Naman Shrestha
The Tyson Caron directorial, Lifetime’s ‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor,’ follows a married couple — Lauren and Tom — who lead a content life in a quiet and peaceful suburban neighborhood. However, their idyllic life turns into a nightmare when Tom is abducted by kidnappers, leaving Lauren in a difficult spot. As she tries to find out her husband’s whereabouts and the identities of the captors, she is given a deadly, strange proposal by the abductors. In exchange for Tom’s life and safety, Lauren must do as instructed — kill her next-door neighbor, Madeline. The thriller drama movie takes place in a suburban neighborhood that becomes an additional character, hiding dark secrets behind its peaceful, harmless facade.
Where Was I Have to Kill My Neighbor Filmed?
‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor’ was filmed in its entirety in Manitoba, particularly in Winnipeg. According to reports, principal photography for the Lifetime production took place over the course of a couple of weeks, from the second week of August 2025 to the last week of the same month. After the conclusion of the shooting process, Lauren Cochrane took to social media and shared a few words talking about her experience on the set. She stated, “That’s a wrap! Had a blast with everyone especially this talented beautiful human @sarah_luby14. Thanks to our fab director @baggs83. Our DOP @bradfilm, @black_watch_entertainment and @lifetimetv plus a lovely lovely crew.”
Winnipeg, Manitoba
For the purpose of filming ‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor,’ the cast and crew visited several spots in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The team chose the capital city of the province to paint the visual aesthetic of Lauren’s perfect life, which is turned upside down with the abduction of her husband, Tom. Away from the metropolitan chaos, the quiet suburban streets and neighborhoods of the town offered an isolated feeling to the narrative. Not just that, but the lack of heavy traffic and crowds provided the team with a controlled environment to stage the setting, thereby enhancing the atmospheric tension and adding a sense of realism as Lauren navigates her crisis.
A renowned cultural hub, Winnipeg has witnessed a significant boom in the production of movies and shows over the years. Several factors, such as favorable weather conditions, lucrative tax benefits, film-friendly infrastructure, a diverse landscape and its vibrant arts and culture scene, which harbors a growing pool of talented technicians and actors, further make it a popular spot for shooting. Aside from the Lifetime production, the Gateway to the West has also hosted the production of titles such as ‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice,’ ‘The Long Walk,’ ‘Nobody 2,’ ‘Nobody,’ ‘Run,’ ‘The Italian Job,’ ‘Burden of Truth,’ and ‘SkyMed.’
I Have to Kill My Neighbor Cast Details
The cast of ‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor’ is led by the impressive performances from Sarah Luby, Darren Martens, and Lauren Cochrane, who bring the narrative to life. Apart from being a talented actor, Sarah has served as a script supervisor for ‘Diaspora’ and ‘Nobody’ and a producers’ assistant on ‘SkyMed.’ As for Lauren, she also has writing credits on ‘Cruise Ship Killers,’ ‘Finally Caught,’ and ‘The Day My Job Tried to Kill Me.’ Interestingly, Sarah and Darren have previously collaborated on ‘The Spencer Sisters,’ where the former portrays Chloe and Darren plays the role of Silas Briggs. Meanwhile, Sarah and Lauren have worked on ‘Safehaven’ and ‘Orphan: First Kill’ together.
Sarah Luby as Lauren
Sarah Luby essays the role of Lauren, the wife who must rescue her husband from his captors, in ‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor.’ She features in many movies, including ‘Nobody 2’ as a concerned lady on a bench, ‘The Way to You’ as Hazel, ‘Unspoken’ as a reporter, ‘Orphan: First Kill’ as Claire, and ‘Let’s Meet Again on Christmas Eve’ as Tracy. Sarah also has plenty of TV credits, such as ‘Don’t Even’ and ‘Burden of Truth.’
Darren Martens as Tom
In the Lifetime production, Darren Martens portrays Tom, Lauren’s husband, who is abducted. You might recognize him for his portrayals of Ben in ‘Polarized,’ Mitch in ‘Psycho Killer,’ and Ezra in ‘Hanukkah on Rye.’ His other film credits include ‘A New Year’s Resolution,’ ‘Merry & Bright,’ ‘Once Upon a Christmas Miracle,’ ‘Christmas by Starlight,’ and ‘Journey Back to Christmas.’
Lauren Cochrane as Madeline
Lauren Cochrane steps into the character of Madeline, Lauren and Tom’s next-door neighbor, who has a target on her back, in the thriller film. The ‘Safehaven’ fame is known for her roles as Sally Johnson in ‘Normal,’ Mirna in ‘Deaner ’89,’ Lucy in ‘Hunter Hunter,’ Rachel in ‘Haunted Wedding,’ and Billing Clerk in ‘Ordinary Angels.’ She also features in a few TV shows, including ‘Tales from the Loop,’ ‘The Porter,’ ‘SkyMed,’ and ‘Acting Good.’
Other talented actors who play supporting yet critical roles in ‘I Have to Kill My Neighbor’ are Brynn Godenir as Robin, Derek Kun as Jay, Darren Ross as Wade, and Monique Marcker as Estelle.
Read More: Kidnapping My Own Daughter: Filming Locations and Cast Details
