How is Charlize Theron involved in Netflix's Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter?

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is a two-part documentary that premiered on Netflix on September 12, 2024. The documentary tells the real-life story of how a mother named Cathy Terkanian came to know of the tragic fate of the daughter she had given up for adoption decades ago.

The synopsis of Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter reads:

“In this two-part documentary, a tenacious mother unravels the complex mystery surrounding the 1989 disappearance of the daughter she placed for adoption.”

The documentary was directed and produced by Ryan White, known for productions like Pamela, a love story, and The Keepers. Incidentally, Charlize Theron, the Hollywood actress known for her roles in films such as Prometheus (2012), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), among others, is also involved in the Netflix documentary.

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Charlize Theron is one of the producers of Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

The documentary has been produced by Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Matt Maher, and Charlize Theron. As per an article published by Tudum on September 13, 2024, it was Theron who got the project rolling by reaching out to White’s team with the thesis of the documentary.

White told Tudum:

“I remember in that conversation how incredibly passionate Charlize was. She didn’t feel like a superstar when you were talking to her — she felt like an adoptive mother who felt passionately that this was the worst case scenario of what could happen with adoption.”

In an interview given to People magazine on September 13, 2024, Theron detailed how she came across Cathy Terkanian’s story. The actress explained that she had found Nile Cappello’s “fantastic article” in The Atavist during her “nightly scrolling”, and that she was “blown away” by the story.

Theron stated that she was “obsessed with docs”, and that Terkanian’s story presented several themes that “felt fresh and much needed”. In the interview, she explained how her production team got in touch with White and together they made Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter possible.

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Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter tells a chilling tale

The documentary revolves around the story of Cathy Terkanian. Terkanian, at 17, put her baby, Alexis, up for adoption in 1974. In 2010, however, she was informed by officials that the child, who was named Aundria Bowman by her adoptive parents, had been missing since 1989, when she was 14.

Learning of this, Terkanian set out in search of answers. Her quest for the truth ended around ten years later. In 2019, Denis Bowman, Aundria’s adoptive father, was arrested in connection with the murder of 25-year-old Kathleen Doyle in Norfolk, Virginia, which occurred on September 11, 1980.

While in prison, Bowman confessed to killing his adoptive daughter. As the documentary shows, several disturbing details emerged following his confession. For instance, it was proven that Bowman s*xually molested a teenage Aundria.

When Aundria went missing, the Bowman couple alleged that she had simply run away, adding that she had also taken some of their money with her. On May 15, 2020, Denis Bowman was found guilty by the court. Two life sentences were meted out to him, effectively meaning that he will never be out of prison.

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Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is currently streaming on Netflix.