The True Story of ‘The Crowded Room’ is even more terrifying than the show. The series on Apple TV+ explored Danny Sullivan’s involvement in a shooting incident in New York City in 1979. The psychological thriller is told through a series of interviews with interrogator Rya Goodwin. Through that, Danny’s life gradually unfolds over the span of 10 episodes of this limited series. It reveals crucial elements from his mysterious past that shaped his personality. Eventually, he faced the truth about his life.
Despite being panned by numerous critics, The Crowded Room was well-received by Spider-Man fame Tom Holland’s fans. After taking a deep dive into Danny Sullivan’s complicated mind, the limited series is finally coming to an end. Since the final episode is now available for streaming, the viewers might be wondering – is The Crowded Room based on a true story? Here’s the answer. However, please note that there will obviously be spoilers ahead.
The True Story Behind The Crowded Room on Apple TV+
The harrowing true story of Billy Milligan inspires Apple TV+’s The Crowded Room. He was the subject of a 1981 non-fiction book – The Minds of Billy Milligan, by Daniel Keyes. It consists of interview research with Milligan and the medical treatment that he went through after his court verdict. There is also a 2021 docu-series about him called ‘Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan, available on Netflix.
Danny Sullivan vs. Billy Milligan
Episode 6 of The Crowded Room, titled ‘Rya,’ finally revealed Danny’s condition. He had a Dissociative identity disorder (DID), which was referred to as Multiple personality disorder (MPD) at the time the narrative was set in. Thanks to Rya’s unconditional support for his well-being, Danny gets a verdict of ‘not guilty’ by reason of insanity. Billy Milligan’s fate was not much different. At the age of 22, Billy Milligan was charged with robbery, kidnapping, and rape of three women in Ohio. During his investigations, it started becoming apparent that his other personalities committed the crimes.
Other Personalities
Like Danny Sullivan’s personalities, Adriana, Jack, or Yitzak, Billy had about 10 known personalities. After being acquitted of a crime due to DID, he was committed to Ohio’s Athens Mental Health Centre. Dr. Caul, who worked at this facility, later discovered 14 more personalities present in Billy’s mind. Before the production of the Apple TV+ series, there were rumors of Billy’s life being brought to celluloid with A-list actors like Leonardo Dicaprio to John Cusack being considered potential performers.
