WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: Mark Laita made a documentary on the Whittaker family in Odd, West Virginia, known as ‘America’s most inbred family’
The documentary filmmaker who cast light on what has been dubbed “America’s most inbred family” has shared insights from his initial encounter with them.
Mark Laita, the man behind the lens, first visited the Whittakers in Odd, West Virginia, five years ago and has since returned to document their lives, sharing updates on YouTube.
The Whittaker family’s history of inbreeding began with the offspring of identical twins Henry and John intermarrying, leading to generations of inbreeding and consequent severe disabilities among many descendants.
Laita recounted the challenge of gaining access to the family, as locals were fiercely protective, however, he managed to accompany a police officer to their residence.
On the Koncrete Klips podcast, the filmmaker described his approach: “We came around to this road, which turns into a country road, which turns into a dirt road.”, reports the Mirror US.
He explained: “Then we come to this trailer and then a little shack on the other side of the road. And there’s these people walking around and their eyes are going in different directions and they are barking at us.”
Laita likened his inaugural visit with the Whittakers to a scene straight out of the suspenseful film ‘Deliverance’.
He said: “One bloke, you’d catch his eye or utter a word and he’d just shriek and bolt, his trousers tumbling down to his ankles as he’d leg it and boot a dustbin. This happened repeatedly – it was mental, the maddest thing I’ve ever witnessed.”
Initially, the family were reluctant to speak with Laita, but he gradually earned their trust after offering to snap photos for a dead relative’s coffin.
He returned later to shoot Inbred Family – The Whittakers in 2020.
He admitted it was “tough to get through to them” but has since produced clips for his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly, chronicling their existence.
The footage bears titles such as “Christmas season with the Whittakers”, “The Whittaker family cemetery”, and “The Whittakers go to the state fair”.
Laita revealed over time, he’s faced divided reactions from viewers regarding his content.
He noted some brand him an “exploitative b******” whilst others consider the footage “incredible”.
He acknowledged his work was exploitative, though argued it was inescapable in life, saying: “It feels exploitative but I think it’s good for us all to know that these things exist. The hotel I’m staying at, they’re exploiting my need for sleep. The restaurant I ate breakfast at is exploiting my hunger. Everything is exploitative. Photography and video are especially by nature exploitative.”