Monica Lewinsky Served an Unexpected Purpose in ‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’

Hulu’s new true crime story, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, went to work depicting its subject matter accurately, but there was one unexpected person behind the scenes. In addition to Amanda Knox telling her story, her friend Monica Lewinsky joined the project as a producer. While their stories are not necessarily the same, the two found common ground after meeting in 2017 because of how the media twisted their personas for their benefit. There was also the added wound of vilifying women because of their sexual history.

Lewisnky famously entered into a relationship with sitting president Bill Clinton, which ultimately led to his impeachment. Even though Lewinsky was only 22 at the time and Clinton was several decades older with a family at home, she was painted as a conniving and ambitious villainess. Knox was similarly misused by the media, but her perceived promiscuity led to jail time. The two had common ground when they finally met, which led to their friendship, as Lewinsy told The Hollywood Reporter.

“When we met, I saw in her the pain that I saw in myself. She was desperate to get out of this box she had been put in. But you don’t often see people reclaiming a narrative in public. There wasn’t a road map for us. Our situations were different, but with all the betrayal I experienced, I’ve felt lucky that I still trust people; I’m still optimistic about the world and people — maybe that’s naive of me, but it helps me to keep going.”

This partnership eventually led to Knox’s desire to tell her own story on her own terms. Lewinsky also had some experience with her life story being peddled to the masses, but it was time for the subject of the story to show the narrative from their perspective.

‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’ Was the First of Its Kind

Image via Hulu

Monica Lewinsky has had some experience with her life story in the spotlight and was arguably not treated with the care that Knox’s story has. Lewinsky was a producer on Ryan Murphy’s Impeachment: American Crime Story, but that had a decidedly different flavor than the Hulu series. Murphy is known for his gratuitous and heightened takes on events, and in this case, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox had a more personal touch. Knox explained to The Hollywood Reporter that the series needed to have authenticity and integrity behind it, which she thanked Lewinsky for.

“The truth is, I would never have done this without Monica. She told me she would have my back, and she did. She made me feel safe. From the start, we both felt strongly that this series would not be just a courtroom drama that ends when Amanda Knox gets out of prison. It’s anchored in the long consequences of the trauma and how a person rebuilds their life — and their faith in humanity — by taking risks. There is life after trauma. There is growth. There is an opportunity. Moving forward takes courage, compassion, curiosity. It’s a story worth telling.”

With Knox’s full support behind The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, it is safe to assume that the series will get it right. Television interpretations of true crime dramas are rarely produced with so much care and respect for the actual events. The Hulu series may be unique in that the real-life figures were such a powerhouse behind the project. It also had women who were accustomed to media backlash, wanting to present the correct version of events. It is rare to see an anticipated series come to fruition based on the friendship between two women, let alone two of the most famous women in celebrity culture.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox was an intense project that took three years to make and an incredible amount of research. Knox was at the disposal of the series, being present in the writers’ room and helping mold the show. This type of influence will have a huge impact on the series and could determine the success of its eight episodes. Fans can catch The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox when it premieres on Hulu on August 20.