After Kathleen Petersons strange, untimely death on the staircase in the couple's home, Michael and Kathleens children would each take a stance on whether or not they believed that Michael was involved in Kathleens death, and play a role in his trial. It came from a letter sent by Margaret Ratliff, the daughter of Elizabeth Ratliff. HBO Max. He had publicly attacked local officials on their handling of criminal matters in newspaper columns, and told his children that he felt having cameras document the trial might safeguard the legal proceedings. By Saturday, Michael had softened his feelings toward the director. Photo: HBO Max. In 2001, Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her Durham, NC, mansion. He appeared in Episode 10 to talk to his father through glass in jail, offering up a few tidbits about his life: there was a woman he was interested in, and he joked a little about the prospect of grandchildren. Kathleen Peterson was a loving mother and had a successful career. A combination of biology and psychology. Ratliff has been more successful in avoiding it after reporting an ad that popped up in her Instagram feed. Margaret Ratliff and her young sister Martha Ratliff were adopted by Michael Peterson after . It's not clear what his job is, or whether he did end up getting married and having children. Playing Michael Peterson's adoptive daughter, Martha Ratliff, is Odessa Young, who previously worked with Colin Firth in 2022's Mothering Sunday and Michael Stuhlbarg in Shirley two years. But investigators found deep . They did not need to buy the docu rights to have Michael Peterson and his children as characters in the show. That being said, de Lestrade added, I am terribly upset by what Antonio did to them. s family say they're feeling retraumatized by the new show. She could not bring herself to do it. The doc that the HBO Max show is based (and builds upon) is filled with dark twists and turns, plus the confusing ins and outs of Michael's trial. Lestrades Netflix docu-series examines Kathleens death and Michaels case from a legal standpoint. I do believe that he was betrayed [by Campos]. But Jean was wrong. HBO Max told Vanity Fair, The Staircase is a fictionalized series based on true events. An array of Emmy-hungry new shows turned the genre on its head by giving voice to the victims. His firstmovie appearance was at age 10, inThe Benchwarmers. And then they realized who I was., Ratliff says that, at the time, the company was figuring out how to market the original documentary episodes of The Staircasearguing whether my sister and I should be on the billboard. Ratliff claims that once the company discovered she was that Margaret Ratliff, an executive producer from Netflix called her to the building, sat her down in the cafeteria, and told me the situation., She got the sense that Netflix thought her being on the company payroll might be a conflict of interest. MARGARET ELISABETH RATLIFF born December 10, 1981 in Germany. Travel guide resource for your visit to Charancieu. When Peterson and Patricia's marriage began falling apart in the mid-'80s, the girls were the. died in 1985 in Germany at the age of 43. At the time of the incident, Toddran a websitecalled Futazi, which provided advice on various topics to teenagers. The Staircase on HBO Max dramatizes Peterson's ordeal, the explosive drama within the family, and the introduction of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, played by Vincent Vermignon, who filmed the documentary. She is an actress and assistant director, known for Subject (2022), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). The evidence surrounding the case is still heavily debated, with one current theory supporting the possibility that Kathleen fell down the stairs after being attacked by a barred owl outside their home. Although Margaret Ratliff was not the biological child of either Michael or Kathleen Peterson, she loved her adoptive mother and remained loyal to her adoptive father throughout the trial. We felt so strange going to breakfast because people would just stare at us, Ratliff remembers.) Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. Even with the Alford plea (a guilty plea in which the defendant doesnt admit to the crime but accepts the effects of a guilty plea), the family feels stuck in some kind of pop-culture purgatory. I was in the war with the Marines for a year, pretty intense fighting. Loss of blood.. Toni Collette is another established veteran in the world of acting. Related:Tiger King Makes Netflixs True Crime Problems So Much Worse. When the Ratliffs both died in the 1980s, Michael adopted their daughters, Margaret and Martha, per Newsweek. The gripping HBO Max true crime series The Staircase follows the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson. From the HBO limited series "The Staircase": Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. I thought, Okay, this is going to help my dad.. The series follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in 2003. Each episode is accompanied by a disclaimer that states it is a dramatization based on certain facts. With respect to the facts that formed the basis for the series, Antonio Campos and [co-showrunner] Maggie Cohn relied on extensive source material, including firsthand accounts of the people involved in the events that took place.. Dane DeHaan as Clayton Peterson. We thought in 2003 [her wounds] were due to the scalp splitting when her head hit a flat surface, such as a wall or a floor, as explained by Werner Spitz in Episode 1 [of NetflixsThe Staircase], Rudolf writes. The two both worked for the Department of DefensePatricia taught elementary school children there for over three decades. Netflix 7/9 Todd Peterson Todd is Clayton's. Oh, really? says Michael. However, by the time Rudolf had enough evidence to support this theory, it was too late to present the idea in court. And when I got out of the Marines and came back, I never wanted to see a war movienot even a good one like Platoon. Shealso lent her voice to the HBO Max Original animated seriesThe Prince. He was released in 2017 after entering an Alford plea a guilty plea whereby a defendant does not admit to the criminal act to manslaughter charges to avoid having to endure a second trial.. Peterson sent an enraged email to Variety last week, stating We feel that Jean pimped us out sold OUR story to Campos for money what word other than pimped describes what he did?. Todd Peterson is the youngest son of Michael Peterson and his ex-wife, Patricia Sue. Per The News & Observer, Clay Peterson has two children and lives in Maryland. Martha and Margaret Ratliff, left, in an undated photo; Odessa Young and Sophie Turner as Martha and Margaret on HBO's "The Staircase," right." Netflix; HBO Max The Peterson and Ratliff families grew close while both were living in Germany. . DeWitt is best known for her roles in television series likeStandoff, in whichshe co-starred alongside her future husband, Ron Livingston, andThe United States of Tara. MP picks women in his life who look like his mother (probably more common than many people are willing to admit). Just lied with fabrications., Peterson adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff after their mother. DeJonge is also slated to star inBaz Luhrmann's ElvisbiopicportrayingPriscilla Presley. Margaret Ratliff Played by Sophie Turner, Margaret is the eldest daughter of Air Force captain George Ratliff and his wife, Elizabeth, who lived next door to Michael and Patty Peterson in. I think she looks so much like him - the eyes, the nose, the mouth. 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 . Here is a look at how the real Michael Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, and other persons involved in the case compare physically to the actors portraying them in HBO Max'sThe Staircase. The Staircase viewers may also recognize her from Call My Agent!, Chocolat, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Caitlin would go on to file a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson, and she was awarded $25 million in 2008. In 2018, Michael's lawyer revealed that Todd now lives in Tennessee, The News & Observer reported. Schwarzenegger is best known for his leading role in 2018's Midnight Sun and DeHaan is best known for his role as Harry Osborn/Green Goblin in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Just lied with fabrications., He added this his family is not full of public figures and that the depicting them so vividly is "reckless.". Here's a breakdown of the family depicted in the new HBO Max series. The filmmakers behind the original The Staircase documentary arent the only ones feeling betrayed by the new HBO Max series. Im 78. Following Kathleens death, though, Michael could not do much to protect his adopted daughters, then ages 20 and 18. Australian actor Olivia DeJonge plays the role of Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen's daughter from a previous relationship. At first, Caitlin Atwater is a supporter of Peterson but begins to question his innocence after reading her mother's autopsy report. No, I dont want to be in your documentary., See All the Outfits From the 2023 Met Gala Red Carpet, Why Tucker Carlsons Exit From Fox News Looks Like an Execution, Prince Harry and Prince William Reportedly Still Havent Talked After Spare, Dune: Part Two: An Exclusive First Look at the Sagas Epic Conclusion, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now, From the Archive: Seduced and Abandoned (2014), 2023 Cond Nast. Peterson adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff after their mother Elizabeth "Liz" Ratliff died in 1985 in Germany at the age of 43. In 2017, David Rudolf, one of the defense attorneys working on the case, told the News & Observer that Todd now lives in Tennessee. It still has the swimming pool. Patty Peterson reportedly lived with ex-husband Michael Peterson at the time of her death Ratliff's housekeeper found her body near the bottom of the stairs. The pair never got back together after their divorce, but Patricia maintained Michael's innocence in both the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson up until her own death in 2021, per the Charlotte Observer (more on that in a sec). First of all, if we are to accept the paternity test, then they are not genetically related. How the HBO Max series reenacted one of the most outlandish theories in true crimeand made it pretty believable. Collette is best known for starring in the films Muriel's Wedding and Knives Out. When the Ratliffs both died in the 1980s, Michael adopted their daughters, Margaret and Martha, per Newsweek. This show is about [the Michael Peterson case], but its not another telling of the same thing, Turner explained. Sixteen years prior, Ratliffs birth mother, Elizabeth, died under similar circumstances in Germany. Theincident and its subsequent murder trialdrew media attention as Michael was eventually convicted ofkilling his wife. Michael Stuhlbarg is a well-known character actor with avery successful career. Watch new episodes ofThe Staircaseon HBO Max weekly. Heres a breakdown of the family members, how they sided during Michael Petersons trial, and where each person is now. Emily Clute is a features writer based out of New York. According to Michael Peterson, on the night of December 9, 2001, a balmy 50-something degrees, he and Kathleen were enjoying drinks by their pool after dinner. Michael joined the phone call on Saturday to say that he believes the dramatized series is especially reckless, considering that his children are not public figures. (Michael was found guilty of the crime in 2003. Peterson has always maintained that Kathleen, 48, must have fatally injured herself in a fall. The filmmakers behind the original The Staircase documentary arent the only ones feeling betrayed by the new HBO Max series. "I think it's really important to see the behind the scenes on why these people are where they are and. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. As the series goes on, she grows up and realizes regurgitating your parents or other peoples opinions on things is no good for your mental health, Turner added. As those familiar with the preceding documentary will be aware, The Staircase is a complex and emotional story that demands nuanced performances . After his breakthrough role inA Serious Manin 2009, Stuhlbarg became well known for his performances in such movies asCall Me By Your Name andBest Picture winner The Shape of Water. Had Ratliff and her family predicted the content quagmire that their mothers mysterious death would yield, they might have negotiated savvier consent and release agreements. Both Margaret and her husband. Candace became an integral force in the case against Michael, even raising the possibility herself that the fire poker she had gifted her sister had been used as a murder weapon. Is it really ethically acceptable to take a living person, like my child, and then create this fantasy and fiction about them? Since he is the son of his own mother, he can look like his mom. As teenagers, they reunited with Michael in Durham, North Carolina. During their 22-year marriage from 1965 to 1987, the pair welcomed two sons, Clayton and Todd. DeWitt also starred in the 2015 Poltergeist remake. Unlike her stepsiblings, Caitlin did not stand by Michael's side. Guinee is best known for his role as the United States Air Force Major Allen in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Peterson's sons have always stood by their father, who has maintained his . Record your own trail from the Wikiloc app, upload it and share it with the community. Is it really ethically acceptable to take a living person, like my child, and then create this fantasy and fiction about them? He claims that he shut off a trailer for the HBO Max version of The Staircase after seeing characters named for his children screaming at one another. Like her sister Margaret, Martha was not the biological daughter of the Petersons, but she too remains loyal to her adoptive father to this day. A novelist who had run for mayor in Durham, Michael was leery of getting a fair trial. As if his childrens portrayals were not enough of an affront, Michael points out that the HBO Max series depicts Kathleen dying in three possible waysby his hand, by complications from an owl attack, and via an accidental fall on the stairs. Patricia doesn't appear in the HBO Max series. Since then, her filmography has expanded to include roles insuch movies asA Million Little Pieces, Shirley,andThe Professor. The Petersons had dinner with Elizabeth, Margaret, and Martha the night she died, and Michael was the last person to see her alive. Everyone had theories. Her husband, novelist Michael Peterson, became the center of the investigation and was eventually convicted of Kathleen's murder in 2003. Turner recently spoke about the theories surrounding Kathleen and Michael Peterson, admitting shes so done talking about what happened. Find out why. Michael then married Kathleen. Author Diane Fanning writes in her book Written in Blood that Todd supposedly told police officers he thought Kathleen's death was alcohol-related, per Newsweek. In charge of styling was Marc Goehring, with creative direction from Alan Prada. Thats especially because while Elizabeths death was initially ruled to be from an intracerebral hemorrhage, a second autopsy (from her exhumed body) in 2003 updated her manner of death to homicide. Kathleen had one daughter named Caitlin from her first marriage to physicist Fred Atwater, per PopSugar. Members of Michael Petersons family say they're feeling retraumatized by the new show. We know she had one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, two adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, and two step-sons, Clayton and Todd Peterson. A combination of biology and psychology. Privacy Policy. After Ratliff died, the Peterson family adopted Margaret and Martha and moved back to the U.S. Initially, Turner's Margaret stands with the fictional Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). The first 3 episodes of The Staircase premiere on Thursday, May 5, and the remaining episodes drop weekly on HBO Max. We were parent-less in a way. Related:Under The Banner Of Heaven Cast & Real Life Character Comparison Guide. Here is a cast and character guide. She is also a cosplayer who has attended conventions of all kinds for almost ten years. Surreally, the Saturday premiere of Subject nearly coincided with the finale of HBO Maxs series, which was released on Thursday. Before marrying Kathleen, Michael Peterson was married to Patricia Peterson. Both Margaret and Martha appeared frequently in interviews and documentaries in support of their father. Hell, my grandchildren would be involved.. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. in Durham, now on its third post-Peterson owner, is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated. In Episode 1, Todd described what he was feeling when he arrived at his father's home the night Kathleen died. Clayton and Todd Peterson were Michael's children with his first wife, Patty, and, like their sisters, they believed their father was innocent of his second wife Kathleen's murder. The Staircase: Who Was Michael Petersons First Wife, Patricia Peterson? Evidence from Kathleens autopsy hints at a bird of prey attacking Kathleen, causing the lacerations on her head. While Caitlin first supported her stepfather in the immediate days after her mothers death, she later turned suspicious of Peterson, and ended up becoming a key witness in the prosecution against him. Ratliff says that before de Lestrade signed over The Staircases rights to HBO Max, she could see the artistic value of his docuseries. (Brunet, an editor of The Staircase, says she explicitly requested that Campos not make her a character on his show. As for Martha, it is believed that she has taken inspiration from her own experiences and is thus focusing on helping others by serving as a mental health counselor/psychotherapist in Colorado these days. For more information, please see our Martha tells her it was a brain aneurysm, and that Patricia Peterson had been a mother to her, but mostly it was Kathleen. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. With 20 years of hindsight, she says, I wouldve said, No. In the first episode of HBO Maxs .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}The Staircase, the Peterson family is seated around the table for dinner. "She took care of us," Martha says. MP's sexual selection of women explains it. Michael Stuhlbarg portrays David Rudolf, Michael Peterson's lawyer in HBO Max's The Staircase. Emily is an avid fan of Marvel, anime, and horror (especially Stephen King), and is always willing to discuss Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. She consented to participating in the project in 2002years before the advent of streaming. In fact, from what we can tell, Margaret is now based in Los Angeles, California, where she works in the entertainment industry as an actress, an assistant director, a production manager, and much more. (Colin Firth later replaced Ford. He has won several accolades throughout his career, including an Academy Award, two BAFTAs, and a Golden Globe, and he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2011 for his service in the dramatic arts. Todd appeared most often in the earliest episodes. Peterson adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff after their mother Elizabeth Liz Ratliffdied in 1985 in Germany at the age of 43. Since then, shehas appeared inmovies across a wide variety of genres, such asRian Johnson's KnivesOut, as well asLittle Miss SunshineandHereditary. The eldest of Michael and Kathleen Peterson's two adopted daughters, Margaret, now 36, got married in her late twenties and is now known as Margaret Blakemore. Michael Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. [] It should not be this way that filmmakers can do whatever they want with your lives [onscreen]. In this case, hes destroyed my family. Guttin Initially, German officials ruled. Martha's going home to Durham for. Born two years apart to Air Force Captain George Ratliff and military teacher Elizabeth Ratliff in Germany in the early 1980s, Margaret and Martha lost both their biological parents as toddlers. Related:Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now. Cookie Notice Published: Thursday, 5th May 2022 at 3:00 pm. Michael then married Kathleen. Lauren Kranc is the assistant content strategy editor at Esquire, where she runs the brands social media accounts and covers pop culture and television, with entirely too narrow an expertise on true crime shows, .css-gk9meg{display:block;font-family:Lausanne,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;padding-top:0.25rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-gk9meg:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.15;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}Bella Ramsey Sorts Out 'The Last of Us' Finale, 'The Diplomat' Season 2: Everything We Know, Woody Harrelson Opens Up About His 'SNL' Monologue, Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux Open Up, The Spookiest Urban Legend in Every State, 'Succession' Showed It's Not Fun Ruling the World, Eight Shows to Watch After 'The Diplomat', The True Story Behind HBO's 'Love & Death'. The Staircase subject Michael Peterson is furious over the HBO series adaptation, saying it goes beyond artistic license in its depictions. Here's everything you need to know about each member of the Peterson family, including who plays them in the HBO Max series: Michael Peterson is an author and a military veteran who served in the Vietnam War. After Peterson was freed in 2017, Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him. He was . With that said, both Margaret and Martha, who grew up under Michaels care following his divorce from Patty, have always believed in his innocence, whether it be in their mothers case or their stepmother Kathleens. Related:Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. Like a storm cloud, many pressurized conditions in the Peterson house began to converge, and on December the 9th of 2001, they erupted. Coming to Todd Bancroft Peterson's current whereabouts, from what we can tell, following a few years working in California, Dubai, and Mexico, he is now back in his home state to lead a relatively quiet life. As Ratliff makes clear in Subject, a documentary she coproduced that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this past weekend, she had no reason to believe that de Lestrades resulting docuseries, The Staircase, would be widely seen. At that time, we were afraid he was facing the death penalty, recalls Ratliff in a phone interview with Vanity Fair on Saturday. The strangest professional experience for Ratliff occurred four years ago, she claims, after she applied for her dream job within Netflixs own documentary department. Juliette Binoche portrays Sophie Brunet in HBO Max's The Staircase, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series who engaged in a romantic relationship with Peterson. Members of. Beauty is work of hair stylist Franco Gobbi, and makeup artist Patrick Glatthaar. Immediately, it became accessible to more than 120 million subscribers around the globe. After becoming the first woman to be accepted into the Duke University engineering program, shebecamea telecommunications executive. She was neighbors with Peterson and his ex-wife and they adopted the girls after her death. Stuhlbarg has alsoplayedroles in various television series, including Sy Feltz inFargoand Richard Sackler inDopesick. I think its really important to see the behind the scenes on why these people are where they are and where they stand, Turner toldTV Lineof the fictional Peterson kids. In the HBO Max series, Margaret is played by Sophie Turner and Martha is played by Odessa Young. People ask me how much money I made off of The Staircase, which is zero, says Ratliff. "The Staircase," the new HBO Max series, is a dramatization of French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's docuseries of the same name, much of which . To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Schwarzenegger has also been cast to appear as Golden Boy inThe Boys'spinoffseries. His daughter Margaret Ratliff told Vanity Fair that she is upset that her relatives were not involved in formal conversations about the project.
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