EXCLUSIVE: Lifetime has revealed its 2021 summer slate, consisting of a lineup of six original titles and four acquired inspired by true stories. Following the Summer of Secrets theme, the original Lifetime films will take on true stories of secrecy and deception, and premiere every Saturday and Sunday night from May 31 to June 27.
Lifetime will kick off Summer of Secrets on Memorial Day with double feature of acquired films A Party Gone Wrong and The Secrets She Keeps. A Party Gone Wrong stars Shellie Sterling as a woman who finds herself in the middle of a dark money-making scheme. Emily Miceli and Zoe Cramford stars in The Secrets She Keeps as a mother-daughter duo.
The additional acquired titles are Reel One Entertainment’s Cradle Did Fall and Picture Perfect Lies.
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Gone Mom, starring Annabeth Gish and Warren Christie, will be the first Lifetime original film of the Summer of Secrets slate. The following day will see Jana Kramer take center stage in Soccer Mom Madam.
The following week Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story and Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer make their Lifetime debuts. Secrets of a Marine’s Wife and Doomsday Mom follow the next week.
“Off the success of our Ripped from the Headlines slates, we are doubling down on what women love on Lifetime for our first annual Summer of Secrets slate.” said Amy Winter, EVP and Head of Programming, Lifetime and LMN. “These stories captured our collective attention and are the perfect kick off to summer with the stranger than fiction moments and revealing secrets that had everyone talking.”
Below are the full descriptions and premiere dates for titles in Lifetime’s full Summer of Secrets slate:
Saturday, May 31
A Party Gone Wrong – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Inspired by a true story, A Party Gone Wrong follows April (Shellie Sterling) as she finds herself fighting for her life after attending a party with her best friend, Brittney (Kate Edmonds). After drinking too much, April stumbles into a suspicious ride share to take her home but quickly realizes the driver has other plans in mind: stealing her organs to sell them on the black market. A Party Gone Wrong is produced by MarVista Entertainment.
The Secrets She Keeps – 10 p.m. ET/PT
Despite her mother Diane’s (Zoe Cramond) disapproval, 16-year-old Amara (Emily Miceli) gets on a dating app with hopes to find a boyfriend. When she matches with Shane (Keller Fornes), everything is initially fantastic, but soon, Diane and Amara are being stalked and harassed. At first, they’re unsure who it could be, but when Diane digs a little deeper into Shane’s past, she discovers that he’s every mother’s nightmare – and she’ll have to use all her cunning and courage to save her daughter! The Secrets She Keeps is distributed by Reel One Entertainment.
Saturday, June 5
Gone Mom – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Based on a true story, Gone Mom details the story of Jennifer Dulos (Annabeth Gish), the wealthy, Connecticut mother-of-five who mysteriously vanished on May 24, 2019. Jennifer believed she had found her Prince Charming in Fotis Dulos (Warren Christie), but by the time of her disappearance, their marriage had all but disintegrated and the estranged couple was engaged in a contentious custody dispute. After she disappeared without a trace, after dropping off their children at school, police turned the spotlight on Fotis, who claimed Jennifer staged her own disappearance ala the film, Gone Girl. Despite his assertions, investigators charged Fotis with murder in January 2020 but just weeks later, Fotis committed suicide, still claiming his innocence. To this date, the body of Jennifer has not been found.
Produced by Lighthouse Pictures for Lifetime, Gone Mom is executive produced by Dan Abrams, Ilene Kahn Power and Rachel Stockman. Gail Harvey directs from a script written by Gregory Small and Richard Blaney.
Sunday, June 6
Soccer Mom Madam – 8 p.m. ET/PT
After a bitter breakup leaves her and her young children without any support, Anna (Jana Kramer) goes to work for her cousin at a massage parlour known for “happy endings.” As soon as she learns the ropes, Anna branches out on her own, establishing a high end New York escort service that matches beautiful young women with the wealthiest and most powerful men in the city. For years, she operates undetected, making millions while keeping the secret of her success hidden from her children and the other moms in her Westchester suburb. But when the FBI begins to investigate her, hoping to catch a big fish among her elite clientele, Anna’s days as a madam are numbered when her double life is revealed with devastating consequences.
Produced by Front Street Productions for Lifetime, Soccer Mom Madam is inspired by true events. Orly Adelson and Jon Eskenas executive produce, Kevin Fair directs from a script by Barbara Marshall.
Saturday, June 12
Left For Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story – 8 p.m. ET/PT
In 2006, 17-year-old Ashley Reeves (Anwen O’Driscoll) is left for dead in the woods following a brutal attack. After spending 30 horrific hours in the cold, gravely wounded, lying in the dirt, and paralyzed, the police find her alive. Her injuries are so severe that she must re-learn how to walk and talk. With no memory of what happened, she begins a long and painful recovery while searching her shattered memory to unlock the mystery of who did this to her. Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story is based on the extraordinary true story of an ordinary teenage girl who had to fight for her life three times; first in the woods, then in the hospital, and finally in court. Jennie Garth stars as Ashley’s mother, Michelle Reeves.
Left for Dead: The Ashley Reeves Story is produced by Cineflix (Left For Dead) Inc. Jeff Vanderwal is among the executive producers. Gloria Ui Young Kim directs from a script written by Christina Welsh.
Saturday, June 13
Secrets Of A Gold Digger Killer – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Based on a true story, multimillionaire Steven Beard (Eli Gabay), a retired broadcasting executive, who fell hard for Celeste (Julie Benz), an attractive waitress who served him his nightly cocktail at the local country club in Austin, Texas. In 1995, the 70-year-old widow married the mother of teenage daughters and gave Celeste homes, cars, and more jewelry and designer clothes than she could ever wear. But it wasn’t enough for Celeste. After being admitted into a mental health facility for depression, Celeste met and seduced fellow patient Tracey Tarlton (Justine Warrington), convincing her that the only way they could be together would be to murder Steven. Knowing that she stood to inherit millions of dollars upon his death, the depth of Celeste’s lies, and betrayal knew no bounds until the truth was finally revealed by Tracey.
Produced by Fortune Hunter Films and based on The Fortune Hunter by Suzy Spencer, Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer is directed by Robin Hays and executive produced by Barbara Lieberman and Howard Braunstein.
Saturday, June 19
Secrets Of A Marine’s Wife – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Secrets of a Marine’s Wife is based on the true story of 19-year-old Erin Corwin (Sadie Calvano), who was married to U.S. Marine Corporal Jon Corwin (Evan Roderick) and expecting her first child, when she suddenly went missing. Erin’s disappearance sparked a grueling search led by family, friends and local law enforcement in the extreme conditions of the Joshua Tree National Park until her body was found two months later at the bottom of an abandoned mineshaft. Suspicions mounted quickly in the tight knit Marine community, and residents began to wonder if the killer was one of their own. In their investigation, detectives uncover a friendship turned illicit relationship between Erin and her neighbor, Marine Christopher Lee (Andre Anthony), which consumed them both and called into question the paternity of Erin’s baby. Was this a motive for murder? Who was responsible? Investigators work to discover answers to these questions and to unmask who killed Erin Corwin.
Secrets of a Marine’s Wife is produced by Front Street Pictures for Lifetime, with Sony Pictures Television distributing. Judith Verno/Peace Out Productions and Sharlene Martin/Martin Literary & Media Management serve as executive producers. Manu Boyer directs from a script written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small.
Sunday, June 20
Cradle Did Fall – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Inspired by a shocking, true story ripped from the headlines, a woman poses as an infant photographer in order to befriend a young mother and steal her baby! Cradle Did Fall stars Kristen Robek and Ali Liebert. The film is distributed by Reel One Entertainment.
Saturday, June 26
Doomsday Mom – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Doomsday Mom is based on the true story of Lori Vallow (Lauren Lee Smith), who gained national attention when her children, JJ and Tylee, were reported missing from their Idaho home in the Fall of 2019. As investigators learned of Lori and her husband Chad Daybell’s (Marc Blucas) involvement in a doomsday-prepper group, a trail of mystery was revealed spanning five states and numerous questionable deaths, before the bodies of JJ and Tylee were found in the backyard of Chad’s home in June 2020. Linda Purl and Patrick Duffy also star.
Doomsday Mom is produced by Lighthouse Pictures for Lifetime, with Sony Pictures Television distributing. Karen Glass and Tom Mazza of Everywhere Studios and Judith Verno of Peace Out Productions serve as executive producers. Stephen Tolkin wrote the script and Bradley Walsh will direct.
Sunday, June 27
Picture Perfect Lies – 8 p.m. ET/PT
Rachel Collins (Megan Elizabeth Barker) is thriving and about to celebrate her sweet sixteenth birthday. But when a shocking murder at her party unravels a dark web of lies in her family, Rachel questions everything she’s ever known. She’s determined to find out the truth, even if the answers could be deadly. Picture Perfect Lies also stars Laurie Fortier and Matthew Pohlkamp. The film is distributed by Reel One Entertainment.
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