Naman Shrestha
Under the direction of Roger M. Bobb, Lifetime’s ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love’ revolves around a popular and well-accomplished chef named Ava, who is looking forward to headlining a prestigious culinary event in Portugal. After touching down in the European country with her new partner, Ellis, she unexpectedly runs into her ex-boyfriend, Luke, who is also in a new relationship. The encounter brings long-standing, unresolved emotions to the surface, complicating their personal and professional lives.
As Ava and Luke work together, the undeniable, persistent tension and chemistry between them intensify, prompting them to reconsider their desires and aspirations. The intense tale of the two lovers in the romantic drama movie unfolds mostly in Portugal, which provides the ideal romantic backdrop for Ava and Luke’s lingering feelings for each other.
Where Was Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love Filmed?
The shooting for ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love’ was conducted primarily in Portugal, specifically in the Coimbra district and Anadia. From what we can tell, principal photography for the Lifetime production took place in the month of November 2025, over the course of a few weeks. Upon the conclusion of the shooting process, Pedro Nuno took to social media to express his gratitude. He stated, “This past month has been a crazy one, but I couldn’t be happier for the opportunity to bring such a fun character to life alongside my on-screen bestie @garcelle!”
Coimbra District, Portugal
Situated in Portugal’s Centro region, the Coimbra district served as the primary production location for ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love.’ The cast and crew members were spotted lensing pivotal sequences in different parts of the district. For instance, they turned the crowded and popular Mercado Municipal Engenheiro Silva at R. Eng. Silva 20 in the city of Figueira da Foz into a film set, transforming various storefronts inside the market for shooting purposes.
Several important outdoor scenes for the Lifetime film were also taped in and around the Marina de Recreio, which consists of about 350 berths for recreational boats and is considered an ideal location for fishing and water sports. Besides ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love,’ the Coimbra district has hosted the production of multiple movies and TV shows, such as ‘The Other Half,’ ‘The Maias,’ ‘O Teu Olhar,’ and ‘Broken Spies.’
Anadia, Portugal
For the purpose of shooting, the filming unit of ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love’ also set up camp in the municipality of Anadia. To be specific, they took over the Curia Palace, Hotel Spa & Golf on Avenida dos Plátanos, which doubled as the venue where the anticipated culinary event takes place. Nestled in the scenery of Bairrada vineyards and private gardens, the restored 4-star palace consists of Belle Époque-style rooms and various amenities, such as an indoor pool, a golf facility, beautiful gardens, and more.
Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love Cast Details
The cast of ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love’ is led by the impressive onscreen performances of Garcelle Beauvais, Vaughn W. Hebron, and Boris Kodjoe. Interestingly, Vaughn and Garcelle have previously collaborated on another movie in the ‘Terry McMillan Presents’ film series — ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love.’ As for Boris, he has also served as a director in ‘Safe Space’ and an episode of ‘Station 19.’
Garcelle Beauvais as Ava
Garcelle Beauvais steps into the role of Ava, the star chef who headlines the culinary event in Portugal, in the Lifetime production. The Haitian-born actor can be seen playing Doris Toomes in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’ Deana in ‘Flight,’ and Lisa in ‘A Girl Like Grace.’ Garcelle also has plenty of television credits to her name, such as ‘Survival of the Thickest,’ ‘The Other Black Girl,’ ‘Tell Me a Story,’ ‘Merry Happy Whatever,’ and ‘The Arrangement.’
Vaughn W. Hebron as Luke
Vaughn W. Hebron essays the character of Luke, the ex-lover and romantic interest of Ava, in ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love.’ The talented actor is widely known for his portrayals of Terry Cowans in ‘The Devil You Know,’ Adrian Hunter in ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ and Jamison Fields in ‘The Game.’ He has also showcased his acting prowess in projects like ‘Breathe,’ ‘Sistas,’ ‘The Oval,’ and ‘American Sports Story.’
Boris Kodjoe as Ellis
In the romantic drama movie, Boris Kodjoe portrays Ellis, Ava’s current partner, who accompanies her to the culinary event. His face might seem familiar to many of you as he plays the role of Luther in the ‘Resident Evil’ film series. Furthermore, he appears as Stone and Jason Reynard in ‘Surrogates’ and ‘Addicted,’ respectively. His other film and TV credits include ‘Safe Space,’ ‘Downsized,’ ‘Members Only,’ ‘Code Black,’ ‘House of Cards,’ ‘Station 19,’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’
In addition to the aforementioned stars, Lela Rochon portrays Deena, while Mara Huf portrays Lily. Other talented actors who play important yet supporting roles in ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love’ include Lennart Betzgen as Ian, Madalena Alberto as Karen, Ashley L. Osborne as Mindy, Rodrigo Morganti as Andre, António Maria as Rico, Jeremy Dell as Dell, Carolina Nhacocane as Rita, and Eric da Costa as Chef Rene Segre. In addition, Pedro Marques can be seen as the Taxi Driver in the film.
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