Michael Peterson and his wife Kathleen had five children between them: Clayton and Todd Peterson; Margaret and Martha Ratliff; and Caitlin Atwater. The Staircase documentary editor Sophie Brunet never wanted to be a character in HBO Max's adaptation.. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. After Peterson was freed in 2017, Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him. 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. Charancieu, La Tour-du-Pin, Isre, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France : In 2001 the woman Ratliff. In short, that means he accepted that it would be possible to convict him based on the evidence, even though he insisted he did not do the crime. Parker Posey as Freda Black in The Staircase. Not blunt force trauma to her brain, not a fractured skull, not strangulation, he writes. She alludes to the HBO Max series giving viewers an explanation of those choices. Martha tells her it was a brain aneurysm, and that Patricia Peterson had been a mother to her, but mostly it was Kathleen. Since the trial, she's had twins and moved to Virginia, per The News & Observer. Sixteen years prior, Ratliffs birth mother, Elizabeth, died under similar circumstances in Germany. As is portrayed in the HBO Max miniseries, the story was firstchronicled in a French documentary,also called The Staircase,whichwas later followed up whentwo new episodes were added to the original eight in 2013. Colin Firth in The Staircase. [] It should not be this way that filmmakers can do whatever they want with your lives [onscreen]. In this case, hes destroyed my family. With 20 years of hindsight, she says, I wouldve said, No. Since he is the son of his own mother, he can look like his mom. Peterson adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff after their mother Elizabeth "Liz" Ratliff died in 1985 in Germany at the age of 43. Initially, Turner's Margaret stands with the fictional Michael Peterson (Colin Firth). Posey has numerous acting credits to her name, including Lost in Space, Search Party, The Good Wife, Boston Legal, and Parks and Recreation. She will next be seen in the Elvis Presley biopic as Priscilla Presley. Following Kathleens death, though, Michael could not do much to protect his adopted daughters, then ages 20 and 18. In Episode 1, Todd described what he was feeling when he arrived at his father's home the night Kathleen died. When Peterson and Patricia's marriage began falling apart in the mid-'80s, the girls were the. 25 Of Our Favorite Mothers Day Episodes From 'The Golden Girls' to 'Rugrats', It's Official! Making matters even more complicated for Ratliff: She had been interested in documentary filmmaking before Kathleens death. Since then, DeJonge has appeared insuch movies asThe VisitandBetter Watch Out, as well as the television seriesThe Society. At that time, we were afraid he was facing the death penalty, recalls Ratliff in a phone interview with Vanity Fair on Saturday. Like his older brother Clayton, Todd Peterson stood by his father's side during the trial and today. Like Kathleen, her. 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). He felt relieved when he went inside to find his dad unharmed, but quickly learned that something had happened to his stepmother. Clayton and Todd Peterson are Michael Petersons sons from his first marriage to Patricia Sue Peterson. 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. Afterspending some timeinprison for attempting to firebomb the Duke University administration building, Clayton got out of trouble and is now married with two children. Black played an instrumental role in securing the murder conviction, playing on Peterson's bisexuality to create a strong motive that won over the jury. Margaret Ratliff. Michael Petersonappeared to be a happy and successful man. Peterson, a Vietnam War veteran, newspaper columnist, and novelist, hit headlines when he was charged with murdering his second wife Kathleen Peterson on December 9, 2001. In 2003, Michael was put on trial and then sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. MP picks women in his life who look like his mother (probably more common than many people are willing to admit). The HBO Max miniseriesThe Staircaseis based on a true story, and its all-star castlooks uncannily similar when compared to their characters' real-life counterparts. All rights reserved. In The Staircase, she'll be playing Michael's adoptive daughter, Margaret Ratliff.. Margaret is one of two daughters to Elizabeth and George Ratliff, who were friends with Michael and his . Ratliff claims that after Sophie Turner was cast to play her in Antonio Camposs adaptation, Ratliff was asked if she would meet with the Game of Thrones actor. Michael was so incensed by the depictions of his children that he sent a profane email to Variety last week, likening de Lestrade to a hooker for giving Campos the rights to The Staircase. HBO Max's miniseries The Staircase details the death of Kathleen Peterson and the trial of her husband, Michael. Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem, Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now, Under The Banner Of Heaven Cast & Real Life Character Comparison Guide, Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. (Colin Firth later replaced Ford. Candace has remained outspoken about her beliefs, appearing in frequent interviews and documentaries to tell her side of the story. The cast of HBO MaxsThe Staircasedid the same while filming the series. After all, just like The Staircase illustrates, while her husband Michael Peterson alleged her passing was the direct result of an accidental fall, the officials soon accused him of definite murder. The December 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson at the bottom of her stairs is a case that is as messy and intriguing as it is brutal and dramatic, especially considering the ambiguous evidence involved. She also teases Margarets change of heart. MP's sexual selection of women explains it. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Michael says he isnt about to file paperwork as some sort of cash grab. Travel guide resource for your visit to Charancieu. 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. Cookie Notice Michael, Kathleen, and their children toast to each otherseeming a happy, loving blended family. 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. The deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson were so similar that that prosecution had Ratliffs body exhumed during Michael Petersons trial in the death of Kathleen, and the nanny who discovered Ratliffs body testified against Peterson. 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 . It still has the swimming pool. Collette has also earned a variety of awards throughout her career, including a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe. Kathleen died in her Durham, North Carolina home at the bottom of a staircase. Though there hasn't been a more recent update on how Todd is handling things, it seems as though he has done just that: moved on with his life far from the cameras. Margaret Ratliff was born on 10 December 1981 in Germany. So, where is Todd Peterson today? In the HBO Max series, Margaret is played by Sophie Turner and Martha is played by Odessa Young. 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. Related:Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. Shes growing up and realizing maybe my parents arent perfect maybe this man isnt the man I thought he was.. French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, who was behind the original The Staircase stated in May that he also feels betrayed by the new HBO Max series of the same name, helmed by Antonio Campos. But as Beyer would soon realize, Finchs past wasnt what she claimedand Beyers own difficult history was up for the taking. Thanks to the Netflix series of the same name from French documentarian Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, most have heard of Petersons story and many have theories about how Kathleen died. Even The Staircase chose to respect his privacy by not focusing on him very much. You dont want to talk to the real person because this might interfere with your fictional creation?. 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 Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. They make me really anxious., Had she known what she does now, Ratliff says that she never would have agreed to appear in de Lestrades project. Peterson blames Jean-Xavier de Lestrade for working with HBO Max: We feel that Jean pimped us outsold OUR storyfor moneywhat word other than pimped describes what he did?. Like most of his siblings, Clayton remained loyal to his father during the murder trial and prison sentence, just as his fatherhad been loyal to him. The Peterson family has been outspoken about their father's trialand there's a lot to learn about each of them. Stuhlbarg has alsoplayedroles in various television series, including Sy Feltz inFargoand Richard Sackler inDopesick. Here is a cast and character guide. Police Detective Art . A few years later, in 2001, she was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her Durham, North Carolina home. What bothers Ratliff most about HBO Maxs adaptation of The Staircase, she says, is that her family members were not involved in formal conversations about the project, even though they are the shows main characters. The strangest professional experience for Ratliff occurred four years ago, she claims, after she applied for her dream job within Netflixs own documentary department. 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. Discover the most beautiful places, download GPS tracks and follow the top routes on a map. Ratliff says that before de Lestrade signed over The Staircases rights to HBO Max, she could see the artistic value of his docuseries. Todd is played by Midnight Sun actor Patrick Schwarzenegger. -- Todd Peterson. I was just trying to go through the world and go through my masters program and not talk about The Staircase, says Ratliff of the impact of de Lestrades docuseries, which earned rave reviews after its relatively quiet U.S. premiere on the Sundance Channel in 2005. Anyone else notice this. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. Michael Peterson, whose life story serves as the inspiration for HBO's The Staircase, is upset at the series' portrayal of events, saying it goes beyond artistic license. Margaret Ratliff only agreed to appear on camera two decades ago, for Jean-Xavier de Lestrade 's documentary series The Staircase, under extreme circumstances. Martha had left for college in San Francisco shortly before their lives were turned upside down by Kathleen's death and the resulting fallout. 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. It's just stopping for a minute to appreciate the value of my mother's life and about the relationships she had is what's most important," Atwater said at the time. But at least there was that weight of being a part of The Staircase, which is a phenomenal documentary., Moving forward in her career, Margaret says shes interested in making nerdy science documentaries, as she loves evolutionary psychology and earth documentaries. The idea of turning her camera on individual people does not appeal to her. Before the HBO Max series, there was always this healthy pride that I was part of such an enormous, wonderful documentary. 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. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Maxs new series. Young is also known for playing Frannie Goldsmith in the recent television adaptation of Stephen King'sThe Stand. Unfortunately, owing to the way everything played out, as per Netflixs The Staircase, Martha began dealing with anxiety. Clayton is Michael Peterson's eldest son from his first marriage. Prosecutors believe Mike Peterson not only killed his wife, but also Ratliff. In 2001, Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her Durham, NC, mansion. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! (During a surreal sibling holiday spent in Denmark, the only thing showing on the TV at the hotel was The Staircase in English. During their marriage, Michael and Patricia became close friends with their neighbors at the time, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. . Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. As the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger is no stranger to Hollywood. It looks like Todd eschews the public eye, so there isn't much information available about him on the internet. The final episodes of the docuseries caught up with most of the kids, but mentions of Todd were minimal. 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. Like Caitlin Atwater, Candace Hunt Zamperini firmly believed that Michael had caused the death of Kathleenher sister. 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. Members of Michael Petersons family say they're feeling retraumatized by the new show. She consented to participating in the project in 2002years before the advent of streaming. He was released in 2017 after entering an. 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. Her biological mother, Elizabeth Ratliff, was a friend of Peterson's, who died in 1985. The Staircase on HBO Max is the latest true-crime drama series on the streaming platform you do not want to miss. Clayton is the oldest of Michael and Patricia's children. Ratliff has been more successful in avoiding it after reporting an ad that popped up in her Instagram feed. But my focus now is on Antonio, says Michael, turning back to the creator of the HBO Max series. Todd Peterson lives in Tennessee. The family had already been recognized because of the docuseries when it was a cult true-crime favorite. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Save. Little did anyone know at that time that on December 9, 2001, it would all fall apart. Could Margaret Ratliff Be Michael Peterson's Biological Daughter? There was this amazing assistant position in the documentary department at Netflix, and I had a great call with H.R. David Rudolf served as Michael Peterson's defense attorney during his trial. Caitlin Atwater is the daughter of Kathleen Peterson and her first husband, Fred Atwater. She can be found on Twitter @ejclute. People ask me how much money I made off of The Staircase, which is zero, says Ratliff. 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. But in the final episode, which was filmed the most recently, Michael remarked on the phone to his daughter Margaret that Todd "doesn't want this," seeming to refer to the attention that came with the court case. In other words, the girls were just 4 and 2 when Michael and his then-wife Patricia Patty Peterson became their guardians, in accordance with Elizabeths will they were neighbors as well as close friends. MARGARET ELISABETH RATLIFF born December 10, 1981 in Germany. The strikes left 34 people injured, including three children, and caused widespread damage. Rosemarie Dewitt stars as Candace Hunt Zamperini, Kathleen's sister. The sadness under that is astronomical. 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. Margaret Ratliff only agreed to appear on camera two decades ago, for Jean-Xavier de Lestrades documentary series The Staircase, under extreme circumstances. 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. Firth plays Michael Peterson, a guy easily frustrated by the act of tying his tie, which has a stain on it. He was eventually released on bail and wore an ankle monitor in 2011 after the validity of the trial was brought into question. Michael Peterson's Son, Todd, Leads A Quiet Life These Days by Megan Walsh June 12, 2018 Though Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, had the largest presence. I have been told and read everywhere that the HBO series has three scenes of her dying, all very graphic and violent. Dewitt most recently starred as Linda McCullough in Little Fires Everywhere. Tiger King Makes Netflixs True Crime Problems So Much Worse, How Catching Killers Differs From Other True Crime Shows. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. 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. Michael then married Kathleen Peterson in 1997. He was busy planning his defense trial after being charged with his late wifes murder. Margaret and Martha Ratliff were adopted by Michael Peterson after their mothers death, and actually introduced him to his next wife Kathleen, who was their friend Caitlins mother. It actually is about the making of the documentary, on top of the case thats going on, because theres layers and layers and layers of corruption.. Margaret Ratliff told Vanity Fair that she and her sister Martha Ratliff are traumatized by the new dramatized series from HBO Max. So why does she look like him? And Johnny Depp is a public figure!. He pleaded not guilty to the charge but was convicted at trial. Discover the best of Charancieu so you can plan your trip right. In The Staircase, Clayton is played by Dane DeHaan from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Caitlin Atwater is the biological daughter of Kathleen Peterson and her ex-husband, Fred Atwater. The Staircase viewers may also recognize her from Call My Agent!, Chocolat, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. His firstmovie appearance was at age 10, inThe Benchwarmers. (Michael was found guilty of the crime in 2003. Everyone had theories. Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, A guide to the hidden references in this buzzy anthologys new episodes, from first-season callbacks to what, Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, Sophie Turner as Margaret Ratliff, and Odessa Young as Martha Ratliff in HBO Maxs. Lestrades Netflix docu-series examines Kathleens death and Michaels case from a legal standpoint. Turner recently spoke about the theories surrounding Kathleen and Michael Peterson, admitting shes so done talking about what happened. Find out why. 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. Todd appeared most often in the earliest episodes. 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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. Posey has also lent her voice to animated series, performingcameos forThe Simpsons,Futurama,andSkylanders Academy. Clayton and his brother Todd grew up with Patricia after their parents divorced, according to Newsweek. 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'. and I was super qualified, really excited, says Ratliff. In November of 1985, Michaels family had dinner with Elizabeth and her daughters, Margaret and Martha. Patricia, Michael's first wife, lived with Michael for several years in Germany, The News & Observer reported. Her other credits include the United States of Tara and Rachel Getting Married. After becoming the first woman to be accepted into the Duke University engineering program, shebecamea telecommunications executive.
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