Shubhabrata Dutta
Directed by Lee Gabiana, Lifetime’s crime drama ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story’ reveals the horrific truth that young girl Heather Robinson has to deal with, one that deems her very identity fake. Based on the disturbing true story, the movie shows how an investigation into a serial killer case reveals that when Heather Robinson was a baby, she was taken from her real mother by the killer, her own uncle, John Robinson, who gave her to his brother and his wife. As the investigation proceeds, more truths regarding John come to light while Heather attempts to find out what really happened to her mother. Since the movie is based on the real story of Heather Robinson, the visuals play a significant role in maintaining authenticity and ensuring it carries an immersive world-building.
Where Was Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story Filmed?
While ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story’ is set in Kansas City and Illinois, it was filmed entirely in West Virginia, specifically in Fairmont. Principal photography reportedly began in the first half of March 2025 and wrapped up in the first half of April the same year. Talking about his experience playing a killer, actor Steve Guttenberg, who plays John Robinson, told NBC how he got to “create a different character…as actors, we’re known for what we look like…but when you get a chance to disappear into a role, which, I’m so grateful to Lifetime, they gave me the chance that I get to disappear, become a really creepy guy.”
Fairmont, West Virginia
The city of Fairmont, located in West Virginia’s Marion County, became the base for filming. The crew utilized the scenic backdrops and neighborhoods to showcase the story’s timeline, i.e., the 1980s. There are also several buildings that can be rented for filming, one or more of which might have been chosen for some scenes. Fairmont is also home to many state-of-the-art production studios, which may have led the crew to tape some of its indoor sequences in custom sets with an 80s setting. World-building is an important part when it comes to retelling a story set in the past, and the production team ensured that it was very thorough in the process.
Known for its period architecture, the city boasts the Marion County Courthouse, High Gate, FernFaye Farm, Pricketts Fort, and Marion County Historical Society & Museum. Besides ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story,’ Fairmont has hosted the production of several other movies, including ‘Killing the Competition,’ ‘A Rose for Her Grave: The Randy Roth Story,’ ’12 Desperate Hours,’ and ‘Requiem for the Damned.’
Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story Cast Details
The ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story’ cast is led by Rachel Stubington, Steve Guttenberg, and Jana Kramer. Rachel is a Los Angeles native and spent a lot of her youthful days in Saturday Night Live skits with her brothers. She is into musical theater and stand-up comedy as well. Steve is a veteran actor and the godson of actor Michael Bell. He is into social work and even founded the Guttenhouse Project, which provides housing for foster kids. Jana is also a country singer who has a taste for wine and is into wine collecting. She prefers comfort over being chic and claims to have become a sports broadcaster if not a singer or actress.
Rachel Stubington as Heather Robinson
Rachel Stubington plays Heather Robinson in ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story.’ She came into the spotlight with her performance as Summer in ‘Shrinking.’ Her other roles in TV shows include April in ‘Generation’ and Rhea in ‘Doctor Odyssey.’ You can also spot her as Gretel in ‘Abaddon’ and Yakov in ‘The Seagull.’ In the Lifetime movie ‘A Rose for Her Grave: The Randy Roth Story,’ she plays the role of Dana Carlson.
Steve Guttenberg as John Robinson
Steve Guttenberg plays serial killer John Robinson in the movie. A veteran actor, his notable performances include Carey Mahoney in the ‘Police Academy’ movies, Michael Kellam in ‘Three Men and a Baby,’ and Edward “Eddie” Simmons in ‘Diner.’ His fans can also notice him as Wayne Hastings Jr. in ‘Ballers,’ Gene in ‘Goodbye, Hello,’ Lance in ‘Break Even,’ and Dr. Jones in ‘Trauma Center.’ He plays Daniel Brophy in the Lifetime movie ‘How to Murder Your Husband.’
Jana Kramer as Lena Coy
Jana Kramer plays investigator Lena Coy in ‘Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story.’ She is primarily known for the role of Alex Dupre in ‘One Tree Hill.’ Her other notable roles in drama series include Noelle Davenport in ‘Friday Night Lights,’ Portia Ranson in ‘90210,’ and Brooke Manning in ‘Entourage.’ She has been a part of many Lifetime projects, like ‘A Cowboy Christmas Romance,’ where she plays Lexie Crenshaw, ‘Steppin’ Into the Holiday,’ where you can see her as Rae, ‘Soccer Mom Madam,’ where she can be spotted playing Anna, and ‘A Welcome Home Christmas,’ where she portrays Chloe Marquee.
Besides the above-mentioned cast, the crime drama is brought to life by a talented additional cast that includes Ross Crain as Mike Robinson, Sarah Hudson as Jill Robinson, Deja Dee as Detective Jenna Cormack, Jackie Sanders as Colette Dennings, and Rose Decker as young Heather Robinson. They are joined by Lily Talevski as Lisa Stasi, Robyne Parrish as Doctor Dahl, Molly Miller as Karen Robinson, Thomas C. Stuhr as a parole board member, Larry Orton as the FBI agent, Cindy Lowther as the wedding caterer, and Wesley Benson as a task force officer.
Read More: Where is Heather Robinson Now?
