In the 2016 film Patriots Day, the character who interrogates Katherine Russell, the wife of bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, is an unnamed female federal agent. This character, credited only as "Interrogator," is portrayed by actress Khandi Alexander.
The "Interrogator" is not a depiction of a single, real-life individual but rather a composite character. This cinematic technique is used to represent the multiple FBI agents and law enforcement officials who questioned the actual Katherine Russell following the Boston Marathon bombing. Creating a composite character allows the narrative to distill a complex, lengthy, and multi-faceted series of interviews into a focused and dramatically compelling confrontation for the purpose of the film.
The portrayal of this character highlights the methodical and psychological aspects of the investigation. Her role in the film serves to dramatize the crucial intelligence-gathering process and the authorities' efforts to determine the extent of the wife's knowledge of, or complicity in, the plot. The scenes are pivotal in exploring the human and investigative elements that occurred away from the public manhunt.
