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Tracy Hayes
This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Tyler Perez
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on £10. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jordan Sillers
Blood Trails is a true crime podcast born in the outdoors, where the terrain is unforgiving, the evidence is scarce, and the truth gets buried under brush and silence.
Tyler Perez
I seen something in the road. I instantly thought it was a sleeping bag, that there was a pool of blood. Somebody somewhere knows something.
Jordan Sillers
I'm Jordan Sillers. Season 2 is out now with new episodes every Thursday. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Elisa Donovan
This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us.
Saigon Podcast Narrator
From iHeart podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart?
Elisa Donovan
This is for Vietnam.
Tracy Hayes
They're pouring petrol all over here. Freedom for Vietnam. There's a fire coming to this country, and it's going to burn out.
Saigon Podcast Narrator
Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Wicked Words Podcast Host
Sometimes a suspect is found guilty before a verdict is ever read in court. On the Wicked Words podcast, I talk with the writers who dig deep into the cases that changed history, including Marcia Clark, who went from prosecuting one of the most famous murder cases to writing crime fiction.
Tracy Hayes
It doesn't matter that you didn't take part in the murder. If you were at the scene at all, you're guilty of murder.
Wicked Words Podcast Host
Every week, the real story is revealed. Join us every Monday for new episodes of Wicked Words. Listen to Wicked Words on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tyler Perez
Amy Robach and T.J. holmes present killer
Wicked Words Podcast Host
Thriller with your host, Elisa Donovan.
Elisa Donovan
Hey, everyone, Elisa Donovan here. And this is Killer Thrill. What if the danger wasn't outside your home, but already inside it? That's the setup behind Kidnapped in Her Own Home, the Martha Corelli Story. It's a story that starts with something almost unthinkable. A fugitive hiding in your house, waiting for the moment to take control. From there, it turns into a psychological game of survival, one where every decision matters, every move could be your last. And the only way out is to outthink the person holding you captive. Today we're joined by the film's director, Tracy Hayes, and Tyler Perez, who plays the man at the center of it all. Tracy and Tyler, welcome to Killer Thriller.
Tracy Hayes
Thank you so much for having us.
Tyler Perez
Excited to be here.
Elisa Donovan
Yes, thank you so much for spending this time with me today. I want to say straight up, Tyler, I'm a huge fan of Abbott elementary, but I also. We should let people know this is quite a departure from that.
Tyler Perez
Very different. Very. They're on opposite sides of the spectrum for sure.
Elisa Donovan
Yes. So this movie, let's just quickly. So this is not based on one specific true crime case, but it is based on a true crime story. So let's just talk a little bit about the plot of the movie. Martha Corelli leads a quiet life. She's married, played by Santa Caddick. And her life is shattered when this escaped convict comes into her home and takes her hostage, essentially. Do you guys want to tell any more about the plot quickly for people that don't might not know it, I'll
Tyler Perez
let Tracy take that away. She's the expert on that for sure. This is her baby.
Elisa Donovan
Yeah.
Tracy Hayes
The Martha Curley story. It is based on actual real life events that happened in the 70s. And Ann Rule, who is a true crime novelist, is a New York Times best selling author. And she's her In Her Own Right is a fascinating story. But in terms of Martha Corelli, you know, we tried to stay true to the characters as much as possible within the reasons of obviously creative liberties that we took because it doesn't take place in the 70s, but it's very much a survivalist story. And what I appreciated about just the story and the script was that it wasn't about a damsel in distress who had it, who didn't have a point of view. And it wasn't painting the character that Tyler plays very much as a one dimensional character.
Elisa Donovan
Firstly, this idea that somebody could be hiding in your home without you knowing is probably one of the most terrifying nightmares that anybody could imagine. So was that a part of what you really wanted to lean into directorially in the beginning, that people had that true sense? Because you very much feel that as a viewer, it's chilling.
Tracy Hayes
I'm glad to hear you say that. Just getting the feedback is just so delightful to hear. I, when I read the script for the first time, I finished the script, got up and locked my front door. That's true. I actually did that. And I live in a quiet neighborhood where everything is Seemingly great. I have great neighbors. I go for walks. I know everybody. And after I finished that script, I was really unsettled because we actually, I actually, My neighbors were actually robbed next door. And it was, you know, every. No one was hurt. It was. But it just kind of. It definitely got me thinking about how your life is going one way and you feel safe and you've made this little beautiful home and this beautiful family. And so I just. The fact that you brought up, like, yes, it is. This kind of, this is a very big fear, right? That is real. That happened very close, too close to home. And so I, I was definitely intentional about how we don't really see like, when the surprise of, of Tyler's character being like, when we discover him in the home. Obviously that's, that's no spoiler alert, it's in the trailer. But how that whole circumstance goes around and the idea of being personally violated in that way, just like in terms of being in your own space and your comfort in your home. So as for me, I approached it very much from a place of we are with Martha's perspective, and it was very much a slow burn and the pace of the film, while it is a very, very tight ride, I wanted there to be moments that really kind of gave you goosebumps and how do you lean in? And that was done through slope cushions and more moody lighting.
Elisa Donovan
Yes.
Tracy Hayes
A lot of the film takes place at night, so we were really intentional about lighting with practical lights. So like in the home it would be lamps or at certain scenes we were using fluorescent lights or moonlight. So we were really. That was an intentional thing.
Elisa Donovan
I really appreciated that because I know, you know, I know how hard it is to make these movies sometimes and you don't always have a plethora of time and resources and all those sorts of things. So it really is, it feels very intentional and very well crafted. So I really appreciated that. And Tyler, so you're playing the person in control of the situation, but it's, it's both psychological and physical. And how did you, like, how did you approach, you know, how did you think about your character needing to be both menacing and sympathetic?
Tyler Perez
Well, that was actually what. What drew me to this project in this role for sure, was that, you know, I think like we were talking about a second ago, is that it's easy for it to feel like this kind of a story can become a one dimensional thing. Even like what you're saying about being in control. It's, it's, it kind of swaps. It's kind of a dance throughout the whole movie between, between Michael and. And Martha where it seems like he's in control because he's got the gun and he's got, you know, the physical, you know, menacing presence. But, you know, intellectually a lot of times Martha kind of takes over that control. But it drew me to it because this wasn't. It's easy, I think it's easy for this character to fall into the trap or trope of this evil person who is just an awful guy and deserves the. The worst punishments imaginable. You know, and the way it's read in and the way that, you know, working with it with Tracy and the way that I like, I kind of approached it was, was, you know, this is a guy who, you know, he's been in the system since a very young age. He's never really had proper role models. He's never had been really shown love by. From anybody.
Elisa Donovan
Yeah, this is why it's really fascinating to me in particular because it really does reveal how when somebody comes into this life at a deficit like he just didn' have the same kind of support systems and all of that. And I ironically just yesterday visited San Quentin and was given a tour of that prison. And it's extraordinary. That's a whole other podcast episode. I won't go too far into it, but I was given a tour that our tour guides were four incarcerated men and all we had very long conversations and they told us our stories and you know, essentially they came into this without. That's all they knew. They didn't have any. Any support. And it really is. It speaks so much to wanting love. Like all of these. We cover a lot of wild and crazy cases on this podcast and you could kind of distill it all back down to a lack of belonging, community and needing love or not having any resources. So I think the movie really does a nice job of bringing that to the surface. Was that intentional? I'm sure it was on your part, Tracy.
Tracy Hayes
Yeah, I was. I felt like I knew Martha when I read it. And I don't mean like just in a very deep way as a woman, but I was really curious about Michael's character, like the character of Michael, because I had so much empathy for this character. And the more I started to dive in, I listened to a lot of true. A lot of. Just like I read some books and I'm trying to remember the name of the. There was a couple books that I was reading about sort of the young, specifically under 20 year olds that went through the system that were basically children that were minors when they committed the crime. And they're. They're part of the system and they're now being tried as adults. And there was. There's laws that have now changed in our country where if they were tried as a minor, now they, you know, and they. Now they can go back and have a retrial and just kind of breaking down all those. These young kids stories. It all came down to a choice and a decision. And I. I was just like left shattered and so, like, deeply affected by their stories. And I think I shared some of that with Tyler. And so that was very much intentional in terms of empathizing. And it gets to a certain point, and I won't give it away in the film where you. Where you see that side of his character, because he is a kid. He's this big kid who hasn't had a role model. And so I like telling those stories. It's like not the black and the white, but the gray. And as a filmmaker, those are stories that I'm really drawn to telling. And this particular character really struggle with that in his life.
Elisa Donovan
Yeah, It does really become kind of a battle of the minds. Like, not just survival, but Martha's strategy to establish a personal relationship with the captor. Was that one of the most interesting parts? And r. Do you know, was that real? Is that accurate?
Tracy Hayes
Yeah, I mean, she talks about, in the actual case, about how like, she thought that he had some maybe mental disorder, but yet they were able to. They were able to connect through the process. So that was. Some of. That was part of the story. But then Tyler, I mean, some of that was just like what you and Stana kind of found through working together
Tyler Perez
in the original, the True story. It's really fascinating that this. This guy, the real Michael Anderson, he had every opportunity and almost every reason to, for lack of better terms, dispose of Martha. And he doesn't, you know, and. And that I found very interesting as well, diving into that, because again, when I was playing this character, I wanted to, you know, I put obviously my spin on it and my understanding of it, but I wanted to also honor the true story as much as I could. And that fascinated me when I read the. The actual and Rules, you know, book on it. And. And I was very fascinated. Like, what made him, you know, what was it that made him show that kind of an empathy and that kind of a control?
Elisa Donovan
Right, because he certainly. He beats her. I mean, he physically injures her and he watches them have sex, like all of these things that are so deeply disturbing. And then the. The balance of him also, you can. You can see that, you know, he wants some kind of, like, love or understanding or.
Tyler Perez
I think Martha is the first. One of the first, at least, people who shows him some level of compassion, despite what he's done to her. Like, it's like an unconditional compassion that. I think that is the first seed, and that is a way in which Martha starts to take control. She plants that seed of. Because she shows that kind of a compassion. And I think it's just like Michael's, like, what? I'm not used. He's not used to that. You know, despite what he's.
Tracy Hayes
There was. There was a part in the film where his character goes, you know, he asks Martha how to cook. She asked how he wants to cook steak. The steak cooked. And he's like, well, how do you like it? And that was. That was 100% true. That really happened. And that scene.
Elisa Donovan
Oh, really?
Tracy Hayes
Yeah. When I read it in the script, I was, like, so fascinated that this man, that this. You know, that. That was the level of just, like, where he was at in the world in terms of just not knowing. I think the book describes him as, like, very jumpy, but he wasn't. But he was not sure of what to do next. Like, that was how she described him. He was like this trigger. I mean, trigger. I mean, he was like, bully at times. And like, then he was kidding with. It was so interesting, like, how he just makes fun of the circumstance. And then he's like this big kid who just doesn't know how to be around adults. It was just interesting.
Elisa Donovan
Right, right. The. We've seen the. These cases where, you know, victims do survive by staying calm and thinking strategically. And this here, it really feels like one. Much to your point, like, one wrong move could change everything. And so that. It sounds like that was a really conscious choice also in the. In the direction. Yes.
Tracy Hayes
Yeah. And how close they got to each other. There's one scene, and I won't spoil it, one of my favorite scenes in the whole script where Martha takes her power back, and I'll leave it at that. And that scene specifically, I for sure thought that was going to be the end of the movie, and it wasn't. And it just continued. And so it was just like an incredible, memorable scene between the two of them and just the physicality of what they did and allowed each other. Trust each other enough to. I don't know. I don't want. I keep screwing around at Tyler. Because I don't want to exactly say what happens in that scene, but it just, that particular scene really to me captured their, you know, just the expectation of like he could, like you would think that was the end and he actually perhaps was like surprised and maybe turned on. I mean, it's. So Tyler just kind of went there, you know, like there was some definitely dark, twisted. You could look at that sort of uncomfortable moment and he just leaned in and they had a lot of trust.
Elisa Donovan
So, yeah. How did Tyler. How does it feel being the bad guy but also on the receiving end of so much kindness from the hostage?
Tyler Perez
Like, that's, it's, it's definitely it. It was definitely one of the most difficult roles I played to date because of how kind of dark his past is and kind of how intense the scenes could get and how abusive he could be at times. And yeah, so it was definitely, definitely an interesting experience. Especially because right before filming that I had done an episode of Abbott. Like, I'm like this golden retriever, like super happy, positive guy. And then it was like, okay, get in the closet.
Elisa Donovan
Why do you think it's important to tell these kinds of stories, you know, these kinds of true crime stories with women being victimized in particular. But why do you think it's important to tell these stories?
Tracy Hayes
You know, I've always grown up. I love mysteries, like Nancy Drew, Cam Jansen. Oh my gosh, that's like middle school. Like first readers. I'm dyslexic and those are the first things I read. And I loved, I loved the mystery of like trying to figure out like, ultimately, you know, how this circa. This terrible circumstance was gonna like, end. And like, ultimately I think that sort of led me to true crime and the films that I like. I love dramatic stuff. I love, you know, Prisoners was a massive gone girl was if those were two really big influences for me on this film. And I think, I think it's important for me anyway, with the story to show it's not one sided. The story, yes. You know, Martha is the one who's being, you know, is the victim in the story. But I. But it wasn't. It was showing about her resilience and like celebrating her journey in a way that like, so that other people, you know, can just understand. Like, hopefully no one's ever in that circumstance. But just to like, to be able to have something on. I was gonna say film, print. Oh my gosh, it's. I wish not 35, but to have something just to show, to show an audience like what this person went through and her resilience and, you know, the sort of. I just, you know, obviously there's. There's the entertainment factor of it, right, of just like being like, drawn on this journey with these characters. But I think when it comes to true crime, it's like understanding that these are real people that this really happened to. And it just feels so unbelievable. The only way you could believe that it was like, could have ever happened was because it was based on true events. And our world is crazy. But I think the silver lining of it all is what gives. I want, like, you know, to be able to walk away with and know that there's a future for. For Martha.
Elisa Donovan
Yeah. I mean, this is why I wanted to do this podcast in the first place, is that we are all very fascinated by true crime.
Tracy Hayes
And.
Elisa Donovan
And I am fascinated from the, The. The human aspect of it. You know, like, how do we get from A to Z? How do you go from, you know, the. The average guy who is just functioning in the world to becoming a serial killer or doing, you know, like there is a reason these are all human beings that, you know, and extreme mental illness aside, you know, how do we get to these places and how do people recover?
Tyler Perez
You know, that's what I think, you know, to explore the psychology of it. You know, I think for people to know, you know, kind of what could cause these things and maybe how to avoid it or do in that kind of a situation. You know what I mean? Like, I. I don't know. God. Like. Like Tracy said, God forbid anyone ends up in these circumstances. But as we see with true crime stories, that's the true. In true crime story. Unfortunately, these things, you know, happen.
Elisa Donovan
Right.
Tyler Perez
I'm very fascinated by the psychology of those things.
Elisa Donovan
After working on this, did it change the way you think about safety or your everyday routines at all? I know. Tracy, you said you locked your phone for me.
Tracy Hayes
It changed. I think what it. I was really fascinated by. I had no idea about the juvenile system and how they were retried as adults. So I learned a lot about that process and I found myself really questioning how our system works here. Like, I know it's not perfect. It's far from perfect. There's many issues that need to be fixed and I. And it just. Every case is so specific and you can't. It's not one size fits all. And I was really fascinated and learned a lot about just that, specifically juveniles and how they were treated and the psychology of a grown. Their brain not being fully developed and how do we handle these cases? And so I left having a deeper understanding and appreciation for just wanting, you know, for those people to have second chances. You know, I'm sure, you know, taking a life is something, you know, no one ever. Like, that's never something that's okay. But then you start to unpack all the circumstances around certain things, and people are getting tried because of racial discrimination or because they weren't even pulling the trigger. They happened to be there. So there's all these circumstances that were really. I walked away just going, wow, like, this is really complicated. And life is really. Yeah, life is really fragile.
Elisa Donovan
Very fragile. What about you, Tyler?
Tyler Perez
During filming, I definitely was. I told Tracy this, actually. There was a couple of nights that I was sleeping and I, like, I woke up and I. I could have sworn I had heard somebody, like, trying to get in through my back. And, like, it felt so, so real. And I remember laying in bed and thinking, what do I do right now? There was one night that it was like. It felt very real, even to the point. I think my mind was playing tricks on me because of the circumstances and everything, and I'm. I'm diving deep into this world or whatever, but I could have sworn I had seen a shadow, like, across mine. That door, it was open, and I was like, somebody's in my house right now. And I literally was in bed, and I was like, do I pretend to keep sleeping? Do I get up and rush the door right now? Like, what do I do? I ultimately chose rushing and. And saw no one was there, and I was like, whoa. And it really messed me up. This is probably, like, halfway through filming, and I went back to sleep and then woke up and went to set, and then. And it was. It was definitely messy with me at the time. But, I mean, in my day to day, I, you know, I live, like, smack dab in the middle of West Hollywood, which is pretty. Pretty chill, you know, but lately there's been some weird things going on. And so, you know, my fiance is here, and, like, I want to make sure that she's back. So we. We keep our doors locked all the time. We're constantly checking, you know, so it definitely has made me a little bit more, you know, conscious of that. But to Tracy's point, has also made me more aware of. Of these. Like, I saw a video the other day on Instagram, and it was this guy hearing his sentence, and it was a life without parole sentence for. I think it was for a murder charge. And as soon as he hears it, he immediately breaks down in tears and just. He can't even stand. He's. He's crying. And all the comments were very, you know, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. And I, and I, I agree with that to a point. But at the same time, there's a certain level of, like, at what point do we give forgiveness, mercy, and a second chance? You know, this guy's whole life, he was a young man, 20, maybe 22, I don't know. And his whole life just shattered in front of his eyes. He's going to spend the rest of his life behind bars with no chance of rehabilitation at all. You know, and so I think before this film, maybe I would have been like, with these people in the comments and being like, well, you know, you killed somebody and you need to pay the price for it. And I, I do agree with that to a point. But at the same time, I think there's a conversation to be had about second chances, about rehabilitation and things like that. You know, I actually was able to connect with this in a way because when I was 16, unfortunately, I did go into the juvenile detention system for a fist fight that I got into. And, and it was a whole thing. I won't get into that, but I experienced firsthand what that looks like. And there was a guy in. There was a guy who was in this system with me that I had met, that he was charged. I mean, this is his words. We have to, you know, have to take it with grain salt. But I, I believed every word he told me. He was charged for something. He took the fall for something his uncle had done. Basically, he was driving his uncle's car, and his uncle had stuff in the car. He took the fall for it, but he was in there stuck in a limbo because none of his family or anybody came to his trials. And so the judge kept pushing it back two weeks, pushing it back two weeks. So he was in there without a conviction yet, just being held. And he was like, at that point, just like I did, he was like, I don't. I just put me in adult county. I don't want to be in anymore. Like, just put me in it. Like, just give me my conviction so I can get it done and get out of here. Because they're just keeping me in this limbo. And this was in Florida. And I just think there's certain things in the systems that it needs. It needs fixing. It needs a better system because it's. These people's lives are being, you know, destroyed. And it breaks my heart.
Elisa Donovan
I could not agree with you more. And it's so fresh for me because as I said just yesterday, when you hear people speak about their life experience and you humanize them and that is what we have to do more of, is humanize these people and their experience. And yes, everyone needs to understand and have repercussions and all of those things, but I think we could do a little better with the humanizing side of things.
Tyler Perez
Yeah, agreed.
Elisa Donovan
So when you guys step back, what do you think is the most unsettling part of this story?
Tyler Perez
The fact that this stuff happens. The fact that, the fact that, that it's based on a true story and the fact that, you know, the fact that it's. It has happened and unfortunately may happen again. You know, I think that's what's unsettling and that we don't know. Like, I think what's really the most unsettling about this, which reminds me of this old Hitchcock film, Shadow of a Doubt, is that we are here. We see in this film, it begins with this picturesque, kind of perfect suburban family that is happy and safe and protected and loving. There's so much love in the family. And one day it all just changes. And then how that the family is affected forever after that.
Tracy Hayes
I think the most unsettling thing that was in the script, I mean, and also in the book was when Martha Corelli asked Michael Anderson, she said, why. Why did you pick my house? Why did you pick my house six blocks in the prison? And he says to her, because your garage door was open. That is true. And that to me was just like the most mind blowing, circumstantial, complete, random. When you hear these random acts of violence of people getting stabbed on trains for no apparent reason, there's no connection. Right. You always want to find a reason. Oh, X or oh. There's always a motive. And it's like when those circumstances like that in life, in a story like this or other, other like that's to me, what's the most unsettling is like it was just happenstance.
Elisa Donovan
I.
Tracy Hayes
You.
Elisa Donovan
That is definitely one of the most, if not the most unsettling part of it to me as well. And before you guys, before we started this interview, my producers and I were chatting and one of them said this is the most disturbing part that he, when he, when she asks him why, it's because her garage door was unlocked.
Tracy Hayes
That's true.
Elisa Donovan
We literally just said the same thing.
Tyler Perez
Yeah. Two weeks ago in my neighborhood, some. A woman was. Was shot on her balcony and they still don't know they haven't found the suspect and don't know what it could have been tied to at all. They're still trying to figure it out. And it's super unsettling because that's down the street from my house. It's where I get my water. My little primo water jugs.
Elisa Donovan
Oh, my God.
Tyler Perez
And it's just like, whoa. That's the most unsettling part.
Elisa Donovan
It's like.
Tyler Perez
It's one thing if it's like, oh, it's an altercation. Oh, it was like an. An jealous ex or whatever it was, but this was, like, completely un. So the whole community right now is still kind of like, whoa.
Tracy Hayes
You know, it's just the wrong. It's the wrong place at the wrong time. And, like, I. I don't. You know, we want it. We want, as a human nature, to, like, want to have a reason and totally be able to put it in a box and go, oh, this makes sense.
Elisa Donovan
And.
Tracy Hayes
And I think the curiosity going back just to, like, why you started this podcast to begin with, and, like, the sort of, like, we. The human nature and the curiosity of wanting to know, because it just feels like there needs to be an answer, and sometimes there isn't. And what's fascinating beyond, like, you know, Ann Rule, who wrote this book, her whole life story. And, like, she befriend, like, she befriended Ted Bundy, like they were work partners. Yes, I read that.
Elisa Donovan
Right.
Tracy Hayes
And that is real. And she didn't know. And they became. It was just. So. It's just really fascinating to me. It's like how that individual can be friends with a woman and then go home and do the things he did. And I. It just. Yeah. So, yeah, it makes me. I'm just glad I have a partner to look out for me, too. Yeah.
Elisa Donovan
Well, Tracy and Tyler, thank you so much for this. This has been really fascinating to me, and I. I could talk for a couple more hours, but they're telling me that we shouldn't. So this Kidnapped in Her Own Home, the Martha Corelli Story is streaming on Lifetime. And Tracy said. You said it's somewhere else as well.
Tracy Hayes
Wherever you got your vod.
Elisa Donovan
Amazing. Okay. Well, best of luck with it. Thank you so much.
Tracy Hayes
Thank you.
Tyler Perez
Thank
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Tyler Perez
12 months.
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Tracy Hayes
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Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the Enhanced Games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Tyler Perez
Within probably 10 days, I put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Superhuman Podcast Narrator
Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jordan Sillers
Blood Trails is a true crime podcast born in the outdoors, where the terrain is unforgiving, the evidence is scarce, and the truth gets buried under brush and silence.
Tyler Perez
I seen something in the road. I instantly thought it was a sleeping thing, that there was a pool of blood. Somebody somewhere knows something.
Jordan Sillers
I'm Jordan Sillers. Season 2 is out now with new episodes every Thursday. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Elisa Donovan
This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us.
Saigon Podcast Narrator
From iHeart podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart?
Elisa Donovan
This is for Vietnam.
Tracy Hayes
They're pouring petrol all over here. Freedom for Vietnam. There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.
Saigon Podcast Narrator
Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tracy Hayes
This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.
Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Host: Elisa Donovan
Guests: Tracy Hayes (Director), Tyler Perez (Actor)
Release Date: May 4, 2026
Episode Focus: The making and real-life inspiration behind the Lifetime film Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Corelli Story
This episode delves into the chilling true-crime-inspired film Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Corelli Story. Host Elisa Donovan interviews director Tracy Hayes and actor Tyler Perez about the film’s origins, the complex psychology of its characters, and the haunting reality that inspired it. The episode explores themes of survival, empathy, the randomness of trauma, and how both creators and performers process stories based on harrowing real-life events.
On the film’s psychological impact:
“After I finished that script, I was really unsettled because... My neighbors were actually robbed next door.” — Tracy Hayes (05:35)
On character nuance:
“It’s easy for this character to fall into the trope of this evil person... For me, it’s about showing the gray.” — Tyler Perez (08:22–09:35)
On humanizing true crime:
“This is why I wanted to do this podcast in the first place... there is a reason—these are all human beings.” — Elisa Donovan (21:19)
On the randomness of crime:
“[Michael Anderson] said, ‘Because your garage door was open.’ That to me was just mind blowing circumstantial...” — Tracy Hayes (29:17)
The conversation is thoughtful, candid, and empathetic, balancing true crime fascination with a strong sense of responsibility and reflection. Direct quotes and anecdotes foster a deeply humanized take on trauma, violence, and survival. Both Hayes and Perez frequently move between personal insights and broader commentary on justice, empathy, and societal response to crime.
This episode offers an in-depth look at both the mechanics of making a suspenseful, thoughtful thriller and the human implications behind such stories. The creators’ focus on nuance, empathy, and the lived experiences that inform criminal acts sets this discussion apart from sensationalist true crime content, reminding listeners that behind headlines and scripts are real people whose choices—and traumas—require understanding, not just judgment.
Where to Watch:
Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Corelli Story is streaming on Lifetime and Video On Demand platforms.