True Crime and Hollywood: A Personal Tale

True Crime and Hollywood: A Personal Tale
  • 4.1 (22)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

What happens when the line between a survivor’s reality and the entertainment industry’s narrative begins to blur? Join Latine filmmaker and true crime expert Celene Beth Olsen for a grounded exploration of the intersection between media and human trauma. As a survivor herself, Celene Beth brings a necessary, nuanced lens to the ethics of the industry and the mechanics of how these stories are produced. The podcast serves as a bridge, bringing together the industry insiders behind the camera and the participants in front of it for candid, thoughtful dialogue. By exploring these two worlds together, the show highlights the responsibility of storytelling and the human experience at the heart of every case. Special guests include Julie Murray, Terra Newell, Sarah Cailean, Rise Above Justice founder Zachary Mallory, Callahan Walsh, and more. Two seasons of the podcast are available now!

  1. 4d ago

    Lindsey's Personal Tale

    Content & Sensitivity Note: This episode contains discussions surrounding violent crime, cold cases, sexual violence, crimes involving children, and mentions of suicide. In this landmark episode, True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale hosts its very first law enforcement interview, welcoming retired Tacoma Police Department detective, Senior Investigator, and author Lindsey Wade. Lindsey brings over two decades of law enforcement experience leading complex violent crime and cold case operations. A national authority on DNA integrity, her career spans co-founding Washington State's first DOJ-certified Child Abduction Response Team, co-authoring Jennifer & Michella’s Law, and advising national cold case working groups with the FBI and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Her groundbreaking use of Forensic Genetic Genealogy and Lawfully Owed DNA has closed decades-old cases nationwide, earning her the 2025 DNA Hit of the Year Award. Sitting down together, Celene Beth and Lindsey connect over growing up in the very Pacific Northwest and Utah communities impacted by Ted Bundy. They bring their distinct perspectives—a veteran detective who spearheaded the milestone effort to get Bundy’s missing profile into CODIS, and a filmmaker returning to her upcoming anti-true-crime documentary K*lling Theodore to interrogate his "all-American serial killer" myth. Together, they discuss the reality of cross-jurisdictional cold case investigations, the unexpected role author Ann Rule played in Lindsey's career, and the power of human-centered advocacy. The episode also highlights the ongoing victim advocacy Lindsey is leading alongside friend of the podcast Bill Thomas. Today, Lindsey continues her work as an investigator with the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office while lecturing nationwide on sex crimes, DNA tracking, and cold case investigations—plus, we close out the conversation learning about her love for baking sourdough and The Silence of the Lambs! Connect with Lindsey Wade & Resources: ​Website: Learn more about Lindsey’s ongoing investigative work, speaking engagements, and advocacy at www.lindseywade.org​Book: Purchase Lindsey’s award-winning memoir, In My DNA: My Career Investigating Your Worst Nightmares www.oneideapress.com/in-my-dna

    Lindsey's Personal Tale

  2. Sep 23

    Margie's Personal Tale

    In this episode, Celene Beth sits down with independent producer and participant advocate Margie Ratliff for a thoughtful, deeply human conversation on turning lived media experience into a force for industry-wide care and transformation. Margie shares her journey from navigating public exposure following The Staircase to stepping behind the lens as a producer and key participant in the landmark documentary Subject (Lady & Bird Films), directed by Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera. Together, they explore how Subject brought the emotional, psychological, and ethical complexities of non-fiction filmmaking to the forefront of the documentary community. The discussion highlights Margie’s leadership as Managing Director of Screen Trust—formerly known as the Documentary Participants Empowerment Alliance, or DPEA, as referenced during the conversation—and how the organization works to provide essential legal, mental health, and ongoing advocacy resources to story participants. Celene Beth and Margie reflect on the vital implementation of mental health coordination throughout production, honoring Margie’s close personal friendship and collaborative work with previous guest Michelle Backe (Calm on Set). They also unpack the trauma-informed, values-centered frameworks established by the Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG) to foster sustainable standards of safety, informed consent, and mutual respect across non-fiction storytelling. Margie’s path through the media landscape offers a profound masterclass in finding agency, purpose, and meaningful healing in the essential space where documentary filmmaking and human dignity intersect. Episode Links & Resources Screen Trust (Formerly DPEA): Access participant-first resources, advocacy, and guidance led by Margie Ratliff at dpealliance.org Subject Documentary: Learn more about the film and its educational impact at subject.film Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG): Explore values-centered frameworks for ethical storytelling at docaccountability.org Calm on Set: Follow Michelle Backe’s work on Instagram @calmonset Show Credits: True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale is a La Activista Production, hosted and executive produced by Celene Beth Olsen, with music by Mickey O’Brien.

    Margie's Personal Tale

  3. Sep 16

    Michelle's Personal Tale

    In this episode—the very first recorded conversation of Season III—Celene Beth sits down with Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Mental Health Coordinator Michelle Backe for a discussion that serves as a genuine love letter to the indie documentary community. While on-set support is fundamentally shifting media production, this conversation explores what happens when psychological safety is built directly into non-fiction storytelling. Michelle’s entry into true crime was deeply shaped through her close personal friendships with participant advocates Margie Ratliff and Jessie Buttafuoco—bringing critical real-world insights into long-term care, accountability, and ethical support for individuals at the center of public narratives. Together, they also uplift key works championing human-centered practices across the industry, including Subject (Lady & Bird Films), alongside Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey and Trust Me: The False Prophet (Ark Media). Episode Links & Resources ​Calm on Set: Follow Michelle's work on Instagram @calmonset​Association of Mental Health Coordinators: Explore industry standards and training at mentalhealthcoordinators.org​Screen Trust (Formerly known as Documentary Participants Empowerment Alliance / DPEA): Learn about participant advocacy led by Margie Ratliff at dpealliance.org​Jessie Buttafuoco: Learn more about Jessie’s work and resources at jessiebuttafuoco.comShow Credits: True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale is a La Activista Production, hosted and executive produced by Celene Beth Olsen, with music by Mickey O’Brien.

    Michelle's Personal Tale

  4. Sep 9

    Sarah Rachael's Personal Tale

    In our Season III premiere, we are deeply honored to welcome independent filmmaker, producer, and advocate Sarah Rachael Wainio. Before becoming a powerhouse documentary and television producer, Sarah first entered non-fiction media as a story participant following the loss of her sister, Honor Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wainio, aboard hijacked United Flight 93 over Shanksville, Pennsylvania. That profound firsthand experience transformed her approach to story, driving a lifelong commitment to ethics, trauma-informed practices, and participant care in non-fiction storytelling. As the founder of Fearless Productions, Sarah has produced over 15 seasons of television for networks like Discovery Channel, Netflix, MTV, WEtv, TLC, The Food Network, and Magnolia Network. Her credits include field producing civic engagement short films for ATTN: featuring President Barack Obama, and field producing Season 2 of THE LOST KITCHEN (HBO Max), which earned Realscreen’s 2023 Best Lifestyle Docureality Food Show. Her extensive documentary filmography includes contributions to landmark films such as THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON (Netflix), 32 PILLS: MY SISTER’S SUICIDE (HBO Max), One October (PBS), and BUSY INSIDE (PBS). Recognized in 2023 as one of DOC NYC's Documentary New Leaders, Sarah continues to reshape the field as co-chair of the Documentary Producers Alliance Ethics Committee and as a core member of the "Ethics Squad." Currently producing the feature documentary METAMORPHOSIS (about the Paul Taylor Dance Company), Sarah is also making her directorial debut with I CARRY YOU WITH ME, a deeply personal short film honoring her sister Lizzie's memory. Episode Links & Resources Support Sarah's Directorial Debut: Learn more and support the fundraising campaign for I CARRY YOU WITH ME. Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) Ethics Resource Library: Explore the DPA Ethics Resource Library Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG): Learn more about the Documentary Accountability Working Group Peace is Loud: Visit Peace is Loud to explore their work centering care, accountability, and film impact Show Credits True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale is a La Activista Production, hosted and executive produced by Celene Beth Olsen, with music by Mickey O’Brien.

    Sarah Rachael's Personal Tale

  5. 11/26/2025 ·  Bonus

    Sherri's Personal Tale

    Content Note: This episode discusses sexual assault, drug-facilitated harm, and domestic violence. Some parts may feel out of sequence due to required legal updates and safety edits.  In this special bonus episode, Celene Beth sits down with Sherri Papini for a grounded, compassionate conversation that moves beyond sensational coverage to focus on the human reality of surviving trauma under national scrutiny. Sherri reflects on her experiences in her own words, sharing how vulnerability, fear, and years of emotional pressure shaped her life long before the events that thrust her into the public eye. Together, Celene Beth and Sherri examine what it means to have personal trauma dissected across traditional and social media, and why consent, agency, and trauma-informed ethics are essential when discussing high-profile cases. Sherri speaks candidly about the psychological dynamics she faced, her reflections on danger and coercion, and the impact of being publicly misunderstood. Today, Sherri channels her healing into purposeful work supporting incarcerated women and guiding them through both entry into the prison system and the challenges of reentry. Her approach focuses on empowerment, practical education, and giving women tools she wishes she had earlier in her own journey. This episode offers a clear, humanized portrait of a woman reclaiming her story, and using her resilience to help others rewrite theirs. Connect with Sherri: Instagram: @sherripapiniofficial Book: ⁠https://www.sherripapinibook.com/⁠ Resources If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, kidnapping, domestic violence, or coercive control, the following organizations provide confidential support: United States ​RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)24/7 Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) Online chat support available.​ National Domestic Violence Hotline24/7 Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Text “START” to 88788 Confidential help for domestic violence, emotional abuse, and coercive control.​National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)24/7 Hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678) Support for families of missing persons and kidnapping victims.​ International ◦RAINN Global Resources ListA directory of international support organizations for sexual assault survivors.Website: ⁠https://www.rainn.org/international-resource⁠ ◦UN Women – Ending Violence Against Women ProgramProvides links to crisis centers and domestic violence support resources worldwide.Website: ⁠https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women ⁠

    Sherri's Personal Tale

  6. 11/12/2025 ·  Bonus

    Marina's Personal Tale

    Content Note: This episode includes discussions of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, drug addiction, child abuse, and human trafficking. Please take care of yourself and step away if you need to. Your well-being matters. Thank you for being here and for supporting this safe space. In this powerful and inspiring bonus episode, Celene Beth shares space with Marina Lacerda, a survivor, mother, and advocate who has transformed her experiences into a movement of strength, truth, and empowerment. Marina’s journey is one of reclaiming her voice, standing in her power, and showing what it means to rise after being silenced. Marina spent her early childhood in Brazil before moving to the United States at eight years old. Her path included experiences of exploitation that eventually brought her into the Jeffrey Epstein case as Minor Victim 1. Today, she uses her story as a catalyst for change, leading with compassion, honesty, and a deep commitment to helping others find healing and hope. Through her conversation with Celene Beth, Marina reflects on what it means to rebuild from within. She shares how motherhood, her love for animals, and the solidarity of other survivors, including Virginia Giuffre, have strengthened her purpose and renewed her belief in the power of community. A defining moment in Marina’s advocacy came on September 3, 2025, when she stood proudly on the steps of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., alongside her fellow survivors. In that moment, they embodied resilience and unity, raised their voices in a collective demand for justice, and affirmed the undeniable truth that every survivor’s voice matters. This episode honors the courage it takes to rise beyond silence and reclaim your story. Marina reminds us that healing is not only possible but powerful, and that by standing together, survivors can create change that echoes far beyond their own stories. Marina's Instagram: @marinalacerdaforsurvivors The podcast remains on hiatus until 2026. Please join Celene Beth for a special bonus episode on November 26th, featuring a meaningful conversation with Sherri Papini. Resources for Survivors If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault (as an adult or minor), child exploitation, trafficking, or challenges connected to substance use, the organizations below offer confidential, trauma-informed support: United States RAINN – Sexual Assault Support24/7 Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)Compassionate, confidential support for anyone impacted by sexual assault.Website: https://www.rainn.org National Human Trafficking Hotline24/7 Hotline: 1-888-373-7888Text: “BeFree” to 233733Support for individuals experiencing or recovering from trafficking or exploitation.Website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org NCMEC – National Center for Missing & Exploited Children24/7 Hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)Assistance for concerns involving child exploitation and online harm.Website: https://www.missingkids.org SAMHSA – Substance Use & Mental Health24/7 Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)Confidential guidance and treatment referrals for drug and alcohol use, as well as co-occurring mental health needs.Website: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline International RAINN Global Resources DirectoryListings for international sexual assault crisis centers and support lines.Website: https://www.rainn.org/international-resources ECPAT InternationalGlobal network dedicated to ending child exploitation and trafficking.Website: https://www.ecpat.org International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC)Worldwide resources focused on child protection and exploitation prevention.Website: https://www.icmec.org Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) InternationalGlobal recovery meetings and peer support for individuals navigating alcohol use challenges.Website: https://www.aa.org

    Marina's Personal Tale

  7. 05/28/2025

    Nicole's Personal Tale

    In this powerful season finale of True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale, Celene Beth sits down with director, producer, and award-winning journalist Nicole Noren for the very first time to talk about LISTEN, the ESPN documentary that told the story of Lauren McCluskey’s life, advocacy, and tragic case. Together, they reflect on their intersecting journeys involving Lauren’s story, the personal and emotional responsibility that comes with telling true crime narratives, and the importance of honoring the beautiful soul Lauren was. Nicole, who spent years at ESPN producing more than 50 investigative reports and short documentaries, has earned six Emmy Awards, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, and a Peabody for her work covering education, health, and social issues. She recently left ESPN to pursue independent filmmaking, focusing on socially conscious projects that amplify underrepresented stories and create real-world impact. In this episode, Celene and Nicole discuss what it has meant to collaborate closely with the McCluskey family and the Lauren McCluskey Foundation. Nicole shares her experience creating a documentary that not only holds systems accountable but honors Lauren’s life, voice, and legacy in every frame. They talk about how true crime films can be made ethically and factually, while being mindful of the lived realities behind the headlines, and why Lauren’s story continues to move and inspire so many. This conversation is a reminder that what we consume on our screens often comes from someone else’s lived trauma and heartbreak. It challenges storytellers and audiences alike to hold space for that truth and to remember the people behind the stories. ​Watch LISTEN on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYGkIL70TD4​U of U continues to make changes 6 years after murder of student Lauren McCluskey by Olivia Kelleher, KUTV: https://youtu.be/l5keP_VMyKE?si=k0wA-3EGDFg4HoUh​MacKenzie Lueck: A kind and devoted friend: https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/mackenzie-lueck-a-kind-and-devoted-friend/​The Lauren McCluskey Foundation: https://laurenmccluskey.org/​Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara : https://www.instagram.com/girlsincsb?igsh=aWp1eHdwenFyYTJ0

    Nicole's Personal Tale

  8. 05/21/2025

    Quincy's Personal Tale

    Content Note: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault and other themes of violence against women. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know needs support, resources are listed below in the episode summary. Quincy Durkin is a queer aspiring filmmaker who found her voice on social media after a life-altering experience at her first full-time job. What began as an exciting opportunity working with basketball influencer "The Professor" quickly turned into something much darker and traumatic. In the years since, Quincy has courageously spoken out about her experiences and the harm she endured within Fearless Church, a group closely tied to that chapter of her life. Through her advocacy, she has built a platform dedicated to supporting survivors and raising awareness about cult dynamics, coercive control, and the ways these systems manifest in both religious and digital spaces. Her work is grounded in resilience, advocacy, and a commitment to creating safer, trauma-informed communities. When she’s not advocating, Quincy finds joy in music, travel, and quiet moments with her pups. A devoted fan of her favorite band, MUNA, she embraces the small, grounding rituals that bring comfort and peace amid the ongoing work of healing! Resources For Sexual Assault Survivors: ​RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) — 24/7 confidential support: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or www.rainn.org​National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) — www.nsvrc.org​MTMV Community Support Network: https://www.instagram.com/mtmvcommunity?igsh=MWcyaXNjemd5MXFzNw== For Trans and Queer Survivors: ​FORGE — Support and resources for trans and nonbinary survivors of violence: www.forge-forward.org​The Trevor Project — Crisis intervention and support for LGBTQIA youth: 1-866-488-7386 or www.thetrevorproject.org​LGBT National Help Center — Peer support hotlines and resources: www.glbthotline.org LGBTQIA+ Community Support: ​Trans Lifeline — Peer support for trans people, by trans people: 1-877-565-8860 or www.translifeline.org​PFLAG — Support for LGBTQIA+ people, families, and allies: www.pflag.org

    Quincy's Personal Tale
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4.1
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About

What happens when the line between a survivor’s reality and the entertainment industry’s narrative begins to blur? Join Latine filmmaker and true crime expert Celene Beth Olsen for a grounded exploration of the intersection between media and human trauma. As a survivor herself, Celene Beth brings a necessary, nuanced lens to the ethics of the industry and the mechanics of how these stories are produced. The podcast serves as a bridge, bringing together the industry insiders behind the camera and the participants in front of it for candid, thoughtful dialogue. By exploring these two worlds together, the show highlights the responsibility of storytelling and the human experience at the heart of every case. Special guests include Julie Murray, Terra Newell, Sarah Cailean, Rise Above Justice founder Zachary Mallory, Callahan Walsh, and more. Two seasons of the podcast are available now!

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