Amanda Knox: The Media Turned Her Into A Monster

Summary

Podcast Summary:

Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present – Amanda Knox: The Media Turned Her Into A Monster
Host: Elisa Donovan (substituting for Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes)
Guest: Amanda Knox
Original Air Date: March 15, 2026
Podcast / Network: iHeartPodcasts

---

Overview

This gripping episode features Amanda Knox, executive producer of Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox and survivor of one of the most infamous true crime sagas of the 21st century. Through an intimate conversation with Elisa Donovan, Amanda reflects on the manipulation and spectacle of mainstream media, the trauma of public vilification, and the ongoing impact of her wrongful conviction in Italy after the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. The discussion also explores Amanda’s journey towards reclaiming her narrative, confronting her former prosecutor, and processing lifelong trauma with her family.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Distortion of Amanda Knox’s Image in the Media

[03:28 – 07:40]

• Amanda reveals that "Foxy Knoxy" was a harmless middle school soccer nickname, but media repurposed it to sell a narrative of her as a sexual deviant.
  • "It's an interesting case of spin and how you can twist anything to appear a certain way... if you're willing to cherry-pick reality." (Amanda Knox, 04:21)
• Media took innocent gestures—such as her boyfriend comforting her outside the crime scene—and cast them as incriminating, sexualized behavior.
  • "I'm staring like a deer in headlights into oblivion...and my boyfriend...is just trying to comfort me... The world sort of turned that into: 'They're making out in front of the crime scene, they're so turned on by the murder.'" (Amanda Knox, 06:16)
• Elisa recalls feeling gaslit by news coverage, recognizing Amanda’s fear where the media professed moral outrage.

2. Prosecutorial Strategy & The Question of Guilt

[08:34 – 12:17]

• Rudy Guede, the man whose DNA was all over the scene, was given a lesser sentence and less public scrutiny than Amanda.
  • "They weren’t really concerned about finding him guilty. What they were concerned about was finding me guilty... they lessened his culpability in order to find me culpable of his crimes." (Amanda Knox, 09:19; 10:40)
• Rudy Guede, post-release, was on trial for another sexual assault, but the media ignored this—while Amanda’s wedding still drew tabloid attention.
• Amanda expresses deep frustration at how public interest still fixates on her rather than on actual criminal acts: "People are showing up outside my wedding...but nobody’s covering Rudy Guede’s next crime. How are we actually determining what is in the public interest?" (Amanda Knox, 11:33)

3. The Trauma of Media Harassment

[12:17 – 15:45]

• Amanda recounts the re-traumatization of her media scrutiny, especially her problematic interview with Chris Cuomo.
  • "It was supposed to be like a repeat… like little moments that sort of reminded you of my interrogation...They’re all telling us that they're doing things that are good for us and they're just, they're just like sexually harassing my daughter live on camera all over again." (Amanda Knox, 13:10)
• She discusses the importance of showing the aftermath and ongoing trauma in media portrayals of true crime (“the story isn’t over after the courtroom drama”).

4. Revisiting the Prosecutor & the Search for Closure

[19:50 – 24:02]

• Amanda describes the catharsis and complexity of confronting her Italian prosecutor during the making of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, both for herself and for the Hulu series.
  • "It felt like the first time that I was actually doing something in response to what had happened to me, as opposed to just having things happen to me." (Amanda Knox, 20:22)
  • "It is possible to confront someone who has harmed you and to hold them accountable and at the same time recognize their humanity." (Amanda Knox, 20:22)
• Real-life footage from this journey appears in her husband’s documentary, Mouth of the Wolf.

5. Transforming Trauma into Purpose

[25:24 – 29:16]

• Amanda discusses how surviving trauma has:

  • Helped her forge deeper connections with people.
  • Taught her to clearly articulate her experiences and emotions, especially as she was constantly dissected under a public microscope.
    • "What I’ve experienced is a universal thing...when I started articulating that, people would respond and say, 'This is how I’ve been feeling and I just never had words for it.'" (Amanda Knox, 25:24)
  • Given her purpose—a way to turn loss into something of value for others.

• She stresses the isolating nature of infamy, noting the lack of resources and support often assumed to come with public attention.

6. Returning to the Crime Scene

[29:24 – 31:23]

• Amanda quietly revisited the original house to say goodbye—a moment portrayed at the end of the Hulu series.
  • "It was a relief...going back to the house and just seeing it as a house...gave me that really important perspective that any place is just a place." (Amanda Knox, 29:38)
  • She describes how this act reclaimed agency over her trauma.*

7. Family Healing & The Impact on Loved Ones

[36:26 – 39:14]

• Amanda emphasizes the importance of including her sister’s (Deanna’s) anger and unresolved trauma in the series.
  • "She represents a lot of the justified, like, anger...It took years for my family to get to a place of being okay. Everyone has been marked for the rest of their life by this." (Amanda Knox, 36:42)
• She celebrates having a stronger relationship with her sister now, in part because they “confronted the pain directly.”

8. Relationship with Raffaele Sollecito

[40:03 – 43:58]

• Amanda describes her initial connection with Raffaele as one of mutual nerdiness and shyness, contrasting with stereotypical Italian men.
• Their relationship now is more one of “soldiers in a battle together” than romance, marked by deep, singular understanding and bittersweet alternate realities.

9. Reflections on Living an Extraordinary Life

[44:44 – 47:32]

• Amanda’s mother once told her she’d live “an extraordinary life”—a prophecy she now sees as true, though her life is also “normalizing.”
  • "I’m living a kind of extraordinary life, but also I’m actually at a really interesting point...where, you know, it's...kind of normalizing in the sense that...I'm a mom and I pack lunches." (Amanda Knox, 44:44)
• Amanda finds a new sense of “ordinary” in daily life—parenting, podcasting, and storytelling.
• She announces her investigative podcast “Doubt: The Case of Lucy Letby,” highlighting her continued commitment to cases of potential wrongful conviction, especially those involving women vilified by the media.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On media manipulation and public perception:
  • “They're gaslighting everyone...They're cherry-picking reality and you are completely twisting it and altering it to fit a narrative.”
    — Amanda Knox ([07:40])
• On trauma and regaining agency:
  • "It felt like finally my story again ... it is possible to confront someone who has harmed you, and to ... recognize their humanity."
    — Amanda Knox ([20:22])
• On connecting with others after trauma:
  • "What I’ve experienced is a universal thing...people would respond and say, 'Oh my God, this is how I’ve been feeling.'...and that was really validating for me."
    — Amanda Knox ([25:24])
• On her evolving family life:
  • "Now we get to be on the other side of it with each other, which is so great, because we also are raising children together."
    — Amanda Knox ([38:14])
• On her relationship with Raffaele:
  • "It was more like we were soldiers in a battle together...we had survived something together. When we see each other, there is a little bit of tension...in an alternate universe we would have had a very different life together."
    — Amanda Knox ([42:22])

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• Media Distortion, “Foxy Knoxy” Spin: [04:21–07:40]
• Rudy Guede’s Role and Public Interest: [08:34–12:17]
• Media Trauma and Chris Cuomo Interview: [12:17–15:45]
• Returning to Face Prosecutor, Series Portrayal: [19:50–24:02]
• Transformation of Trauma & Universality: [25:24–29:16]
• Amanda's Private Return to Crime Scene: [29:37–31:23]
• Family Healing and Portrayal of Sister: [36:42–39:14]
• Amanda & Raffaele's Relationship: [40:03–43:58]
• Living an Extraordinary (Ordinary) Life: [44:44–47:32]
• New Work (“Doubt” Podcast) and Reflection: [47:32–47:40]

---

Conclusion & Tone

The conversation is candid, direct, and at times, cathartic. Amanda Knox speaks with clarity and (surprising) warmth about her triumphs and pain. Donovan’s questions are empathetic, inviting Amanda not only to reflect on past injustices but also on how she has fought to find meaning, connection, and, ultimately, an ordinary joy on the other side of trauma.

Listeners walk away with a deeper understanding of the real, ongoing cost of wrongful conviction and media sensationalism, as well as the resilience it takes to reclaim one’s life and narrative.

---

Related Links:

• The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox – Hulu
• Mouth of the Wolf – Documentary by Christopher Robinson
• Doubt: The Case of Lucy Letby – Podcast by Amanda Knox
• Hard Knox with Amanda Knox – Podcast

---

Summary compiled by Podcast Summarizer AI – for listeners who seek context, clarity, and the human story behind headline-making news.

Transcript

[Amanda Knox]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Podcast Advertiser / Host]

Guaranteed Human do you want to find a stress free way to buy your next car? Start at CarMax and shop your way. If you want to browse with confidence, get pre qualified online with no impact on your credit score and shop cars within your budget. From luxury cars to family rides, CarMax has options for almost every price range, including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000. So hey, want to get started? Just head to CarMax.com for details and get pre qualified today. Want to drive CarMax?

[HomeServe Advertiser]

It never happens at a good time. The pipe bursts at midnight. The heater quits on the coldest night. Suddenly you're overwhelmed. That's when HomeServ is here. For $4.99 a month, you're never alone. Just call their 24. 7 hotline and a local pro is on the way. Trusted by millions, HomeServe delivers peace of mind when you need it most. For plans Starting at just $4.99 a month, go to HomeServe. That's HomeServed.com, not available everywhere. Most plans range between $4.99 to $11.99 a month. Your first year terms apply on covered repairs.

[Amanda Knox]

Studies show that 100% of everybody in

[Knix Advertiser]

the world wants to curl up indoors

[Amanda Knox]

and do nothing because it's so darn cold out there. That's why many people are turning to Bombas, whose pillowy plush slippers and warm merino wool socks have been said to

[Knix Advertiser]

be the most comfortable in the history of feet.

[Amanda Knox]

Bomba's products have been found to boost coziness by up to 1 million percent. Okay, enough fake statistics.

[Knix Advertiser]

But could Bombas socks and slippers really be the Cure?

[Amanda Knox]

Go to bombas.com audio and use code

[Knix Advertiser]

audio for 20% off your first purchase.

[Amanda Knox]

That's B O-M B-A-S.com and use code audio.

[Elisa Donovan]

Did you know that parents rank teaching financial literacy as the toughest life skill? That's where Greenlight comes in, the debit card and money app made for families. With Greenlight. You can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and track spending with real time notifications. Kids learn how to earn, save, and spend responsibly while parents have peace of mind knowing smart money habits are being

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

built with guardrails in place.

[Elisa Donovan]

Try Greenlight Risk free [e-mail] iheart that's greenlight.com iheart.

[Podcast Advertiser / Host]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which will allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes present killer

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

Thriller with your host, Alisa Donovan.

[Elisa Donovan]

Hey everyone, Elisa Donovan here. And this is Killer Thriller, Part two of my conversation with Amanda Knox. Amanda is the executive producer of the Hulu series the Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, which revisits the investigation, the headlines, and the story behind one of the most talked about true crime cases of the modern era. There are so many things that I want to ask that I feel like I can't even believe that I have to ask these questions because it's so outrageous. And how did it feel to you to be you were essentially judged in the public eye as a sexual deviant. I can't, like, I just, I can't understand the Foxy Knoxy, which I came to understand that that was a nickname that came from like you playing soccer or something.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah, a middle school soccer nickname. Oh my God. Yeah, it's incredible. I mean, it's an interesting case of spin and how you can again, twist anything to appear a certain way if you are motivated enough to do so and if you're willing to like cherry pick reality. And that I think is the more like devious aspect of this case is like you can point to a lot of the things that were just made up, for instance, like, you know, to make sense of the fact that there's all of this DNA evidence that implicates a local burglar who I had no relationship with, who, like, I didn't have his phone number. I Didn't know his name. I had met him, but, like, I had met 100 other students in like, while I was in Perugia. So, like, there are lots of people that I met who I didn't actually have a relationship with. One of them happened to be the person who actually murdered my roommate, Rudy Gaday. Right.

[Elisa Donovan]

Whose DNA was all over the crime scene.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah. Who's all over the crime scene? Who is. Who has a history of breaking and entering. Like, you know, all of that. To make sense of all of that evidence against him while still implicating me, the prosecution just had to make up out of the blue, like, that I had a secret relationship with him that nobody knew about. No witnesses ever saw us together. But, like, it had, like, logically it had to be true because how else could it be possible that I was orchestrating a murder orgy if I didn't have a relationship with him? You know, like, so that, like, that is the made up stuff that is just. Just annoying as.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah, it's like the baseline of the whole ca. It's outrageous.

[Amanda Knox]

But then there's the more like, sinister part, which is the. The cherry picking of reality and this and spinning reality to appear a certain way. So, you know, anything from my boyfriend kissing me outside of the crime scene, like, if you actually look at the real life footage of that moment, I'm staring like a deer in headlights into oblivion. Like, oh my God. Oh my God. Like, what is happening? And my boyfriend, who is also a young man, doesn't really know what to do, is just trying to comfort me. And he like, like sort of hugs me close and gives me like a few pecks on the mouth and then we just sort of like continue standing there. That's it. The way that the world sort of turned that into. They're making out in front of the crime scene. They're so turned on by the, like the, the murder that they can't stop themselves.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right. Right now.

[Amanda Knox]

Like, the spin.

[Elisa Donovan]

That is what I distinctly remember. I remember sitting in my living room and the news being on and seeing those images and them characterizing them that way. And I felt like I was crazy because I went. I wait, I don't see that. I see this girl who's so young and looks very scared and very sad. Yeah, that's how it looked.

[Amanda Knox]

But they're gaslighting everyone. They're. They're. They've chosen a spin and then they'll like, alter the footage to like, try to make it look more like we're making out, like putting it in slow motion and zooming in and then like rewinding the tape and doing it again. Like it's just, it was. That's where it becomes like sinister, where it's like you're not just making shit up, you're. You're cherry picking reality and you are completely twisting it and altering it to fit a narrative that you have decided is valuable for whatever reason. So on the media side, it's valuable because it sells headlines. On the prosecution side, it's valuable because it protects them from having to admit fault. And that is, that's where that Anatomy of bias really shines through in the series is like, you know, pinpointing those moments.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes. And two things I. Well, first of all, Rudy Day is now out of jail. Is that correct?

[Amanda Knox]

That is correct. He served 13 years of a 16 year sentence. And I don't know if you know the current news on him, but he's on.

[Elisa Donovan]

Tell me.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah, so he, he's on trial for sexually assaulting another young woman since getting out. And nobody's covering that in the beginning. Right.

[Elisa Donovan]

And how is it that you, when you were first convicted, when were supposed to serve 26 years and he only was supposed to serve 16, but yet he was convicted before you?

[Amanda Knox]

Yes.

[Elisa Donovan]

I don't understand any of this.

[Amanda Knox]

Well, the, the prosecution had a strategy. They knew that they could convict Rudy today. Like, there was no doubt that they were going to be able to convict Rudy. Good day. The evidence was overwhelming. His DNA was in and on Meredith's body. Like there was just like, no, there was no doub about his guilt. And so they weren't really concerned about finding him guilty. What they were concerned about was finding me guilty. And so the way that the strategy that they took was focus on Amanda. Amanda is the criminal mastermind. Amanda is the reason this crime took place. Amanda's the one who wielded the knife. Amanda. Amanda. Amanda. And so what ended up happening is Rudy Goodet was sort of like his, his culpability. Like he was never even accused of breaking into our house. He was never accused of stealing Meredith's belongings, all of which he did. He was only ever found primarily responsible for raping Meredith. And he was then found guilty of participating in murder, but never of having wielded a weapon himself.

[Elisa Donovan]

So they had to find. Got it. But how, why, why was he not convicted of the murder too, when his DNA was everywhere?

[Amanda Knox]

I mean, again, the way that they presented the case was that he was participating in the murder, but that he did not wield the knife. They very Specifically, were like, Amanda was the one who stabbed Marin to death. Amanda, Amanda, Amanda. And so. And Amanda was the one who orchestrated it all. Amanda was the one with the murderous intent. Rudy. Good day. Only wanted to rape her. He didn't want to murder. So, like, the. They lessened his culpability in order to find me culpable of his crimes so

[Elisa Donovan]

that they wouldn't have to admit they were wrong.

[Amanda Knox]

Yes.

[Elisa Donovan]

I. I mean, there's nothing funny about this at all. And. But I am like, that's just lawful. It's.

[Knix Advertiser]

This is.

[Amanda Knox]

It's.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's just unbelievable. Yeah.

[Amanda Knox]

It's incredibly frustrating, especially considering the fact that if you think of ultimately, who bears the infamy of this tragic event, again, people are showing up outside of my wedding to cover that in the tabloids, but nobody's covering Rudy Gaday's next crime that he committed after being released from prison. That is just like, how are we actually determining what is in the public. Public interest?

[Elisa Donovan]

Right.

[Amanda Knox]

That is. That's what drives me nuts, is it's like, my. My wedding, which I was trying to keep, like, hidden and secret, is not in the public interest. The fact that this guy went on to commit further crimes is. I know.

[Elisa Donovan]

Whatever should be. Well, this is also. I had not seen the. Your Chris Cuomo interview in its entirety until when I knew I was going to speak with you. When I say I had, like, steam coming out of my ears. It is so despicable to me what this man did to you, what he put you through. It's like he put you back on trial and just kept recounting the utterly false accusations that were purely sexual in nature. It's like, I. My heart. And you handled it with such grace, but you were like a kid. Like, I can't. I want to. And your mom's response. Can you just talk about that experience? And if your mom's response that we showed in the series was how she responded. And I just.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah, yeah. So that was. And I'm so glad we were able to present this side of it. And again, this was like, really me and Monica especially pushing for this because, like, you typically, what you see in the true crime space is, you know, you hear about the crime, you follow the courtroom drama, and then as soon as the courtroom drama is over, the story's over. And it's like, no, no, no. The story is not over at all. And so showing the media trauma side of things was a really important part of it. And I think, again, just that, like, same experience of gaslighting like, you know, the, I think the most important part of that, like we, when we recreated this in the show, we just took word for word what was actually in, in the interview and we. That. But we show the also the before and the after. So the before when Chris Cuomo is coming to me while I'm in like the dressing room and like, hey, you know, it's. This is going to be good for you, trust me. And I'm like, okay. And then my mom, my mom. And my reaction, honestly, like we, we gave this reaction more to my mom because, like, my mom was still trying to protect me, but like my mom being like, they're all telling us that they're doing things that are good for us and they're just, they're just like sexually harassing my daughter live on camera all over again. Like, how. Why are they able to lie to us like this and tell us that this is good for us? Like, it was just. Yeah, the, the, the despair and the rage and the feeling like the story mattered more than the person and like the, the feeling of helplessness in that regard. Like it was, it was, it was supposed to be also like a repeat. Like it was supposed to have like little moments that sort of reminded you of my interrogation as well, where you're like, oh, you know, no, this is good for you. No, no, it's you we have, remember, like, there's that like sort of, sort of coaxing you into the grooming. It was almost grooming.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, yes, that's exactly what it feels like. That's what it comes across as in both the real interviews and in the series. The series is a beautiful job of showing that, which is why it's so arresting to watch. It's really hard to fathom and to swallow.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah,

[Knix Advertiser]

foreign.

[HomeServe Advertiser]

A home is full of surprises. Some wonderful, some not so much. And when something breaks, it can feel like the whole day unravels. That's why home serve exists for as little as 4.99amonth. You'll always have someone to call a trusted professional ready to help. Bringing peace of mind to four and a half million homeowners nationwide. For plans starting at just 4.99amonth, go to HomeServe.com that's HomeServe.com not available everywhere. Most plans range between $4.99 to $11.99 a month. Your first year terms apply on covered

[Knix Advertiser]

repairs for period protection. You can put on and forget about nothing. Beats nyx. Leak proof underwear. North America's number one leak proof underwear brand. Let's face it, life can be unpredictable, but your leak proof underwear shouldn't be. That's why millions of people choose NYX for periods, for light leeks for everyday freshness. Nick's undies are super comfy, super absorbent and made to handle whatever your day throws at you. Day two of your period covered your daily run. No problem. That big sneeze? You know the one?

[Amanda Knox]

Yup, we've got you.

[Knix Advertiser]

And with styles like bikinis, boy shorts, thongs and high rise plus sizes from extra small to 4XL, NYX makes it easy to find your perfect fit. Say goodbye to stress and leaks and say hello to undies that work just as hard as you do, no matter the leak. Find the style and level of protection you [e-mail] and use code flow15 for 15% off. That's knix.com code flow15 for 15% off. Nix for your leaks for your life

[Podcast Advertiser / Host]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this

[Bethenny Frankel]

is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. Not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy. And once I switched the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfood for dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.

[Amanda Knox]

Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford, and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty,

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

which means each and every product is meaningful.

[Amanda Knox]

It has a reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're going to get results, and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful beauty confidence is beautiful. Learn [e-mail].

[Elisa Donovan]

I want to talk about you going back to meet your prosecutor, Manini, which in the series, I found it incredibly satisfying when your character sits across from him and essentially tells him the horrible things that he's done and the implications and how it has impacted your life. Is that one. Is that accurate to how it actually happened? And can you talk about why it was so important for you to go back and meet with this man?

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah. And why it was so important to be part of the series, too, I think is because I think that even whether or not this. This whole show should. Should exist really was a question that I've been facing for a long time. Because it's just a horrible thing that happened to my roommate and a horrible thing that happened to me. Great. Like, it's not. It has never really felt like my story when viewed in that terms. It's just the story of the worst experiences of some people's lives. And I don't think that, you know, despite what the true crime world will tell you, like, I didn't think that just because it's the worst experience of someone's life that was really public at a certain period of time means that it's a good thing for you to make a show about it. Like, I. I felt like it wasn't until I went back to confront my prosecutor, and I. I learned something from that experience that. And I really. It felt like it was the first time that I was actually doing something in response to what had happened to me, as opposed to just, like, having things happen to me. So it felt like finally my story again. And it felt like I had learned something from that that was really valuable, that it is possible to confront someone who has harmed you and to. And to hold them accountable and at the same time recognize their humanity and accept them for who they are. And so that. That was a huge part of why this story even got made in the first place. And also was a huge. Like, again, I can't thank K.J. steinberg enough because she co wrote that final episode with me. She didn't have to do that. Like, she knew that that meant a lot to me to be able to. To actually put to paper the. The words that we said to each other and how it was this sort of, like, dance. Like, it was not, like, straightforward and it wasn't like, cathartic in the sense that, like I said, this is what you did. And he goes, you're right. Oh, my God, I'm so sorry. Instead, it was way more of this dance and this tension, but still this openness and this surprising warmth that is just like, sort of disorienting after the whole experience. But, like, you do feel that it is earned in a way. And so I really wanted to portray especially that. That scene because, you know, it. It lives on in my memory. You know, we did. Like, I actually have real footage from this journey. My. My husband actually put out. I don't know if you saw, but earlier this year, my husband put out a documentary. Yes. Where we show the act. It's called Mouth of the Wolf.

[Elisa Donovan]

Mouth of the Wolf.

[Amanda Knox]

We show the actual footage of going back to Italy to do this thing that we present in the Twisted Tale. And the one thing that we didn't get footage of was that meeting. Because we knew that if we got footage of that meeting, it would be sort of weird and posed and performative. So we're just like, nope, camera's out. We're not doing that. But I then got to finally show what it was like in the Twisted Tale. And so that was deeply satisfying and I think was really what the whole point of the show was, was like, after a cataclysmic event in your life, what do you do about it? And like, if you do not get closure, how do you go about getting that closure for yourself?

[Elisa Donovan]

You know, I mean, this is something. It's one of the reasons why I. I'm so in awe of you and people that, you know, when we go through trauma in our lives to varying degrees individually, we are always faced with the question of, are you going to move through it? Are you going to bring this to your life in a way that enhances it? And that helps. That helps us to understand our human existence, or are we going to just completely crumble or hurt other people? Right, right. And I just think, like, it's.

[Amanda Knox]

It's.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's an incredible feat to. That you've accomplished with this and that. I really admire that that's. You have allowed this to inform your life because it has. It's your life, but you are. Are putting it. Giving it great purpose and great meaning. And I. I read that you've said that this. You know, this. This horrific trauma that you've been through, it's actually helped you to. I'm paraphrasing, so you can say it the way you really said it, but it's helped you to actually connect with people more and to. To have a better ability to communicate. Can you talk about that a little bit?

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah. Yeah. And this is something I talk a lot about in my most. My memoir, Free My Search for Meaning, where I really dissect, first of all, what it means to be free. Like, I've had my freedom stolen from me, and. And part of that freedom was the ability to relate to other people, to feel like I belonged to other people. Like, I was. I was literally taken away and put into a little box as a monster. And when I got released back into the free world, it's not like I just got to go back to how everything was before. You know, I was still stigmatized. I was still grappling with how this. This experience had distanced me from other people. And I was put on the spot to explain myself and to explain everything that happened that was so completely out of my control. And a lot of which was I didn't. Like, I didn't really have access to the. To the why of it, all. Right? I didn't have access to what my prosecution or what my prosecutor was thinking, and yet I was supposed to explain all of his actions. You. And so being put on the spot like that and having every, like, single little word and turn of phrase and twitch of the eye, like, dissected under the microscope with everyone sort of looking for fault and looking for reasons to doubt me, that put me in a position of having to learn how to articulate my thoughts and feelings to myself and also to other people. People. And in the process of doing that, I. Like, I've. I've learned to express myself and what I've experienced. But of course, what I've experienced is a universal thing. Like, I have ex. I've experienced something that's very extreme and specific, but the overall experience is a universal one of thinking your life is going to be going one way and then life happens to you and it goes another way. And feeling misunderstood and misrepresented and like, people, people are being unfair to you. Like, these are all things that we experience. And what I discovered is that when I started articulating that experience in essays and interviews, people would respond and say, oh, my God, this is how I've been feeling. And I just never had words for it. And that was really validating for me because it's. It really closed that distance and it made me feel like everything that I had gone through wasn't just a loss, it had value. You know, it wasn't just things I had lost and was grieving. I had also gained something from that experience that. That was valuable, that I could pay forward.

[Elisa Donovan]

I think there is such a misconception that people assume when anyone is in the public eye in some way, as you were so. And continue to be, so largely that they assume, well, you have, you have everything you need. You have a lot of resources, you have support, you have, like, all the things. Like, people don't realize that it's very isolating. And in your experience, of course, quite specifically.

[Amanda Knox]

Oh, yeah. And it's not like I have, you know, a PR manager. Right. Like, I came home and it was just little old me. Like, I didn't like, so. And even those who do have that, you're right, is. It's incredibly isolating. But, like, don't assume that every time you see me on tv, it's because there's a whole team of people who are.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right.

[Amanda Knox]

Trading and it's a highly paid, you know, like, that's, that's not what's going on here.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right, Right.

[Amanda Knox]

It's a small operation.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's a. When you. We don't have much more time and I can't believe it. But did you. When you went back to Italy, did you go back to the house, to the scene of the crime?

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah.

[Elisa Donovan]

You did?

[Amanda Knox]

So that's. Again, we, we portray that at the end of the series to say goodbye. And I did do that in, in real life and because, again, like, I had never had that opportunity and I didn't know if, you know, before I went back to Italy if I was ever going to be able to go back at all. And, and so I just made it happen for myself. And it was not something that I did, you know, in a big public way. Like, I, I was on lockdown. I was like, you know, I was wearing sunglasses and a big hat to like, make sure that nobody saw me. But like, I just, I wanted to honor this place that had had such a huge impact on my life and Meredith's life. And, and in, in a weird way it was, it was a relief because I realized when I did that that it was just a place. Like it had turned into this sort of scene of nightmares in my mind. But like, going back to the house and just seeing it as a house where like, other people are living in it now, like, it just gave me that like, really important perspective that like, any place is just a place. Any place can be the home of people's best experiences and worst experiences and everything in between. And so there's nothing special about the place itself. It's just the people. Right.

[Elisa Donovan]

You took the power, it's power away.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah.

[Elisa Donovan]

In a sense.

[Knix Advertiser]

For period protection, you can put on and forget about nothing. Beats NYX Leak proof underwear. North America's number one leak proof underwear brand. Let's face it, life can be unpredictable. But your leak proof underwear shouldn't be. That's why millions of people choose NYX for periods, for light leaks, for everyday freshness. NYX undies are super comfy, super absorbent and made to handle whatever your day throws at you. Day two of your period covered your daily run no problem. That big sneeze? You know the one?

[Amanda Knox]

Yup. We've got you.

[Knix Advertiser]

And with styles like bikinis, boy shorts, thongs and high rise plus sizes from extra small to 4XL, NYX makes it easy to find your perfect fit. Say goodbye to stress and leaks and say hello to undies that work just as hard as you do, no matter the leak. Find the style and level of protection you [e-mail] and use code flow15 for 15% off. That's K-N I X.com, code flow15 for 15% off. Nix for your leaks for your life.

[Podcast Advertiser / Host]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this

[Bethenny Frankel]

is Bethenny Frankel from Just Be with Bethenny Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. Not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy.

[Amanda Knox]

Healthy.

[Bethenny Frankel]

And once I switched, the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing, you care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

Now I'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types and it's designed to work as a complete skin care system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of melon leaf stem cell technology. It's melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the Amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our introductory five piece system, free gifts, free shipping and and a 60 day money back guarantee. All of that [e-mail] this is Bowen

[Bowen Yang]

Yang from Los Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness. It's for getting after life. 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions. It's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater, cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite [e-mail] that's P R E M I E R protein dot com. Or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers.

[Elisa Donovan]

Let's talk about what your life is like now and your family and your sister. I know you know that's another person who is a victim of this and her own experience, which you cover in the series also, like, how is it everyone now?

[Amanda Knox]

So, oh, man, I'm so sad we don't have time to talk more about Deanna, my sister, and how we portrayed her in the series because it was, it was so important. She, she represents a lot of the justified, like, anger and, and unresolved trauma. Like, all of that. Like, she. And it's absolutely true that in real life, when I told my family that I was going back to Italy, she pulled me aside and was like, what the is wrong with you? Like, how. How could you do this to us? Like, you know, stop think this is not about you. Like, and like that. And it's so absolutely valid. And that's why it was so important to me to like, have that in the show, because it's right. Like, it wasn't just about me. It was about her too. And was I potentially making decisions that without really considering how it would fully impact her, like, that was a really important moment. And I mean, I'm not gonna lie. Like, it's. It took years for my family to get to a place of, like, being okay. And even then, like, they're lasting. You know, everyone has been marked for the rest of their life by this, this horrible thing that happened. I'm happy to say that, like, my relationship with my sister is better than ever.

[Knix Advertiser]

Good.

[Amanda Knox]

We both, you know, we both, we, we've like, We've directly confronted a lot of the. The pain. And so as a result of that, like, we've been able to, like, come through it and. And see it in each other and, like, honor it in each other. And. And now we get to, like, be on the other side of it in with each other, which is so great because we also are raising children together, like, in the sense that, like, she has two kids who are almost the exact same age as my two kids are. So there's a lot of, like, cousin time where we're getting to experience this next stage of our life really together, which is so great. And. And then in the meantime, you know, I have my. My little production company here with my husband, Christopher Robinson, who also EP ed on the Twisted Tale, who's also in the show. And, like, was one of the, like, the costume department loved having a.

[Elisa Donovan]

Well, that's. So many of the costumes were exactly like. I mean, I guess you wore them, so you would know, but. Yeah, I also love that he says in the car, when you are driving to see the prosecutor and your mom, the character of your mom says, don't tell me to calm down or relax. And he's like, okay, I harbor a wish.

[Amanda Knox]

You would relax.

[Elisa Donovan]

It really. I was like, I bet that is totally what he is like as a person. Like, I bet that is his personality in a. I loved it so much.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah. Was like, straight, like, the real life thing. And, like, I love that moment because it's such, like, a little moment of comic relief. But, like, it's exactly like, I'm not telling you, but I wish you.

[Elisa Donovan]

I harbor a wish. Oh, gosh, we didn't even get to talk about Rafaeli, and I just. I. Do you two speak now? I would think that you. Let me ask this. I'll ask this very quickly. When you met him, you know, when we meet people, we have that feeling sometimes, like, oh, I'm supposed to know this person, or, oh, I love them, or I don't let you know. You have that kind of sixth sense of something. Did you feel that way when you met him? Did you think, oh, that's so interesting?

[Amanda Knox]

I mean, I definitely felt an immediate connection with him. You know, he was nerdy. Like, I was nerdy, and he was. He was so sweet and shy compared to the other sort of. I mean, if you. If you know Italian guys.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, I do.

[Amanda Knox]

They're not shy is one thing. And so, like, to meet, like, a sweet, shy Italian guy just was. Was striking in and of itself. And I remember just connecting with him as, like, as like a young, sweet, nerdy person. And I didn't know that we would be connected in this significant of a way, of course, but we, we are connected in a very significant way and we have a very special kind of relationship that is, I often see very easily romanticized in, in like, you know, Hollywood representations of like, oh, two people who survived a traumatic experience together. Of course they fall in love in the happily ever after. And that's not, that's not what happened in our case. It was more like, it was more like we were soldiers in a, in a battle together. Right. Like, we had, we had survived something together. And, and so today, like, when I'm on a zoom call with him or even like in that final, like in the final episode, there's the scene where we go back to Gubbio together. Like, that absolutely happened in real life.

[Elisa Donovan]

Oh, that is like, it's a beautiful scene. It's really, really well done.

[Amanda Knox]

The thing with Rafaele is, like, it absolutely feels like there are alternate realities where we had a very different life together. And, and I think that that, that is, that is, I feel that way and he feels that way. And so when we, we see, like, when we see each other and we talk with each other, but especially when we see each other, like either over a zoom call or when we see each other in person, there is this, like, there's a little bit of tension in there of like in an alternate universe, we would have had a very, a very different life together. And, and so there's, there's like, both a, like joy to see each other, but also kind of a grief there too. Sure. And it's, it's deep. It's a very different, I don't have that kind of relationship with anybody else in my life. It's really, it's really singular. And Giuseppe De Domenico, who played Rafaele, was just so good, so good, so, so captured Rafaele's essence. Like his romanticism, his idealism, his nerdiness, his, but, and also like this, there's like a, there's a toughness to him too, as he like, got through. And there's like a grief and there's a rage even in him from all of this experience. Like, he, he just, yeah, he was incredible. He did such a good job.

[Elisa Donovan]

Well, I, I honestly, like, I, I, I could talk to you for hours and I have so many pages that we never got to and I, that makes me sad. But I, I truly, this has been a great honor for me and I do not say lightly how much I truly admire you. And I think that what you are doing with your spirit and your time and your physical life, that it. On this planet is really extraordinary. That's my last question. I'll ask you. I think that what you are doing and what you have been through is extraordinary, and I think that you are an extraordinary person. Do you think that you are an extraordinary person?

[Amanda Knox]

Oh, I remember something my mom told me when I was really young. It was when we were out walking the dogs one day. I have no idea what prompted this, but I will never forget how she just. Again, I could tell you where we were on the street, like a street away from our house, walking our dogs. She just turned to me and was like, amanda, you're gonna live an extraordinary life. And she was like, I don't know. I don't know what it is, but you're gonna live an extraordinary life. And I was just like, like, okay, like. Like, I don't know. I. I don't know where that premonition came from, but it has proven to be the case. So I'm. I'm living a kind of extraordinary life, but also I'm. I'm actually at a really interesting point in my extraordinary life where, you know, I'm. It's. It's kind of normalizing in. In the sense that, like, you know, I. I, a mom and I pack lunches.

[Elisa Donovan]

Lunches, you know, and I read a

[Amanda Knox]

little blue truck over and over again, you know?

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes.

[Amanda Knox]

I. You know, I. And I do, like, really incredible work that I feel really lucky to do. Like, one of the things that. That I have going on right now is I have a podcast.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, that's what I want to talk about before we. Yes.

[Amanda Knox]

Yeah, please tell us. Well, just to say that, like, you know, I'm still applying the lessons of what I've been through to the world around me. And so when I see what feels like another, like, my little red flag goes up when I hear about other cases of. Especially women who are. Who are accused of heinous crimes and are vilified in the media. And one of those cases right now that's on my radar is. Is the Lucy Letby case, which is a very controversial case in the. In the United Kingdom, but which has raised a lot of doubts about her conviction. And I. I've developed a whole podcast series of really digging deep and investigating this case. So it's. It's called Doubt the Case of Lucy Lepy, and anybody can listen to it. So, like, I get to do any sort. I'M I'm just plugging away, like making podcasts and like making, you know, TV shows and, but like in a way that, that, that in itself is both kind of extraordinary but also kind of ordinary and that it's, you know, it's work, you know, I'm, I'm not like in an epic quest anymore, you know, and so in a weird way, I'm like, now that I'm finally In my late 30s, I'm like, okay, I think my next adventure is not going to be about survival. It's just going to be about joy. And let's see what that looks like.

[Elisa Donovan]

I think you deserve that and I wish you that. So the Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is an eight part series. It's streaming on Hulu.

[Knix Advertiser]

Everyone.

[Elisa Donovan]

Watch it, watch it, watch it. And Amanda hosts the podcast Hard Knocks with Amanda Knox. And the latest podcast that we just discussed is the Case of Lucy. Let be Amanda. Thank you so, so much for your time and I've really loved talking with you.

[Amanda Knox]

Oh, thank you so much for having me.

[Bethenny Frankel]

This is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition. That is why Biggie and Smalls eat just food for dogs. Real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy, dogs that feel better. My babies, if you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health? Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code needed. Just try it.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Resource with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness. It's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions. It's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors, from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier protein empowers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite [e-mail] that's P R E M I E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart, and other major retailers.

[Podcast Advertiser / Host]

You ever wonder how far an EV can take you on one charge? Well, most people drive about 40 miles a day, which means you can do all daily stuff no problem. Go to work, grab the kids at school, get the groceries and still have enough charge to visit your in laws in the next county. But they don't need to know that. And the best part? You won't have to buy gas at all. The way forward is electric. Explore EVs that fit your life at electricforall.org

[Amanda Knox]

when you stay in your home,

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

what you love gets to stay, too.

[Knix Advertiser]

From the gardens that grow wild to the grandkids that run wilder, from the Friday night baseball games to the Sunday morning brunches, even the daily crosswords and weekly book clubs, there's room for it all. With help from home instead. The largest in home senior care network with over 30 years of trusted experience delivering the peace of mind mind you deserve, Visit home instead online for a better what's next?

[Meaningful Beauty / Cindy Crawford Advertiser]

You're listening to a podcast, so you're doing something else too. Like maybe scrolling home listings on Redfin, saving places you like without thinking you'll get them. Because that's what house hunting has become. But Redfin isn't built for endless browsing. It's built to help you find and own a home. Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents, which means when you find a place you love, you've got a real shot at getting it. Redfin helps turn saved listings into real addresses. Get [e-mail] Own the Dream this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.