When red flags go unseen: the silent cries for help in 'American Murder: Gabby Petito'
Image: X/@NetflixDE
Oh, the irony. The happiest people on social media often have the darkest secrets, and the "American Murder: Gabby Petito" story is a brutal reminder of this truth.
If you've heard the name Gabby Petito before, it's likely because of the tragic, gut-wrenching story that's still a topic of discussion across social media. Netflix's docuseries is a reminder that behind every picture-perfect post, there's often more than meets the eye.
It digs deep into the couple's seemingly happy journey across the United States, with Petito and her fiancé Brian Laundrie posting their 'van life' adventures online. What they didn't show their followers, however, were the cracks in their relationship.
Right from the start, the series pulls you into a real-life horror story, beginning with the bodycam footage of a police stop in Utah. In the footage, an emergency call has prompted officers to pull over the couple's van after a domestic incident.
What follows is a scene that will stay with you: despite Petito's bruises and distress, she's labelled as the aggressor, and the police choose to separate the two for the night, sending Laundrie to a hotel and leaving Petito alone in the van.
Throughout the episodes, the facade of the perfect couple begins to crumble, revealing increasingly obvious flaws in their relationship. Petito, an outgoing and free-spirited individual who lived for the outdoors and social media, was trying desperately to hold it together. But behind the smiles and photos, there was a dark reality.
Initially seen as a quiet and awkward fiancé, Laundrie's true character began to emerge, revealing him to be controlling, manipulative, and increasingly toxic. His actions, like confiscating Petito's ID to stop her from socialising with friends, were apparent to those who observed him.
She even reached out to her ex-boyfriend, Jackson, revealing to him that she was planning to leave Brian. She confided in Jackson that she was trying to figure out when and how to break free from the abusive situation.
This conversation was a telling moment, a 'cry for help,' and it showed the desperation she was feeling.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Charlie Sheen: from Hollywood's golden boy to redemption in 'aka Charlie Sheen'
Charlie Sheen will open up about his journey through fame, addiction and recovery on the Netflix documentary "aka Charlie Sheen". Image: Instagram. A gripping two-part documentary titled "aka Charlie Sheen" is set to premiere on Netflix on September 10. The iconic actor will delve deep into his life marked by fame, fortune and profound personal struggles. Directed by Andrew Renzi, the documentary is an unprecedented look into Sheen's world, showcasing both his meteoric rise to celebrity status and dramatic fall from grace. With seven years of sobriety behind him, Sheen opens up like never before, addressing rumours, scandals and the self-inflicted chaos that have defined his public persona. In candid interviews, he reflects on wild moments, the hard lessons learned and the moments of clarity that emerged from the chaos. It will feature interviews with Sheen and many of his family and friends, including Denise Richards, Heidi Fleiss, Jon Cryer, Sean Penn, Ramon Estevez, Brooke Mueller and Chris Tucker, as well as Sheen's former drug dealer. "Two and a Half Men" executive producer Chuck Lorre, who was on the receiving end of so many of Sheen's attacks, is also among the interviews. According to an online report with Renzi, the director shared that it took a lot of work to secure Sheen's trust for the project. "He did not want to make a documentary. I had seven to eight months of relationship building with him before we even sat down to shoot the film. That was really important to me." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Renzi set out to capture Sheen's story authentically, aiming for a balanced representation that acknowledges both his missteps and moments of growth. Renzi shared: "A guy like him (Sheen) has a lot to offer the world with that story. A lot of times, we are scared of hearing from people who have done things we might not agree with, when in reality, we should be listening to them. "Who better to reveal these kinds of things and to talk about these missteps? I find that to be a beautiful arc." "aka Charlie Sheen" is set to premiere on Netflix on September 10.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Aidan Scott's 'The Dumb Waiter': a directorial debut packed with tension and drama
Director Aidan Scott (centre) with actors Brent Palmer as Ben and Jock Kleynhans as Gus in 'The Dumb Waiter'. Image: Supplied Currently running at the Theatre on the Square, Harold Pinter's 'The Dumb Waiter' is being praised as a masterclass in tension, dark humour and theatrical precision. Performed by Brent Palmer as Ben and Jock Kleynhans as Gus, both hitmen, the play explores Gus's unravelling curiosity and emotional fragility alongside his much more confident senior partner. Director Aidan Scott, who has a wealth of acting experience under his belt, including playing a series regular on Netflix's 'One Piece', recently starred in Louis Viljoen's thrilling two-hander 'Mrs Mitchell Comes to Town' alongside Jenny Stead and in 'La Ronde', directed by Liela Henriques. On taking the director's seat for 'The Dumb Waiter', Scott shared: 'It is the brainchild of a collaboration between myself and Jock Kleynhans, who stars in the show. We felt a gap in the local theatre landscape for classic plays and Harold Pinter's work in particular. 'Unfortunately, plays like 'The Dumb Waiter' are a big risk for commercial theatres to produce, so we sought to independently produce the production together. 'We knew it was a risk, but audiences came and we sold out our run in Cape Town and are now working with Daphne Kuhn in our second rendition of the play in Johannesburg. This is the first time I have directed, and it's been an absolute joy.' As for the casting of Palmer and Kleynhans, he added, 'The idea to do this particular piece really originated from picturing these two actors together on stage. 'I couldn't imagine two other actors in the country playing these two respective parts, and when they both said yes, I knew I had the key to unlocking this strange puzzle of a text.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Actors Brent Palmer as Ben and Jock Kleynhans as Gus in 'The Dumb Waiter'. Image: Philip Kuhn On realising his vision with this offering, Scott pointed out: 'You come into a process with an idea of how the play looks, feels and sounds. And you then take that ball of thoughts and springboard it off your actors, which then morphs and emerges as a new vision. A collaborative vision. 'As a director, being open to that collaborative process is key. Retaining your voice but also allowing the voices of the team to mesh with yours brings about an end product you could never have imagined in the first place. I think our production does just that.' Following the second run in Joburg, they are looking at touring the shows to the rest of South Africa. When asked what else is in the kitty, Scott revealed: 'I'm currently rehearsing 'Noises Off' at Theatre On The Bay, which will have a two-week run at the end of August before transferring to Johannesburg from October 2 to 12. "I'm also currently learning Zulu for a secret, exciting project that will be announced in the coming months.' Where: Theatre on the Square. When: Runs until August 24, 7.30pm. No under 12s allowed.
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- TimesLIVE
Oprah, Bontle, Don Cheadle and more: 10 celebs who took decades to get to the altar
When the question of Cristiano Renaldo and Georgina Rodriguez's engagement came up on her Netflix reality show, the footballer's response that he was waiting for " that click" sent fans and viewers into a frenzy about when he would finally pop the question. This week they left the internet abuzz following the announcement of their engagement on Instagram after being together for nine years. Here's a look at celebs who took their time to say "I do". BONTLE MODISELLE AND PRIDDY UGLY A love story fit for the modern age, Modiselle and her rapper beau became a couple thanks to their shared love for dancing. In an interview with Insider SA, the couple shared Priddy had noticed Modiselle on SABC 1's competition show Jika Majika. He would pursue her at hip-hop events, kicking off a 10-year relationship until they wed. ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO AND JAMIE MAZUR Like many couples on the list, Ambrosio and Mazur spent a long time engaged, 10 years to be exact. Their relationship began in 2005, according to reports, but hit splitsville in 2018. JOHN CORBETT AND BO DEREK While many fans might know John Corbett for his role as the on and off boyfriend of Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw, he has been in love with his actress wife Bo Derek since 2002. They made it official after 18 years with a wedding at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We're pretty private people. We didn't make an announcement,. All our friends and family knew but this is the first time either one of us has said anything publicly about it because we haven't had an opportunity," he said in an interview on the daytime show The Talk. Corbett said the two met as dates set up for the Oscars in 2002 by his agent at the time. MICHELLE YEOH AND JEAN TODT Blending the glitz of Hollywood and fast-paced action of Formula 1, Yeoh and Todt made an exciting couple to follow. Their mostly private lives have kept them out of the limelight and with little pressure to push things forward on a wedding. In 2004, Yeoh was engaged to Todt and they got married in July 2023. Their love story was shared on their wedding programme. INDIA HICKS AND DAVID FLINT WOOD As a bridesmaid at Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding, all eyes have been on Hicks and Wood since they started dating in 1995. In an Instagram post, Hicks said they had made plans to wed in 2020, but due to the pandemic, they kept postponing, making the eventual walk down the aisle a 26-year wait. TINA TURNER AND ERWIN BACH While Tina is best known for her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, she did move on to find a healthier relationship with producer Erwin Bach. Speaking in the Tina documentary, Bach said he met her at Düsseldorf Airport in Germany when her manager, Roger Davies, asked Bach to fetch her. It would take 27 years before they married in 2013. DON CHEADLE AND BRIDGID COULTER In another pandemic wedding, Cheadle and Coulter finally tied the knot after being together for close to 30 years. The private couple said they never saw the point of a wedding since they were in love, and while their proposal was more a formal decision, it was the first year they met that had the magic, according to Cheadle. "Just me and her and our kids and our dogs," he told People Magazine. JOY BEHAR AND STEVE JANOWITZ Comedian and talk show host Behar has long shared her unapologetic opinions on stages and social media. The straight shooter's marriage, however, was extremely unconventional. She confessed they met at a semi-nudist colony on her show The View. It took the pair 30 years to get hitched at a private ceremony in 2011. Behar said: "If he was going to get down on one knee, I wanted it to be during the time when he could still get up from one knee." OPRAH WINFREY AND STEDMAN GRAHAM Perhaps one of the most infamous relationships and engagements, Winfrey and Graham have had many tabloid and wedding magazines waiting to see what the billionaire Queen of Media would wear and do for her big day. They met in 1986 and got engaged in 1992. It was only in 2017, after fake news that the two had eloped that Winfrey revealed they felt an official marriage "requires a different way of being in this world".
