‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ Was Inspired by Jessica Knoll’s Rape; Why She Dated Her Rapist 2 Years Later
The Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive is based on the 2015 book of the same name by Jessica Knoll, which is based on the author’s own sexual assault. Parts of lead character Ani FaNelli’s story align with that of Knoll, who decided to go on a date with her rapist two years after the assault.
What is ‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ about?
Luckiest Girl Alive centers around Ani FaNelli (Mila Kunis), a sharp-tongued New Yorker who appears to have it all: a sought-after position at a glossy magazine, a killer wardrobe, and a dream Nantucket wedding on the horizon. But when a crime documentary director invites her to tell her side of the shocking incident that took place when she was a teenager, Ani is forced to confront a dark truth that threatens to unravel her meticulously crafted life.
The story was adapted for the screen by Knoll herself. Luckiest Girl Alive also stars Finn Wittrock, Connie Britton, Scoot McNairy, Chiara Aurelia, and Jennifer Beals.
Jessica Knoll’s experience aligns with Ani FaNelli’s in ‘Luckiest Girl Alive’
Knoll previously recounted her rape for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter. “I know that I went to a party at which the ratio of guys to girls was not in my favor,” Knoll wrote. “I drank, flirted with A Boy, was dazzled by A Boy, drank some more, and slipped away from the waking world.”
She continued: “I know I came to on the floor of a bedroom, A Different Boy’s head between my legs. I remember A Different Boy from a flare of coherence earlier, trying to help me walk when my anesthetized legs failed me.” Knoll’s words align almost word for word with the experience Aurelia portrays in the Netflix film.
Jessica Knoll’s rapist asked her out and she was ‘grateful’
In another recount of her experience for The Cut, Knoll opened up about the date she went on with her rapist two years after her sexual assault. “… I was grateful,” Knoll said. “I thought his renewed interest in me might actually spell redemption. At the end of the night, he wanted to hook up, but I could not bring myself to touch him.”
According to Knoll, she “made out” with the boy a few years after their date. “I still thought this person could offer me something by way of healing,” she said. “But the feeling of his lips against mine made me recoil in disgust. And it never happened again.”
‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ author wasn’t always open about her rape
As she recalls in her essay for Lenny, Knoll never admitted how much Luckiest Girl Alive aligned with her own experiences until she met a woman at a book event in New Jersey. “You said you did some research for your book,” the woman said. “Did you interview a rape victim?”
Knoll admitted she researched the other significant event in her book — a school shooting — but no research was required to write about rape. The woman replied: “So how did you — I mean, it was just so real. What you said about not screaming until it was over? Until you knew you were safe?”
Finally, Knoll publicly admitted: “Because that almost happened to me. Something similar to what happened to Ani happened to me.”
Watch Luckiest Girl Alive exclusively on Netflix.
How to get help:
- In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
- In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
- If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
