Ethics of Attraction: Serial killers on the screen and why we’re sexually attracted to them
updated:
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 - 10:59am
University of Worcester
deadline for submissions:
Thursday, October 31, 2024
When Zac Efron was cast as Ted Bundy in Netflix’s 2019 production, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, this decision received a mixed reception. Some argued that Efron was too much of a ‘queasily parodic hottie’ for the role (Bradshaw 2019). Meanwhile, there was a counter argument to state that Efron’s starring role was in fact clever mimicry of Bundy’s alleged sex appeal and charisma, two defining qualities that enabled him to become such a prolific violent offender. Significantly though, Efron is far from the only conventionally attractive and high-profile actor to be cast in the role of a violent criminal.