award-winning Sara Hirsh Bordo and her frequent collaborator Michael Campo, resume firing questions about self-harm, Colaio’s relationship with his mother, and about his father, killed when Colaio was a toddler. During the two-hour-plus session, filmed in August 2017, and the three-hour session the night before, Bordo and Campo also grill Colaio on why he doesn’t want to see the terrorists face the death penalty. Amid all this, Colaio, brown eyes bleary and pained, puts his face in his hands and says he’s had enough,...
“Can we take a break for a second?” Delaney Colaio, 18, asks the co-directors of We Go Higher, a documentary about the life experiences of “9/11 Kids,” people with parents murdered in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Someone offers water, but no break is given to Colaio. The directors, the award-winning Sara Hirsh Bordo and her frequent collaborator Michael Campo, resume firing questions about self-harm, Colaio’s relationship with his mother, and about his father, killed when Colaio was a toddler. During the two-hour-plus session, filmed in August 2017, and the three-hour session the night before, Bordo and Campo also grill Colaio on why he doesn’t want to see the terrorists face the death penalty. Amid all this, Colaio, brown eyes bleary and pained, puts his face in his hands and says he’s had enough,...
- 6/7/2024
- by Allen Salkin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A well-told story ends when the credits roll, but not so documentaries. There, in most cases, the lives of the people depicted on-screen continue on, transformed by the fact of being filmed — and even more by whatever attention the project ignites in the culture at large. That’s why, in the hundreds of post-screening Q&As I’ve seen for docs over the years, the same questions come up virtually without fail: What’s happened since? How are the movie’s subjects doing now?
In “Subject,” co-directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall catch up with the people at the center of several major documentaries — from “Hoop Dreams” and “The Wolfpack” to “Capturing the Friedmans” and “The Staircase” — to see how their involvement in such projects changed their lives. That may be the hook that lures in audiences, though the film is far more than just a years-later epilogue to those high-profile docs.
In “Subject,” co-directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall catch up with the people at the center of several major documentaries — from “Hoop Dreams” and “The Wolfpack” to “Capturing the Friedmans” and “The Staircase” — to see how their involvement in such projects changed their lives. That may be the hook that lures in audiences, though the film is far more than just a years-later epilogue to those high-profile docs.
- 11/6/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Updated with new release date in New York of Nov. 3.
Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment is maintaining a brisk pace of acquisitions. A day after picking up North American rights to the TIFF premiere documentary Sorry/Not Sorry, the independent distributor announced it has partnered with Kanopy to acquire U.S. and Canadian rights to the feature doc Subject.
Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall produced and directed the film, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. Greenwich plans to open the film in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on November 3, while Kanopy will host a pre-theatrical screening and Q&a with the filmmakers online through public and college libraries. Tvod/DVD, college and public library streaming kicks off December 5.
“Subject goes behind the scenes of such famous nonfiction stories as Hoop Dreams, Capturing the Friedmans, The Wolfpack, The Square and The Staircase to explore the often murky ethical dilemmas and complex...
Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment is maintaining a brisk pace of acquisitions. A day after picking up North American rights to the TIFF premiere documentary Sorry/Not Sorry, the independent distributor announced it has partnered with Kanopy to acquire U.S. and Canadian rights to the feature doc Subject.
Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall produced and directed the film, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. Greenwich plans to open the film in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on November 3, while Kanopy will host a pre-theatrical screening and Q&a with the filmmakers online through public and college libraries. Tvod/DVD, college and public library streaming kicks off December 5.
“Subject goes behind the scenes of such famous nonfiction stories as Hoop Dreams, Capturing the Friedmans, The Wolfpack, The Square and The Staircase to explore the often murky ethical dilemmas and complex...
- 9/12/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
We all construct narratives about our lives, drafting and redrafting them with friends, family and ourselves. But what if they were packaged by a documentarian and broadcast on Netflix, a streaming platform with 230 million subscribers across 190 countries? How would it affect you, and would anyone care? This is the subject of Subject, a documentary about documentaries, and it is a process that Margie Ratliff knows all too well.
Ratliff was in her early twenties when she appeared in The Staircase, a documentary series about the trial of her father Michael Peterson, who was charged, convicted, and then released for the murder of his wife, Kathleen. In the interest of ‘transparency’, Peterson invited cameras into the trial and into Ratliff’s life, exposing her confusion and anguish for all to see. “I can’t tell you how painful it is,” says Ratliff, now in her 40s, “…reliving my mum’s death over and over again.
Ratliff was in her early twenties when she appeared in The Staircase, a documentary series about the trial of her father Michael Peterson, who was charged, convicted, and then released for the murder of his wife, Kathleen. In the interest of ‘transparency’, Peterson invited cameras into the trial and into Ratliff’s life, exposing her confusion and anguish for all to see. “I can’t tell you how painful it is,” says Ratliff, now in her 40s, “…reliving my mum’s death over and over again.
- 3/3/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The subjects of The Staircase, Hoop Dreams, Capturing the Friedmans and others contribute to this thoughtful film about the duty of care film-makers owe those whose stories they tell
If you’ve seen the sensational true crime documentary series The Staircase, you’ll know the story. In 2001, after Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the stairs at her home in North Carolina, police suspicion turned to her novelist husband Michael Peterson. When he allowed a documentary team to film what happened next, Peterson said it was because he was worried about getting a fair trial. His adopted daughter, Margaret Ratliff, 20 at the time, grief-stricken and terrified that her dad could be facing the death penalty, agreed to be part of the film. The loss of her privacy in the years since has been devastating, she admits now. “I can’t tell you how painful it is, reliving...
If you’ve seen the sensational true crime documentary series The Staircase, you’ll know the story. In 2001, after Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the stairs at her home in North Carolina, police suspicion turned to her novelist husband Michael Peterson. When he allowed a documentary team to film what happened next, Peterson said it was because he was worried about getting a fair trial. His adopted daughter, Margaret Ratliff, 20 at the time, grief-stricken and terrified that her dad could be facing the death penalty, agreed to be part of the film. The loss of her privacy in the years since has been devastating, she admits now. “I can’t tell you how painful it is, reliving...
- 2/28/2023
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
The Staircase’s Margie Ratliff, whose family nightmare became a TV sensation in the 2004 series, talks about a new film which looks at the ethics of ‘docu-tainment’
Some lives take on an uncontrollable life of their own. One of those belongs to Margie Ratliff, whose world changed the night before her 20th birthday when the woman she knew as her mother was discovered dead at the bottom of a steep staircase in the family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The horrific events of that night in 2001 not only resulted in one of the most scrutinised court cases in American legal history, they also launched a new kind of global entertainment: the serial true-life crime documentary, the did-he-do-it?
Michael Peterson, a novelist and Vietnam war veteran and Ratliff’s adoptive father, was charged with the first-degree murder of his second wife, Kathleen. He protested his innocence, claiming Kathleen had fallen down...
Some lives take on an uncontrollable life of their own. One of those belongs to Margie Ratliff, whose world changed the night before her 20th birthday when the woman she knew as her mother was discovered dead at the bottom of a steep staircase in the family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. The horrific events of that night in 2001 not only resulted in one of the most scrutinised court cases in American legal history, they also launched a new kind of global entertainment: the serial true-life crime documentary, the did-he-do-it?
Michael Peterson, a novelist and Vietnam war veteran and Ratliff’s adoptive father, was charged with the first-degree murder of his second wife, Kathleen. He protested his innocence, claiming Kathleen had fallen down...
- 2/12/2023
- by Tim Adams
- The Guardian - Film News
The relationship between documentary subject and documentarian has been fraught with conflict since the genre’s evolution beyond “actualities” and into a narrative format pioneered by Robert Flaherty. Interrogating what it means to become a “subject” in a documentary film that ultimately takes on a life and a folklore of its own, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall have created an essential exploration of ethics with Subject.
It’s a code of ethics that some of the film’s scholars, critics, and festival programmers argue is needed more than ever in an era when nonfiction content is more in demand from all major streamers. For some, their story grows over time—like Margaret Ratliff, who as a teen agreed to participate in a documentary about the death of her mother and the murder conviction of her father, novelist Michael Peterson. She originally agreed to participate in the series to support her...
It’s a code of ethics that some of the film’s scholars, critics, and festival programmers argue is needed more than ever in an era when nonfiction content is more in demand from all major streamers. For some, their story grows over time—like Margaret Ratliff, who as a teen agreed to participate in a documentary about the death of her mother and the murder conviction of her father, novelist Michael Peterson. She originally agreed to participate in the series to support her...
- 6/27/2022
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Documentaries are often crafted to explore the social issues of the world, either with an aim to simply bring these issues to light or in the hope of highlighting injustices in need of a fix. Some are made to inform and others, like any movie, to entertain. But what are the moral and ethical responsibilities of a documentary? What do their makers owe their real-life subjects? What does anyone? Such are the questions posited in Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera’s insightful documentary “Subject.”
to examine how they use their participants to craft a compelling narrative. But what does the word “compelling” mean when it involves real people and often the very real trauma of their lives? The directors attempt to answer this by following several prominent documentary participants, touching on their lives in the wake of becoming public figures through a documentary.
Margie Ratliff, daughter of convicted murderer Michael Peterson...
to examine how they use their participants to craft a compelling narrative. But what does the word “compelling” mean when it involves real people and often the very real trauma of their lives? The directors attempt to answer this by following several prominent documentary participants, touching on their lives in the wake of becoming public figures through a documentary.
Margie Ratliff, daughter of convicted murderer Michael Peterson...
- 6/16/2022
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Michael Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. He was released pending a new trial in 2011, and in 2017 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an Alford plea.
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
After being released from prison, he largely kept a lower profile, mainly talking about his life in relation to the investigation and trial as it was presented in the 2004 documentary “The Staircase,” which he participated in with his four children — Clayton and Todd Peterson and Margaret and Martha Ratliff. (He also had a 13-year relationship with one of the editors of the doc; they broke up shortly after he was released from jail.)
But Peterson’s quiet period appears to have ended. Of late, after being back in the news because HBO Max has semi-fictionalized his family tragedy into a limited series called “The Staircase,...
- 6/15/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
A documentary dork’s delight, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall’s Subject is one of those films about which my biggest lament is that it could have been five times as long — with the caveat that while I would be down for a 10-part series on documentary ethics, this 96-minute intro will be a thoroughly effective conversation starter.
Tiexiera and Hall’s film picks up where most documentaries end. You’ve turned your life over to a filmmaker for a few months or a few years. The film has come out. Maybe it’s won big prizes at Sundance. Maybe you even got to walk a red carpet or two. But then it’s over. Your story has been told in one very specific, strategically edited way. The director got the acclaim and the trophies.
But what about you? You’re famous. Maybe not globally famous,...
A documentary dork’s delight, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall’s Subject is one of those films about which my biggest lament is that it could have been five times as long — with the caveat that while I would be down for a 10-part series on documentary ethics, this 96-minute intro will be a thoroughly effective conversation starter.
Tiexiera and Hall’s film picks up where most documentaries end. You’ve turned your life over to a filmmaker for a few months or a few years. The film has come out. Maybe it’s won big prizes at Sundance. Maybe you even got to walk a red carpet or two. But then it’s over. Your story has been told in one very specific, strategically edited way. The director got the acclaim and the trophies.
But what about you? You’re famous. Maybe not globally famous,...
- 6/14/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For anyone aiming to be a documentary filmmaker, Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall’s 90-minute doc “Subject” should be required viewing. “Subject” explores the ethical responsibilities nonfiction filmmakers face when they decide to capture people, often at their most vulnerable, thereby forever locking them in a moment in time that will live on through the ages no matter how much a person grows or changes.
Tiexiera (“P.S. Burn This Letter Please”) and Hall (“Copwatch”) focus on some of the most successful documentaries of the past three decades and the “stars” they created and left in their wake. The directing duo explore the psychological impact of being unpaid key participants in commercially successful projects including “The Staircase,” “Hoop Dreams,” ” Wolfpack,” “The Square” and “Capturing the Friedmans.” Below, Tiexiera and Hall discuss the making of the documentary before its June 11 premiere at Tribeca.
What made you want to make this documentary?...
Tiexiera (“P.S. Burn This Letter Please”) and Hall (“Copwatch”) focus on some of the most successful documentaries of the past three decades and the “stars” they created and left in their wake. The directing duo explore the psychological impact of being unpaid key participants in commercially successful projects including “The Staircase,” “Hoop Dreams,” ” Wolfpack,” “The Square” and “Capturing the Friedmans.” Below, Tiexiera and Hall discuss the making of the documentary before its June 11 premiere at Tribeca.
What made you want to make this documentary?...
- 6/11/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
It turns out not everybody loves a speech. Margaret Ratliff (Sophie Turner) attempts to lighten the mood with some encouraging words the night before her father Michael Peterson's (Colin Firth) retrial hearing for the murder of his wife Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette) in this exclusive clip from the June 9 finale of HBO Max's The Staircase. Surrounded by a large group—including siblings Clayton Peterson (Dane DeHaan), Todd Peterson (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Martha Ratliff (Odessa Young) and their father's partner Sophie Brussard (Juliette Binoche)—Margaret pulls out a golden trophy and says "I have a surprise!" When somebody asks what she's...
- 6/8/2022
- E! Online
After a whirlwind start, Sophie Turner is careful about what comes next. The actor, who is currently expecting her second child with husband Joe Jonas, reflected on her career and early "Game of Thrones" success in a recent interview with Jessica Chastain for The Cut.
"For ten years, I felt like I needed to be the person that everyone else saw because I was growing up and I didn't know anything else," Turner said. "Other than the character that I was playing in Game of Thrones and then other people's perceptions of me, I didn't have time to figure out who I was as a person."
"At that age, I don't think I could comprehend a lot of the scene matter."
Turner portrayed Sansa Stark in "Game of Thrones," and she was 15 years old when the show first premiered on HBO. She would be one of the few cast members...
"For ten years, I felt like I needed to be the person that everyone else saw because I was growing up and I didn't know anything else," Turner said. "Other than the character that I was playing in Game of Thrones and then other people's perceptions of me, I didn't have time to figure out who I was as a person."
"At that age, I don't think I could comprehend a lot of the scene matter."
Turner portrayed Sansa Stark in "Game of Thrones," and she was 15 years old when the show first premiered on HBO. She would be one of the few cast members...
- 5/11/2022
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
Sophie Turner and Odessa Young took their roles as sisters on HBO Max’s “The Staircase” seriously. “I would feel anxiety if I wasn’t with her on set for a day,” Turner says of her co-star. “Anytime that we were doing a scene together, I’d be like, ‘Oh, thank God.’”
Young and Turner star as sisters Martha and Margaret Ratliff, the adopted daughters of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). Their biological mother, Elizabeth Ratliff, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 1985. Resurfaced evidence from her death played a prominent role in the case against Peterson for the 2001 death of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), also discovered at the bottom of a staircase.
The series, created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, breathes new life into a highly-publicized true crime case, originally told as a 2004 miniseries that was republished with new episodes by Netflix in 2018.
In...
Young and Turner star as sisters Martha and Margaret Ratliff, the adopted daughters of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). Their biological mother, Elizabeth Ratliff, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 1985. Resurfaced evidence from her death played a prominent role in the case against Peterson for the 2001 death of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), also discovered at the bottom of a staircase.
The series, created by Antonio Campos with showrunner Maggie Cohn, breathes new life into a highly-publicized true crime case, originally told as a 2004 miniseries that was republished with new episodes by Netflix in 2018.
In...
- 5/5/2022
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Colin Firth stepped outside of his comfort zone for his latest role as Michael Peterson in HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” premiering Thursday night with the first three episodes streaming on HBO Max.
The limited series, based on a true story, follows the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of novelist Michael Peterson’s wife, Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in December 2001. Michael was later convicted of her murder. He has maintained his innocence, successfully appealing for a re-trial before eventually taking an Alford plea (allowing him to accept his sentence without actually admitting guilt).
Prior to his turn as Michael for the HBO Max show, Firth had approached many of his previous roles in a similar fashion, he told TheWrap.
“I suppose I’ve always assumed in my work that you try to get to the...
The limited series, based on a true story, follows the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of novelist Michael Peterson’s wife, Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in December 2001. Michael was later convicted of her murder. He has maintained his innocence, successfully appealing for a re-trial before eventually taking an Alford plea (allowing him to accept his sentence without actually admitting guilt).
Prior to his turn as Michael for the HBO Max show, Firth had approached many of his previous roles in a similar fashion, he told TheWrap.
“I suppose I’ve always assumed in my work that you try to get to the...
- 5/5/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
The mystery surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson has been a hot topic for over 20 years.
Netflix attempted to lift the lid on what led to the tragic death in its docuseries, The Staircase, but many pivotal components didn't make it to the final edit.
HBO Max's drama series The Staircase offers a more informed approach to the details of the case.
Five of the eight episodes were screened for critics before the premiere, and the show's best aspect is how it examines all possibilities.
The series confidently highlights the weeks leading up to Kathleen's death, the case against her husband, Michael Peterson, and plenty of shocking details about those in their orbit.
Unless you paid close attention to the case as it played back in the early 2000s, there is probably a lot you don't know about it.
Then again, the people who took the Netflix series as...
Netflix attempted to lift the lid on what led to the tragic death in its docuseries, The Staircase, but many pivotal components didn't make it to the final edit.
HBO Max's drama series The Staircase offers a more informed approach to the details of the case.
Five of the eight episodes were screened for critics before the premiere, and the show's best aspect is how it examines all possibilities.
The series confidently highlights the weeks leading up to Kathleen's death, the case against her husband, Michael Peterson, and plenty of shocking details about those in their orbit.
Unless you paid close attention to the case as it played back in the early 2000s, there is probably a lot you don't know about it.
Then again, the people who took the Netflix series as...
- 5/4/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
In 2020, “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner and her husband Joe Jonas welcomed the birth of their daughter Willa. Now, two years later, and with baby number two on the way, the British actress returns to the screen in HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” premiering May 5. The domestic crime drama tells the story of North Carolina-based crime novelist Michael Peterson, played by Colin Firth, who is convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen, played by Toni Collette. Sophie plays the couple’s adopted daughter Margaret Ratliff.
When it comes to HBO series, Turner is no stranger to playing “the daughter” of a family on the brink of downfall and despair. Despite receiving an Emmy nomination for her role as Sansa Stark in “Got,” taking on the role of Margaret in “The Staircase” was an entirely different ballgame. Not only because it was her first time playing a nonfictional character, but also...
When it comes to HBO series, Turner is no stranger to playing “the daughter” of a family on the brink of downfall and despair. Despite receiving an Emmy nomination for her role as Sansa Stark in “Got,” taking on the role of Margaret in “The Staircase” was an entirely different ballgame. Not only because it was her first time playing a nonfictional character, but also...
- 4/30/2022
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
Tensions are high in the official trailer for HBO Max’s “The Staircase,” as Colin Firth’s Michael Peterson character tries to convince his lawyers, a jury, and even his family that he didn’t kill his wife.
The well-documented case involves the death of Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in December 2001. Her husband Michael was later convicted of her murder. He has maintained his innocence, successfully appealing for a re-trial before eventually taking an Alford plea (allowing him to accept his sentence without actually admitting guilt).
The upcoming series is a dramatized version of the events surrounding Kathleen’s death and Michael’s conviction. The full-length trailer, which you can watch above, begins with a seemingly joyful speech from Collette’s Kathleen as her family sits around the dinner table.
“I’d like to make...
The well-documented case involves the death of Kathleen Peterson (played by Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in December 2001. Her husband Michael was later convicted of her murder. He has maintained his innocence, successfully appealing for a re-trial before eventually taking an Alford plea (allowing him to accept his sentence without actually admitting guilt).
The upcoming series is a dramatized version of the events surrounding Kathleen’s death and Michael’s conviction. The full-length trailer, which you can watch above, begins with a seemingly joyful speech from Collette’s Kathleen as her family sits around the dinner table.
“I’d like to make...
- 4/21/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
The popular documentary series “The Staircase” is now an HBO Max limited series, with Colin Firth filling the role of convicted murderer Michael Peterson.
HBO Max released the first trailer for the new series on Tuesday, which finds Firth playing a man who was accused of murdering his wife (played by Toni Collette). The case was well covered in the early 2000s, but gained more prominence with the arrival of a documentary series that premiered in 2004 and documented Peterson’s trial. New episodes with further updates were later made for Netflix in 2018.
Created by Antonio Campos (“The Devil All the Time”), the HBO Max limited series take on the case offers a dramatization of the events courtesy of a pair of Oscar-caliber performers in Firth and Collette. The show will delve into all aspects of the case including, yes, the owl theory. “We took it as seriously as any other theory,...
HBO Max released the first trailer for the new series on Tuesday, which finds Firth playing a man who was accused of murdering his wife (played by Toni Collette). The case was well covered in the early 2000s, but gained more prominence with the arrival of a documentary series that premiered in 2004 and documented Peterson’s trial. New episodes with further updates were later made for Netflix in 2018.
Created by Antonio Campos (“The Devil All the Time”), the HBO Max limited series take on the case offers a dramatization of the events courtesy of a pair of Oscar-caliber performers in Firth and Collette. The show will delve into all aspects of the case including, yes, the owl theory. “We took it as seriously as any other theory,...
- 3/29/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
HBO Max’s upcoming murder-mystery series “The Staircase” will indeed examine the so-called “Owl Theory” as a potential explanation for the death of Kathleen Peterson, co-showrunner, writer and director Antonio Campos said Tuesday.
“We will address the Owl Theory,” Campos said in a Television Critics Association call with media.
“We took it as seriously as any other theory,” he added. “So you’ll get a deep dive.”
The Owl Theory episode will be “down the road,” Campos said.
Colin Firth stars on the show as Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife Kathleen. Michael Peterson spent eight years in prison. Toni Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, on the HBO Max series.
Essentially, the Owl Theory speculates that a barred owl could have attacked Kathleen outside of sprawling Peterson home, causing multiple, deep lacerations to the back and top of her head.
It...
“We will address the Owl Theory,” Campos said in a Television Critics Association call with media.
“We took it as seriously as any other theory,” he added. “So you’ll get a deep dive.”
The Owl Theory episode will be “down the road,” Campos said.
Colin Firth stars on the show as Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife Kathleen. Michael Peterson spent eight years in prison. Toni Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, on the HBO Max series.
Essentially, the Owl Theory speculates that a barred owl could have attacked Kathleen outside of sprawling Peterson home, causing multiple, deep lacerations to the back and top of her head.
It...
- 2/15/2022
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Move over, Mr. Darcy — Colin Firth is now Michael Peterson. HBO Max released a pair of first-look images Tuesday for its upcoming drama series, “The Staircase,” a scripted adaptation of the Jean-Xavier de Lestrade true-crime documentary series of the same name.
Firth stars on the show as Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife Kathleen. Michael Peterson spent eight years in prison. Toni Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, on the HBO Max series.
The scripted show also stars Michael Stuhlbarg as Michael Peterson’s defense attorney David Rudolph; Patrick Schwarzenegger as Michael’s son Todd Peterson; Dane DeHaan as Michael’s other son Clayton Peterson; Olivia DeJonge as Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen’s biological daughter; Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters; Odessa Young as Martha Ratliff, Michael’s other adopted daughter; Rosemarie DeWitt as Kathleen’s sister...
Firth stars on the show as Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife Kathleen. Michael Peterson spent eight years in prison. Toni Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, on the HBO Max series.
The scripted show also stars Michael Stuhlbarg as Michael Peterson’s defense attorney David Rudolph; Patrick Schwarzenegger as Michael’s son Todd Peterson; Dane DeHaan as Michael’s other son Clayton Peterson; Olivia DeJonge as Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen’s biological daughter; Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters; Odessa Young as Martha Ratliff, Michael’s other adopted daughter; Rosemarie DeWitt as Kathleen’s sister...
- 2/15/2022
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Here’s who is playing who is HBO Max’s limited series “The Staircase,” based on the original true-crime docuseries of the same name, directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade.
Colin Firth as Michael Peterson
Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, who in the early 2000s told authorities that his wife died at their home after falling down the stairs, but a medical examiner determined that she had been bludgeoned to death, turning Michael into a murder suspect. He was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen Peterson and spent eight years in prison.
In 2011, Michael Peterson was granted a new trial, but before it could start, he submitted to an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to time already served and was set free.
Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson
Collette is playing Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson’s wife who allegedly fell down the stairs and died — a...
Colin Firth as Michael Peterson
Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, who in the early 2000s told authorities that his wife died at their home after falling down the stairs, but a medical examiner determined that she had been bludgeoned to death, turning Michael into a murder suspect. He was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen Peterson and spent eight years in prison.
In 2011, Michael Peterson was granted a new trial, but before it could start, he submitted to an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to time already served and was set free.
Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson
Collette is playing Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson’s wife who allegedly fell down the stairs and died — a...
- 6/11/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, is going to play Michael Peterson’s son, Todd Peterson, in HBO Max’s scripted “The Staircase” series.
Patrick Schwarzenegger joins the previously announced Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Odessa Young and Sophie Turner on the show, which is based on the docuseries of the same name.
This “Staircase” is an eight-episode limited series exploring the life of author Michael Peterson, his North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.
Firth will play Michael Peterson, while Collette will play Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff and Young will play Martha Ratliff — those are Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. DeWitt will play Candace Zamperini, Kathleen’s sister who is certain of Michael’s guilt. Posey will play prosecutor Freda Black. HBO has not yet disclosed who Binoche is playing.
In the early 2000s, Michael Peterson...
Patrick Schwarzenegger joins the previously announced Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Odessa Young and Sophie Turner on the show, which is based on the docuseries of the same name.
This “Staircase” is an eight-episode limited series exploring the life of author Michael Peterson, his North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.
Firth will play Michael Peterson, while Collette will play Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff and Young will play Martha Ratliff — those are Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. DeWitt will play Candace Zamperini, Kathleen’s sister who is certain of Michael’s guilt. Posey will play prosecutor Freda Black. HBO has not yet disclosed who Binoche is playing.
In the early 2000s, Michael Peterson...
- 6/10/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Angie Harmon is set to star in and executive-producer a series of Lifetime movies, playing a single mother/diner owner whose very dark past keeps coming back to haunt her, despite her desire for a quiet life.
Barstow, as the franchise of closed-ended movies is tentatively titled, is part of a larger, multi-picture development deal that the Rizzoli & Isles star has just inked with the cabler, to EP, direct and star in projects.
More from TVLineJoe Exotic: Dennis Quaid Set to Play Tiger King Favorite Rick Kirkham in Peacock Limited SeriesTVLine Items: Mitchell Bites Into Vamp Role, Hulu Casts Mike Tyson...
Barstow, as the franchise of closed-ended movies is tentatively titled, is part of a larger, multi-picture development deal that the Rizzoli & Isles star has just inked with the cabler, to EP, direct and star in projects.
More from TVLineJoe Exotic: Dennis Quaid Set to Play Tiger King Favorite Rick Kirkham in Peacock Limited SeriesTVLine Items: Mitchell Bites Into Vamp Role, Hulu Casts Mike Tyson...
- 6/2/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Sophie Turner has joined the cast of the scripted limited series adaptation of “The Staircase” at HBO Max, the streamer announced Tuesday.
Turner joins Colin Firth and Toni Collette in the series from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos will direct six of the eight episodes and co-write the series with Cohn. The series is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television.
Firth stars as Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife and spent eight years in prison, as documented in the true crime docuseries of the same name by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, and Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters.
Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey also star in the limited series.
De Lestrade’s hit docuseries “The Staircase” was first released in 2004 and featured interviews with Peterson’s family, attorneys, as well as courtroom footage.
Turner joins Colin Firth and Toni Collette in the series from Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn. Campos will direct six of the eight episodes and co-write the series with Cohn. The series is a co-production between HBO Max and Annapurna Television.
Firth stars as Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering his wife and spent eight years in prison, as documented in the true crime docuseries of the same name by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Collette plays Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, and Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters.
Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey also star in the limited series.
De Lestrade’s hit docuseries “The Staircase” was first released in 2004 and featured interviews with Peterson’s family, attorneys, as well as courtroom footage.
- 6/1/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Sophie Turner is the latest high-profile star to join HBO Max’s Michael Peterson limited drama series The Staircase.
Game of Thrones alum Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters, in the scripted telling of the infamous murder case.
She will feature in the eight-part drama alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey.
The series, which comes from Christine director Antonio Campos and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).
DeWitt plays Candace Zamperini, Kathleen Peterson’s sister; Posey plays Freda Black, assistant district attorney and prosecutor in the Peterson case; and Binoche’s character is being kept under wraps.
2020-21 HBO Max Pilots & Series Orders
Margaret Ratliff and her sister Marth were adopted by Peterson after their mother Elizabeth Ratliff,...
Game of Thrones alum Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters, in the scripted telling of the infamous murder case.
She will feature in the eight-part drama alongside Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey.
The series, which comes from Christine director Antonio Campos and American Crime Story writer Maggie Cohn, explores the life of Michael Peterson (Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen (Collette).
DeWitt plays Candace Zamperini, Kathleen Peterson’s sister; Posey plays Freda Black, assistant district attorney and prosecutor in the Peterson case; and Binoche’s character is being kept under wraps.
2020-21 HBO Max Pilots & Series Orders
Margaret Ratliff and her sister Marth were adopted by Peterson after their mother Elizabeth Ratliff,...
- 6/1/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Sophie Turner has joined the cast of the HBO Max series “The Staircase.”
Turner joins previously announced cast members Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Juliette Binoche, and Rosemarie DeWitt.
The eight-episode series is based on the docuseries of the same name as well as various books and reports about the case of Michael Peterson (Firth), who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen (Collette), in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident.
Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. Turner is best known for her role as Sansa Stark in the megahit HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Her time on the show earned her an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in a drama. She is also know for playing Jean Grey...
Turner joins previously announced cast members Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Juliette Binoche, and Rosemarie DeWitt.
The eight-episode series is based on the docuseries of the same name as well as various books and reports about the case of Michael Peterson (Firth), who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen (Collette), in 2001. He claimed she died after falling down the stairs at their home, but police suspected he bludgeoned her to death and staged the scene to look like an accident.
Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michael Peterson’s adopted daughters. Turner is best known for her role as Sansa Stark in the megahit HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Her time on the show earned her an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in a drama. She is also know for playing Jean Grey...
- 6/1/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Sophie Turner is returning to HBO.
The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.
The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.
Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...
The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.
The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.
Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...
Sophie Turner is returning to HBO.
The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.
The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.
Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...
The Game of Thrones star been cast in the limited series The Staircase, which is coming to the company’s streaming service, HBO Max.
The Staircase is based on the true story of novelist Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson. Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Peterson’s adopted daughters. The Peterson case was also chronicled in a French documentary titled The Staircase in 2004.
Turner joins an all-star cast in the project that includes Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche, Rosemarie DeWitt and Parker Posey. The series ...
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