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
Documentaries may chronicle real life, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's an honest portrayal. Rosemarie DeWitt and Olivia DeJonge learned this firsthand while preparing to star in HBO Max's adaptation of the 2004 true crime documentary The Staircase. The series followed North Carolina novelist Michael Peterson as he defended himself from accusations of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in 2001. In the HBO Max dramatization, Toni Collette plays Kathleen, while DeWitt and DeJonge plays her sister Candace Zamperini and daughter Caitlin Atwater respectively. Both women turned against Michael...
- 5/12/2022
- E! Online
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
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
Olivia DeJonge (The Society) has joined the cast of The Staircase, HBO Max’s limited series drama adaptation based on the true-crime docuseries. She joins previously announced cast members Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Rosemarie DeWitt, Juliette Binoche, Parker Posey, Sophie Turner, and Dane DeHaan.
The eight-episode series 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).
DeJonge will play Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen Peterson’s biological daughter.
The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case of Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen two years earlier. The charge was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium,...
The eight-episode series 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).
DeJonge will play Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen Peterson’s biological daughter.
The series is based on the docuseries and various books and reports on the case of Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 of murdering Kathleen two years earlier. The charge was reduced to manslaughter in 2017, and Peterson subsequently was released from prison. He had claimed his wife died after falling down the stairs at their home after consuming alcohol and Valium,...
- 6/25/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Recently revisited by Netflix, Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's harrowing legal saga, The Staircase, reopens one of the most infamous cases in true crime: the tragic death of Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her home. There are many theories about her death, from murder by her novelist husband, Michael Peterson, to an owl attack. The details of her case have been debated and considered over countless sources throughout the years, from series like Forensic Files to podcasts like Criminal. The evidence is upsetting but provides no definitive answer. Keep reading as we dissect the details surrounding Kathleen's death for a closer look.
Who Was Kathleen Peterson?
Kathleen worked as a successful executive at Nortel Networks. Prior to her marriage to Michael, she had one daughter, Caitlin Atwater, from a previous relationship. Michael, who had four children of his own, moved in with Kathleen,...
Who Was Kathleen Peterson?
Kathleen worked as a successful executive at Nortel Networks. Prior to her marriage to Michael, she had one daughter, Caitlin Atwater, from a previous relationship. Michael, who had four children of his own, moved in with Kathleen,...
- 6/26/2018
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
In 2001, French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for the film Murder on a Sunday Morning, about the wrongful murder conviction of a 15-year-old black teenager named Brenton Butler. The documentary offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the uphill battle waged by Butler's two public defenders, who fought to prove their young client's innocence against damning evidence – an eye witness's positive ID and Butler's own false, coerced confession.
For his next documentary, de Lestrade wanted to explore how the justice system works for a...
For his next documentary, de Lestrade wanted to explore how the justice system works for a...
- 6/11/2018
- Rollingstone.com
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