WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Woman of the Hour.
Anna Kendrick’s Sheryl leaving Hollywood at the end of Netflix’s filmWoman of the Hourreveals the true heart of her character.Kendrick made her directorial debut withWoman of the Hour, which chronicles the real-life appearance of serial killer Rodney Alcala on the popular game showThe Dating Game. Kendrick also leads thecast ofWoman of the Houralongside Daniel Zovatto as Alcala and Tony Hale as the game show’s host, Ed Burke. WhileWoman of the Hourchanges several true storyaspects of Rodney Alcala’s experience onThe Dating Show, his appearance left an indelible scar on the show’s legacy.
By theend ofWoman of the Hour, Kendrick’s Sheryl Bradshaw escapes Alcala’s grasp unscathed and leaves Los Angeles for good. In reality,she and Alcala appeared onThe Dating Gameon August 09, 2025, just two years before Alcala was sentenced to death in California for the murder of a twelve-year-old girl. Alcala received two death sentences that were both ultimately overruled. He died in prison in 2021. While the total number remains undetermined,Alcala could have had as many as 130 victims. As depicted inWoman of the Hour, Alcala made an advance on Sheryl after the show’s taping but was unsuccessful.
Woman of the Houris streaming exclusively on Netflix.
She leaves Los Angeles and the entertainment industry behind for good
At the beginning ofWoman of the Hour, Sheryl is a struggling actress who essentially takes the spot onThe Dating Gamefor a paycheck to cover her rent in Los Angeles. Throughout her experience on the show, not only dealing with the entirety of Rodney’s unmasking but also the inherent misogyny from the show’s host, Ed Burke,Sheryl decides that the life she’s chasing after is no longer worth the hardship. Contributing to her decision is also the relentless and desperate romantic attempts by her fellow actor and neighbor, Terry (played by Pete Holmes).
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In addition to her overall terrifying experience with Rodney, Sheryl is tired of being objectified in Hollywood while her career goes nowhere. During the scene in which Sheryl is getting her makeup done for the show,Ed Burke arrives with instructions to change her attire since she “has the body for it”. Sheryl is exhausted from having to jump through the hoops of the entertainment industry all for a long-shot ambition of becoming a professional actress. She also appears to be fed up with the various ways in which the entertainment industry of the era (late 1970s) forces her to mold into an idealized and marketable version of feminity.
Sheryl’s Departure Contrasts With Anna Kendrick’s Real-Life Experience
Kendrick did incorporate one of her real-life experiences in the film
The end credits ofWoman of the Hourreveal that the real Sheryl, named Cheryl Bradshaw, did actually leave Hollywood to live a quiet life and raise a family. This is quite different from the life trajectory of star actress and director,Anna Kendrick, who grew up in Portland, Maine, and currently resides in Los Angeles. Kendrick got her big break by acting in the 2008 filmTwilight, which catapulted her career to new heights. Since then, she has appeared in dozens of films and television shows, includingScott Pilgrim vs. The World(2010),Pitch Perfect(2012), andThe Accountant(2016).
How Woman Of The Hour Compares To The Real Footage Of Rodney Alcala’s Dating Game Episode
One look at the real-life footage of Rodney Alcala’s Dating Game footage suggests that Woman of the Hour changed many things from the show’s episode.
While Kendrick has cited some of her own experiences for Sheryl’s audition scene in the movie, she eventually made it big in the industry, unlike the real-life Cheryl Bradshaw.Kendrick recalled an odd encounter she had during one of her own auditionsthat she felt would align with the narrative and tone ofWoman of the Hour. Kendrick revealed that certain casting directors had asked her if she was willing to do nudity and made “a very specific and weird remark” about her body which actually happened to her when she was 19. Kendrick called the memory “absolutely crazy” and made a point to include it inWoman of the Hour(viaPeople).
Did The Real Cheryl Bradshaw Leave Hollywood After The Dating Game?
The real Cheryl left Los Angeles soon after filming the episode ofThe Dating Game. She was fortunately not interested in pursuing any sort of romantic engagement with Alcala and mostly made it out of Hollywood unscathed.Cheryl also was not an aspiring actress, as portrayed inWoman of the Hour. She was introduced as a teacher in the actual 1978 episode ofThe Dating Gameand has no film or television credits apart fromThe Dating Gameand several docuseries focusing on Rodney Alcala. Since Cherly Bradshaw went on to live a private life, there is not much accessible information about her. Kendrick revealed that Bradshaw has since died but wished she could have talked to her when developingWoman of the Hour.
Woman of the Hour
Cast
Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.
