Having met as college sweethearts, Betty supported Dan through medical school and law school, giving up any career aspirations she might have had to raise their four children as he became a rich, successful lawyer in San Diego. That is, until Dan left Betty for his young assistant Linda, who he had an affair with and eventually married after their extremely messy divorce. In 1989, Betty snapped and fatally shot Dan and Linda.
“I think the story is really complex,” Peet says. “Just because Alexandra wanted to show the ways in which Betty was a victim, I don’t think that means she’s condoning or justifying the fact that she became a murderer. I think she just thinks it’s a story worth telling to explore why. How could this have happened? What were the components and factors that lead up to someone who is seemingly so normal becoming mad, insane.”
Peet adds that the Brodericks’ story isn’t one-sided as both Betty and Dan mistreated each other at times (Betty did drive her car into Dan’s front door during their divorce). “She really behaved in a very abusive way over a period of time and he did too. Hopefully in this day and age there would have been an earlier intervention,” Peet says.
