Shubhabrata Dutta
Lifetime’s thriller drama ‘Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer’ tells the horrific true story of Chris Watts, who killed his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and two little daughters in cold blood on August 13, 2018, in Frederick, Colorado. Helmed by Michael Nankin, the film offers a dramatic retelling of what made Chris take the steps and later feign his family’s disappearance and pray for their safe return. The authorities find his calm behavior and charming lifestyle doubtful and call him in for a lie detector test. He fails at it and consequently reveals the details of his crime and a secret affair with his coworker. To maintain believability, which is a requisite for a true crime drama, the visuals of ‘Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer’ show real settings and backdrops, successfully establishing the mood, evoking emotions, and conveying information.
Where was Chris Watts Confessions of a Killer Filmed?
While the crime was committed in Colorado, the filming of ‘Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer’ took place in Nova Scotia, specifically in Halifax and Dartmouth. Principal photography took place in August 2019, and the cast and crew had a great time filming in the scenic locations. While Colorado and Nova Scotia are worlds apart, the hard work the entire team put in resulted in a gripping drama with compelling dynamic backdrops.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
The crew resorted to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, to film a majority of the scenes. The city is known for its urban buildings as well as the historic districts and period architecture. The diverse landscape enables Halifax to double for other cities, which is one of the reasons why the crew decided to utilize its neighborhoods. The city is growing as a film and TV production industry and is home to several production studios that offer cutting-edge resources and equipment. There are also options for renting houses for filming, making for a more streamlined production, especially when the crew clearly knows what the script demands. Halifax is reputed for its stunning views of the harbor, like Cole Harbour, St. Margaret’s Bay, Musquodoboit Harbour, and Halifax Harbour. Other iconic places you can visit are the Macdonald Bridge, Peggy’s Cove, the Halifax Town Clock, Taylor Head Beach, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Additional indoor and outdoor scenes were filmed in Dartmouth, a community on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour. Nicknamed the City of Lakes, it boasts over 23 lakes, including Lake Banook, Morris Lake, Williams Lake, Chocolate Lake, and Lewis Lake. Some beach scenes were reportedly filmed in Dartmouth, too. If you are planning a trip, popular landmarks and spots you can visit are Shubenacadie Canal Waterway, Peggy’s Cove, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Alderney Landing, and Leighton Dillman Park. Some other shows filmed in Dartmouth are ‘We Were Liars,’ ‘We Were Liars,’ and ‘Sullivan’s Crossing.’
Chris Watts Confessions of a Killer Cast Details
The cast of ‘Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer’ is led by Sean Kleier and Ashley Williams. Sean studied theater as a kid and did improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade after moving to New York after college. He and his brother Ryan co-founded the media strategy company Motiv Creative, creating content for political advocacy groups that work on grassroots corruption and electoral reform. Ashley is a certified birth companion and has assisted more than 50 women in giving birth. She is also an advocate for the representation of women in film and TV direction.
Sean Kleier as Chris Watts
Sean Kleir plays the role of Chris Watts, the main character in the film. You will recognize him as Agent Stoltz in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp,’ Lex Von Weber in ‘Odd Mom Out,’ and Bryce in ‘Mr. Right.’ His other TV movie roles are Paul Whack in ‘Plant’ and Kyle in ‘So Close.’ As far as notable performances are concerned, he plays Trip Lang in ‘Up Here,’ Greg in ‘9-1-1,’ and Nick in ‘Wedding Season.’ Some other projects he has been a part of are ‘The Elephant in the Room,’ ‘The Intern,’ ‘Happyish,’ ‘Madam Secretary,’ and ‘The Affair.’
Ashley Williams as Shanann Watts
Ashley Williams dons the skin of Shanann Watts, Chris’s wife. Primarily known for her performances as Victoria in ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and Jeannie Gaffigan in ‘The Jim Gaffigan Show,’ her other Lifetime movies include ‘Sister Wife Murder,’ where she plays Anna, and ‘Montana Sky,’ where you can spot her as Willa Mercy. She has many Hallmark movies to her credit, like the ‘To Barcelona’ collection, ‘Two Tickets to Paradise,’ ‘Small Town Setup,’ ‘Notes of Autumn,’ and ‘Jingle Bell Run.’ Her other notable feature film projects are ‘A Most Violent Year,’ ‘Aardvark,’ ‘Six LA Love Stories,’ and ‘Lovesick.’
Chloe Van Landschoot as Nicole Kessinger
Chloe Van Landschoot plays Nicole Kessinger, Chris Watts’ mistress, in the film. She is known for her performances in ‘Carrie’ and ‘Jackie Boy.’ Born in Ontario, Canada, she is of Belgian descent.
Joining Sean Kleier, Ashley Williams, and Chloe Van Landschoot are a talented group of actors who form the supporting cast. They include Brooke Smith as Tammy Lee, April Telek as Amber, Dan Willmott as Eddy Watts, Dahlia Oldham as Bella Watts, and Ellie McPhee as Ceecee Watts. The additional cast has Nola Augustson as Sandy, Taylor Olson as James, Sean Skerry as Officer Coonrad, Allison Basha as Angela, Joshua Young as Phil, Samuel Davison as Amber’s Son, Kristopher Anderson as the waiter, Junior Moaku and Reid Price as police officers, and Don Bottomley as the Line cook.
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