Autumn Best on Anna Kendrick, Disability

SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses plot details for “Woman of the Hour,” now streaming on Netflix.

Netflix's Woman of the Hour marks Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, but that wasn't the film's only breakthrough. Of all the victims featured, one young girl stands out in the ripped-from-the-headlines storyline: Amy, an out-of-control teenager who survived her encounter with serial killer Rodney Alcala. In the midst of his murder spree, he took part in “The Dating Game” in the 1970s.

Amy is played by Autumn Best, who makes her film debut in the pivotal role. She's an alum of the CW series “The 4400,” but believe it or not, she went into her audition with little to no hope of getting the role.

She was working as a barista at a coffee shop in Chicago when she heard about the opportunity. “I got the email and said there's no way they're going to cast me in this Anna Kendrick movie – not just because it was Anna Kendrick and she's cool, but because I only have one hand,” Best said diversity at the film's premiere in Los Angeles on October 10th.

She had hoped to land a role in a full-length drama, but Best thought she was the very last option envisioned for this film. “Every time I get an audition for something that tells a true story, I immediately write it off,” she explained. “Because I was convinced that no one would ever hire me to portray a real person who had no limb difference.”

Then, shortly after sending her casting video, Best's agent called to say that Kendrick wanted to meet over Zoom to discuss the character. “When I got the call I was working in the cafe. So I thought, 'Let me step outside for a minute,'” Best said. “It was just so exciting!”

Best and Kendrick became “best friends” during filming. “She can read my mind,” Best said of working with her director. “She could just tell when I was tired or cold or just in my head.” (Introducing the film at the premiere, Kendrick affectionately described Best as her “literal daughter.”)

Daniel Zovatto (who plays Alcala) also praised Best. “I just think she has a really bright future,” he said, before recounting her experience filming a heartbreaking and pulse-pounding sequence in which Rodney attacks Amy in the desert .

“It was about six in the morning and it was bloody cold. The sand was literally ice. Autumn was wearing absolutely nothing and the girl was ready to go. She said, 'Let's do this,'” Zovatto said. “When you have a scene partner like that, it's just so much fun because everyone participates. I loved working with this girl.”

Best said Kendrick comforted her while filming the challenging scene, wrapping her in blankets between takes and reassuring her about her performance. “She was very, very quick to say, 'Hey, I see you,'” Best said. “Someone saying, 'I see you,' makes your day easier because then you don't feel like you're pretending. like it wasn’t hard.”

Kendrick also shared her perspective. “It’s funny because I certainly don’t consider myself a naturally caring person,” she said. “But I didn't have to think about it too much because I know how much I asked of the actors in the film. I've been in that position and I know how much you sacrifice.” Kendrick added, “Everyone treated the material with so much reverence that it really touched me.”

In fact, all of the women who portrayed Alcala's victims shared that the supportive environment Kendrick created on set was crucial to their success, especially in the more intense scenes.

“The moment my hardest moment was over, Anna popped out from behind the monitor with tears streaming down her face and asked, 'Are you OK?'” said Kathryn Gallagher, who plays Charlie. She pointed out how rare this kind of energy is. “It really shows that you can have an incredibly warm, safe and comfortable set without sacrificing the production of a brilliant film. She really set the bar high.”

Nicolette Robinson (whose character Laura is a coalition of whistleblowers who have tried to raise concerns about Alcala over the years) appreciated Kendrick's vision and her sensitivity.

“I knew we were in really good hands,” Robinson said, describing working with Kendrick as a dream. “As actors, we don’t get much validation. You don't really know if what you're doing that day is working. [But] She was so vocal and so supportive of reinforcing the positive.”

Kelley Jakle, who has known Kendrick since they starred together in the Pitch Perfect films, plays Sara, the first victim to appear on screen. “There was a shot where, before I even opened my eyes, I felt her embrace me in this bear hug,” Jakle remembers. “It was just a beautiful moment, both for our friendship and for working with her as a director.”