Like many international viewers, director Antonio Campos became obsessed with the infamous documentary The Staircase. He first began pursuing a scripted version of the documentary in 2008, and in the ensuing decades since, the story of Michael and Kathleen Peterson dramatically evolved to include romantic entanglements with filmmakers, an alford plea, and an unbelievable yet plausible owl theory.
On December 9, 2001, Durham, North Carolina, resident Michael Peterson placed a 911 call indicating that his wife, Kathleen, had fallen down a flight of stairs and was unresponsive. Kathleen was pronounced dead on arrival, and Michael became the primary suspect, eventually receiving a guilty verdict at trial in 2003. Yet, that would not prove the end of the story. A French documentary crew exploring the American legal system captured compelling footage of the case, eventually becoming the acclaimed documentary The Staircase. Peterson’s various appeals would continue for years, alternate theories began to appear, and rumors of police corruption eventually led for many to call for a new Peterson trial. He would eventually submit an alford plea and was released on time served.
Enter Antonio Campos who, after decades of following the case and the various versions of the documentary that would follow, fashioned the current HBO Max limited series starring Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen. The series explores the various narratives surrounding the case. It includes the perspectives of the Peterson children, the original documentary crew, and a deeper look at the life and legacy of Kathleen.
Here, in an interview with Awards Daily, Campos weighs in on why he wanted to revisit the case with this limited series. He talks about how the series explores guilt or innocence without taking a side. He talks about including the viewpoint of Kathleen and honoring her memory while still including a study of the owl theory. Finally, he talks about specific scenes within the series finale that explore the psyche of Michael Peterson.
The Staircase streams exclusively on HBO Max.
