Sharon Horgan’s Unusual Connection to the Amanda Knox Trial Before Hulu Series
Sharon Horgan has had a complex relationship with the highly publicized trial of Amanda Knox before taking on the role of her mother, Edda Mellas, in Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.
“[I was] quite familiar with it actually because, I don’t know how it was in the U.S., but it received extensive coverage here [in the U.K.],” Horgan, 55, shared exclusively with Us Weekly prior to the show’s debut on Wednesday, August 20. “I have a peculiar relationship with my past self and how I perceived it at the time.”
Horgan highlighted “the bias against” Knox, 38. “It was sensationalized, and I remember consuming it eagerly,” she admitted. “It’s unsettling to reflect on it now because that was precisely the aim of the [Italian] media at that time. They wanted to create this bias against a young woman and sexualize the narrative to incite public interest.”
Knox (portrayed by Grace Van Patten in the series) made headlines in 2007 when she was accused of murdering her roommate Meredith Kercher while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy. She received a 26-year prison sentence after both she and then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of the crime.
An appellate court later exonerated the pair in 2011, but they were drawn back into the legal fray in 2013. Knox and Sollecito were convicted once again, only for the Italian supreme court to ultimately clear Knox of Kercher’s murder in 2015, leading to her exoneration.
“Honestly, I believe everyone thinks they know the details, but they don’t. I’m excited for audiences to view the show because it offers an entirely different perspective,” Horgan told Us. “There were aspects of the story I was unaware of that felt monumental. It’s baffling how they weren’t part of the public discourse.”
The eight-part series provides deeper insight into Knox’s family dynamics.
“It explores the personal impact, how the ordeal affected the family, and the journey of Edda and Amanda as mother and daughter, which ultimately tore their family apart,” Horgan explained. “From my vantage point, playing her mother, that aspect was a significant draw for me to authentically portray that relationship and its profound effects on them.”
Horgan mentioned listening to transcripts and conducting online research to prepare for her role.
“While there isn’t an abundance of material about Edda, there’s enough to understand how an ordinary woman ended up in such an extraordinary circumstance, how she held herself together, and represented her family under extreme scrutiny,” she elaborated. “I observed how she dealt with the media frenzy surrounding the case.”
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox narrates the aftermath of Knox’s wrongful accusation, her prison experience, and her path to freedom. Alongside Horgan and Van Patten, the series features John Hoogenakker, Francesco Acquaroli, Giuseppe De Domenico, and Roberta Mattei. Grace’s sister, Anna Van Patten, plays Knox’s sibling.
“The original drafts contained so much detail about Edda, her past, and how she and her family managed the chaos during their time in the spotlight. It highlighted how they tried to revert to a semblance of normalcy — a feat that was virtually impossible. I felt the scripts offered so much depth,” Horgan reminisced.
Horgan eventually connected with Knox’s mother on set after filming for “a while.”
“You could really sense how youthful Edda appears despite her circumstances,” the Bad Sisters alum reflected. “She has a warm spirit and doesn’t seem worn down by the challenges. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She feels like someone you’d encounter in everyday life — which makes the story even more poignant. The tragedy of it all could have impacted any of us.”
Horgan found it “extremely valuable” to witness Knox’s interactions with her mother firsthand.
“Being around them as a mother-daughter duo was incredibly insightful,” she told Us. “There’s an added pressure knowing that Amanda and Edda are present while you’re about to perform an emotionally charged scene drawn from their lives. You aim to respect their experiences without trivializing them or overly dramatizing the portrayal. Nevertheless, I found it immensely helpful.”
Horgan elaborated on her conversations with Mellas.
“We spent a lot of time chatting, and then the discussions would become very profound and painful almost instantly,” she shared. “It heightened my awareness that — despite any attempts to cope — the impact of this ordeal will always resonate in her life as both a mother and a woman.”
Looking forward, Horgan expressed her hope that The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox would provide a more intimate portrayal of what the family endured.
“Clearly, Amanda was exonerated — the courts in Italy affirmed her innocence in the murder case — and that’s a fact. I want people to engage with this show because many believe they’re familiar with the narrative, but they truly don’t know it,” Horgan conveyed to Us. “I hope viewers will be surprised by the revelations and recognize that it’s a richer narrative, extending beyond the headlines surrounding Amanda. I’m eager for the public to witness it for that reason.”
New episodes of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox premiere on Wednesdays via Hulu.
