MOVIE NEWS – Everyone remembers M. Night Shyamalan’s controversial supernatural thriller from 2016, Split. Praised by horror fans for its gripping plot, layered themes, and James McAvoy’s remarkable performance—seamlessly portraying 24 different personalities within Kevin Wendell Crumb—the film also drew criticism. Shyamalan’s portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was seen by some as harmful, particularly the creation of a monstrous alter ego known as The Beast, which sparked concerns about reinforcing negative stereotypes regarding mental illness.

The director has openly admitted that Split was largely inspired by the real case of Billy Milligan, the first individual to successfully plead insanity due to DID in court. Drawing a comparison between Milligan and Kevin, Shyamalan’s controversial creative decisions become clearer. The film kicks off with Kevin abducting three teenage girls from a parking lot, plunging viewers into his chaotic struggle with uncontrollable personalities, culminating in a genre-defying finale.

Given the persistent stigma around mental health issues, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction in stories like this. Here’s a breakdown of the real events surrounding Milligan’s crimes and trial that inspired Split, and how much of the movie sticks to the truth.

Although Kevin is a fictional creation, his existence was heavily influenced by Billy Milligan’s unprecedented legal defense. Milligan was arrested in 1977 for a series of robberies, kidnappings, and rapes involving three women. During psychiatric evaluations, he claimed to suffer from DID, alleging that one of his 24 alters was responsible. His diagnosis was confirmed by nine different mental health experts, including the infamous Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, who also featured in the controversial nonfiction work *Sybil*, centered on a case later admitted to be fabricated.

By 1978, Milligan had been found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to a psychiatric institution. His case rested on extensive evidence, including witness testimonies of his personality shifts, a documented history of childhood trauma and alleged sexual abuse by his stepfather, and previous psychiatric treatments for dissociative symptoms. After spending eight years in psychiatric care—and briefly escaping custody—Milligan was eventually deemed rehabilitated and released in 1988.

Milligan passed away in 2014 due to cancer, but his story continues to capture the public’s imagination through countless documentaries, books, films, and television adaptations over the past five decades.

How Faithful Is Split to the True Story?

While Shyamalan borrowed certain elements from Milligan’s life for Kevin’s character, he also took considerable creative liberties. Kevin’s kidnapping of three teenage girls mirrors Milligan’s real crimes, but unlike Milligan, Kevin does not sexually assault his captives in the film. Moreover, while Milligan never killed anyone, Kevin murders two of his victims, leaving only Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) alive by the film’s conclusion.

The movie further explores trauma through Casey’s backstory of sexual abuse by her uncle, drawing a parallel to Kevin’s childhood. Flashbacks reveal that Kevin endured severe physical abuse at the hands of his mother, contributing to the emergence of DID and the formation of The Beast. However, while Milligan’s trauma played a significant role in his diagnosis, it did not result in the creation of a superhuman alter. Though both Milligan and Kevin are said to have 24 personalities, Kevin’s monstrous transformation adds a fantastical element absent from Milligan’s real-life story.

Shyamalan’s Longstanding Fascination With DID

Shyamalan’s interest in DID dates back to the ’90s when he read Daniel Keyes’ acclaimed biography *The Minds of Billy Milligan*. Although James Cameron initially intended to adapt the story, the project stalled, prompting Shyamalan to vow that he would tackle the subject himself. He drafted his first version of the script in 2001, and after fifteen years of research, refinement, and casting, Split finally materialized as his passion project.

Despite the film’s controversial final act, Split’s nuanced exploration of Kevin’s multiple personalities and James McAvoy’s dedicated performance lent a degree of credibility to the depiction of DID. Given that many people still doubt the existence of mental health conditions, Split’s portrayal—however imperfect—offered rare visibility. Shyamalan’s creative departures from Milligan’s actual story may have muddied the waters, but his attempt to frame DID within a larger narrative of human resilience and psychological complexity was undeniably ambitious.

Source: MovieWeb