LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Apple TV+’s upcoming series, ‘The Crowded Room’ starring Tom Holland is the talk of the town. Holland has taken a completely new role this time, so if you are expecting the Peter Parker energy from his journey in the MCU, ‘The Crowded Room’ might not be your cup of tea. Of late, one of the most popular genres on television is true crime, especially dramatized shows based on real events, and ‘The Crowded Room’ is joining the true crime club.

‘The Crowded Room’ is based on a book ‘The Minds Of Billy Milligan’ written by Daniel Keyes, which is in turn based on real events. If you have read the source material or are aware of who Billy Milligan was, chances are, the intensity of ‘The Crowded Room’ is pre-established in your mind, and you wouldn’t be wrong. History has seen ruthless criminals, and Milligan has definitely secured himself a spot somewhere on the top.

Who was Billy Milligan?

William Stanley Milligan aka, Billy Milligan was most popularly known as ‘The Campus Rapist.’ While Milligan’s crimes might seem similar to a lot of infamous killers like Ted Bundy, the case of Milligan is a lot more unique than one might think. Milligan’s story dates back to 1977 when he was only 22 years old age. This young man was arrested for robbery, rape, and kidnapping of women around the Ohio State University Campus. While these charges weren’t uncommon in the 70s, Milligan’s case sets him apart from the rest.

Milligan was found not guilty after being arrested for these crimes and being charged with them, and here’s why. A psychiatric evaluation revealed that Milligan had a personality disorder called dissociative identity disorder. This man had not two, not ten, but twenty-four alternative personalities. In the evaluation, it was revealed that it was the different personalities that committed the different crimes. Milligan had a rough and traumatic childhood, which eventually led to these split personalities, most likely as a coping mechanism.

Billy Milligan's multiple personalities

Milligan’s case was an important one not only because of its uniqueness but because he was the first ever person in the United States who was found not guilty on the grounds of pleading insanity because of this particular disorder. While many have pled insanity, Milligan was the first to do so with this particular disorder. Of course, after the case, his life was never the same. Books have been written about him, Netflix has a docuseries titled, ‘Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan’ and now, Apple TV brings the viewers ‘The Crowded Room’ where Tom Holland plays the character Danny Sullivan, based on Milligan.

You can stream ‘The Crowded Room’ on Apple TV+ from June 9, 2023