To become Amanda Knox, Grace Van Patten had to inhabit her nuances and trauma very quickly

by

In a strange twist, Grace Van Patten‘s first encounter with Amanda Knox happened quite unexpectedly. It wasn’t their upcoming roles in the Hulu series “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” that made it surreal, but rather the fact they enjoyed a leisurely paddle boat ride at Echo Park Lake – an idea proposed by Knox herself.

Van Patten recalls feeling a mix of curiosity, calmness due to their initial meeting, and shortness of breath from cycling unaware of the effort it would require. Additionally, they felt detached, almost as if they weren’t fully there, in a state of disbelief about the situation unfolding.

Due to another artist’s withdrawal at the eleventh hour, Van Patten found herself needing to quickly ready for a demanding six-month filming schedule, with just two months of preparation time. During this period, she had to delve deeply into the character of Knox, a woman falsely accused of the 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying in Perugia, Italy. This role required Van Patten not only to convey the emotional turmoil Knox experienced, as her actions were under constant global media scrutiny, but also to capture the unique quirkiness that defines Knox’s outlook on life.

Review

‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’ dramatizes the events around a case that drew a media spectacle

As an avid viewer, I found myself captivated by the limited series on Hulu, which stars the talented Grace Van Patten and chronicles the dramatic tale of Amanda Knox – a woman who was initially convicted for the murder of her roommate. However, this verdict was later overturned, making for an intriguing storyline that kept me hooked from start to finish.

In a new miniseries airing on Wednesday with two initial episodes, actress Amanda Peet portrays Amanda Knox as she recounts her life story. The series highlights her emotions during her move to Italy, her fear while imprisoned, and her eventual forgiveness towards her prosecutor. This project marks a significant milestone for both Peet, who gained recognition from Hulu’s drama “Tell Me Lies,” and Knox herself, serving as an executive producer.
The eight-episode series, produced by K.J. Steinberg, represents a form of reclamation for Knox, with her believing that Peet accurately captured the subtle details often overlooked when she was frequently in the media spotlight.

During an interview at the show’s New York press day, Knox said, “She imitates my habits, she copies my chuckle, all the small details that make someone a complete and complex individual.” He added, “I am paying tribute to the young person I once was – the child who had never faced any misfortune until an unimaginably terrible event occurred.

On the day prior to our conversation, Knox shared with me that she expressed to Van Patten her heartfelt gratitude, saying something along the lines of, “I can hardly believe my luck for having you play me.” This performance left Knox feeling fortunate.

For Van Patten, who is now 28 years old, landing the role was somewhat serendipitous. She had identified Knox as someone she wanted to portray approximately 10 years ago. When the Netflix documentary about Knox, titled “Amanda Knox,” was released in 2016, Van Patten watched it and thought that if a dramatized version of the story ever emerged, she would be thrilled to play her character.

Movies

Did she or didn’t she? That is the question “Amanda Knox” explores with laser-like precision.

At that time, I was just as young,” she remarks, seated comfortably in a denim dress within a hotel room in downtown Manhattan. “I must have thought something along the lines of, ‘What a fascinating individual! That’s exactly the kind of acting role I want to pursue.’

Glancing at her resume, you’ll find that Van Patten’s acting journey started quite early – specifically, in two episodes of “The Sopranos” when she was just a child, under the direction of her father Tim Van Patten. However, it was after watching the Knox film that she decided to commit fully to acting as a career.

Despite now residing in Los Angeles, she spent her childhood in New York City. Having graduated from the renowned Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, famously recognized as the “Fame” school, she postponed attending USC for a year. During that time, she began auditioning and by 2017 found herself sharing the screen with Adam Sandler in Noah Baumbach’s “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)”. However, she did not go on to attend college afterwards.

Via her father, who boasts credits beyond “The Sopranos” like “Boardwalk Empire,” “Game of Thrones,” and more recently, “Masters of the Air,” she witnessed aspects of the entertainment world that weren’t as glamorous. This prompted a pause for her to view acting as a career rather than just a glamourous pursuit. Her passion also lay in sports: had she attended college, she would have sought to participate in basketball.

She explains that it took her some time to gain confidence in herself, and she believes she may have required affirmation from others as well.

As a movie enthusiast, experiencing a full-circle moment came when I secured a meeting with Steinberg and executive producer Warren Littlefield, stepping into the shoes previously worn by Margaret Qualley. Within mere days, I found myself landing the role, with barely a week to prepare. From then on, it was a mad dash to find an Italian teacher and immerse myself in as much research as I could manage within about two months.

“It was nice to kind of have a fire under me,” she says.

American Crime Story” that aired in 2021.

Entertainment & Arts

At the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Amanda Knox discussed her bond with Monica Lewinsky and the ‘sisterhood of questionable reputation.’

Through personal experience, I’ve gone through this process. Discussing my feelings about it with Amanda, what really stood out to me is that Beanie Feldstein portrayed the emotional authenticity – my own emotional truth as a person – remarkably well. While realism can be crucial in our project, if someone who resembles you and can evoke your emotions doesn’t capture the essence of who you are, it seems less significant to me.

In Van Patten’s performance, Lewinsky found herself deeply moved in each scene. Additionally, she expresses that he won her over completely.

Knox, meanwhile, started to have faith in Van Patten because of the kinds of questions she asked.

Like the theater kids who enjoyed musical performances at school.”) Additionally, Van Patten was curious about the silent methods Knox and her husband Christopher Robinson employed in their communication. (They express feelings through hand-touching.)

Van Patten states that he didn’t aim to imitate anyone or mimic, instead preferring to embody the true nature of the character and express her feelings honestly.

In-person, there’s an apparent difference between them. Van Patten’s voice carries a gravelly quality that Knox seems to be missing. While Knox speaks with the polished language of a seasoned orator, Van Patten exudes a cool demeanor that is noticeable.

Knox did not guide Van Patten through every moment during the intense interrogation scene shown in episode two, which compresses 53 hours of relentless questioning into a single intense sequence. Knox remarks, “She had an exceptional sense for the situation.” He continues, “The way the scene is structured makes it clear that everyone in the room was being manipulated by each other, with each person helping to create a false narrative about Amanda. It’s a complex scene and she pulled it off beautifully.

While the filming was underway, both in Rome and Budapest, Van Patten admits that she mainly focused on work and rest. However, Lewinsky points out that Van Patten’s demeanor on set was genuinely warm and cheerful.

She expresses that she was making a concerted effort to understand another person’s perspective by stepping into her shoes as much as possible during their interactions. Upon returning home, she ensured to relax and compose herself so she could remain focused and receptive.

Having Anna Van Patten, her actual sibling, portray her on-screen sister added a sense of reality for her, and frequent family visits further strengthened this connection.

After wrapping up the shoot for “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” Van Patten didn’t get long to regroup. Approximately three weeks later, she was required to start shooting Season 3 of “Tell Me Lies.” In this series, she portrays Lucy Albright, a college student who is entangled in a tumultuous relationship with the charismatic yet volatile character Stephen DeMarco, played by Jackson White – who, interestingly, is Van Patten’s real-life partner.

1) She was grateful to be familiar with the role she had been given. In her short spells of free time, she tried to do as little as she could. “I was flat on my back for three weeks,” she stated. “That’s mostly what my life looks like when I’m not working.” (Informal)

2) She appreciated having a part that was familiar to her. During her scant moments of leisure, she did as little as possible. “I was horizontal for three weeks,” she said. “But that’s the gist of life when I’m not on set.” (Casual)

3) She expressed gratitude for being comfortable with the part assigned to her. In between her brief breaks, she made an effort to do as little as feasible. “I was horizontal for three weeks,” she remarked. “In essence, that’s what my life consists of when I’m not working.” (Formal)

4) She expressed relief in recognizing the part she had been given. When she wasn’t busy, she tried to be as idle as possible. “I was laying flat for three weeks,” she said. “In a nutshell, that’s my life when I’m not acting.” (Informal and colloquial)

5) She acknowledged her familiarity with the part she was given. Whenever she had free moments, she minimized her activities. “I was horizontal for three weeks,” she said. “To put it simply, that describes my life when I’m not on set.” (Casual but clear and concise)

Currently, she’s preparing herself to gauge the public reaction towards her portrayal of Amanda. Van Patten expresses a sense of eagerness and hopefulness, stating, “There will likely be many set opinions leading up to this, so I’m really looking forward to seeing if people can be open-minded enough to reconsider their thoughts about it after watching it.

Knox already considers the series a “dream scenario.”

Relieved, I am, as Grace steps forward to portray Amanda Knox globally, a task I was shouldering. It’s comforting to know she understands my narrative and acknowledges the weight and difficulties that come with representing me and upholding this shared responsibility,” said Knox.

Van Patten had waited a decade to do so.

Read More

2025-08-20 13:38