Naman Shrestha
With David Benullo occupying the director’s chair, Lifetime’s ‘Lethal Desire’ is a mystery thriller movie about a couple — Ava and Julien Chase — desperately attempting to save their deteriorating marriage. Upon learning that their new neighbors, Mackenzie and Theo Davis, are a part of the swinging community, they decide to explore the same and spice things up between them. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Theo turns up dead, with suspicions falling on Ava.
As she becomes the prime suspect in the eyes of most people in the community, she embarks on a mission to get to the bottom of the truth on her own, as her husband is also suspicious of her. While she attempts to prove her innocence, Ava unravels the dark secrets of the swinging community, filled with jealousy and lies. What shocks her to the core even more is the identity of the real killer as she comes face to face with them. The closed spaces of the swingers’ residences symbolize the secrets that are kept well-hidden behind the curtains, away from the outside world.
Where Was Lethal Desire Filmed?
‘Lethal Desire’ was shot in its entirety in Kentucky, particularly in Shelby County and other principal areas, such as Louisville and Lexington. Principal photography reportedly got underway around the second week of June 2024 and continued for about a couple of weeks before getting wrapped up within the same month, around June 22. Upon completion of the production, Kayla Raelle talked about her experience on set, stating, “…What a magical journey it’s been. First feature lead’s in the books and my gratitude could not be greater. S/O to my #lethaldesire fam for making this an unforgettable start to a new chapter.”
Shelby County, Kentucky
A major portion of ‘Lethal Desire’ was lensed across Shelby County. Its county seat, Shelbyville, served as one of the primary production locations as the cast and crew members took over a few establishments to shoot important interior and exterior scenes. On several days, the filming unit was also spotted in and around Simpsonville, taping night sequences for the film. The streets and buildings of the unincorporated community of Waddy also feature in the backdrop of various portions. Over the years, the county has hosted the production of numerous other film projects, such as ‘Fighting the Fire,’ ‘Hindsight 2020,’ and ‘Sheba, Baby.’
Other Locations in Kentucky
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘Lethal Desire’ also traveled to the west of Shelby County to the city of Louisville. Also known as the Gateway to the South, the city added a hint of modernism to the narrative through its tall buildings and versatile landscape. Moreover, the consolidated city of Lexington is yet another site where the makers set up camp to record multiple pivotal sequences for the Lifetime movie.
Lethal Desire Cast Details
‘Lethal Desire’ is driven by strong performances from a talented bunch of actors in the lead, including Kayla Raelle, Ty Trumbo, Alexandra Corin Johnston, and Justin Berti. It is due to their collaborative effort that the thrilling story is brought to life with an added layer of authenticity.
Kayla Raelle as Ava Chase
In ‘Lethal Desire,’ Kayla Raelle steps into the role of one of the leads — Ava Chase. Following a minor appearance in John Psathas’ ‘Bernadette,’ Kayla Raelle bagged the role of Mia in the 2018 short film ‘Distance.’ She followed it up with the role of a wife in the 2020 short film ‘The Circle.’ It was in the year 2022 that Kayla gained recognizance for her appearance as Clerk Lu in the Alex Thompson directorial ‘Rounding,’ wherein she is also credited as the associate producer. You can also spot him as Samantha Morgan in ‘Lethal Altitude’ and Emma in ‘Murder in Paradise.’ Apart from this, she can also be seen in the music video for Verzache’s song “Feel Like.”
Ty Trumbo as Julien Chase
Ty Trumbo essays the character of Ava Chase’s husband, Julien Chase, in the film. You may recognize the actor from his work on ‘The Resident’ as John Losurdo, James Allen in ‘Bosch: Legacy,’ as well as Shane in ‘Mr. Student Body President,’ for which he also earned a Streamy Award for Best Ensemble Cast in 2017. Some of his popular credits include ‘Dear White People,’ ‘The Passage,’ ‘Solve,’ ‘The Sound of Settling,’ ‘Speak Now,’ ‘Love, Courage and the Battle of Bushy Run,’ and ‘Those Who Can’t.’
Alexandra Corin Johnston as Mackenzie Davis
Joining Kayla and Ty in the film as one of the main cast members is Alexandra Corin Johnston as Mackenzie Davis. The Portland, Oregon native is best known for her performance as Cynthia Maddox in ‘American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story.’ Her acting skills are also on full display in her portrayal of Heidi in ‘Shark Girl,’ Carson in ‘Do It Better,’ Blair in ‘Bunkheads,’ Husband’s Girlfriend in ‘And Now I Lay Me Down,’ Lauren in ‘Party Of Five,’ and Megan in ‘The Big Day.’
Justin Berti as Theo Davis
Last but not least, Justin Berti plays the character of Mackenzie’s partner, Theo Davis’ in ‘Lethal Desire.’ With over 50 acting credits in his bag, he is probably the most experienced actor among the main cast members. Justin’s performance as Elliott in ‘Submission,’ Craig Gerard in ‘Taken in Montana,’ Peter Davis in ‘Secret Lives of Housewives,’ and Marco Laguna in ‘Divorce Bait,’ proved his mettle as an actor. His incredible portrayal of Bradley DuPont Jr. in the 2018 film ‘Frontera’ earned him the Best Actor award at the Show Low Film Festival in the same year. He also has movies and TV shows like ‘Something Bit Me,’ ‘Secrets in the Building,’ ‘Vacation Home Nightmare,’ ‘Wild West Chronicles,’ ‘The Billionaire’s Rescue,’ ‘The Alpha Queen Returns,’ ‘Toy Guns’ and ‘Paranormal Nobodies’ to his name.
Alongside the aforementioned stars, the Lifetime production features more talented actors in supporting roles. Alyona Real appears as Olivia, while Gavin Herscher plays the role of Michael Timmons. Furthermore, Leigh Nieves dons the garb of Leah Timmons and Allen R. Middleton stars as Detective Ethan Taylor. The supporting cast of ‘Lethal Desire’ also comprises Christina Pope as Restaurant patron, Gary Gosselin as Party Goer/Restaurant Patron, Cameron Smith as Party Guest, and Heath Perkins as Swing Dancer.
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