Naman Shrestha
Co-written and directed by Chris Stokes, Lifetime’s ‘The Stepdaughter’ is a thriller drama movie that centers on the themes of family and revenge. It follows a vengeful teenager named Joanna Lawrence, who reunites with her biological father, Michael Lawrence, and moves in with him. His new family consists of his new wife, Whitney Hughes, and her two sons. Posing as an innocent high school goer, she makes her way into the family, finding opportunities to seek revenge on her stepmother. As Whitney is reeling from the devastating deaths of her mother and grandmother, she desires to get close to her father and get rid of any obstacle that comes in her way. Given the eerie subject matter of the narrative, the visuals and backdrops tend to complement it. In particular, the Lawrence residence is where most of the drama unfolds.
The Stepdaughter Filming Locations
The shooting of ‘The Stepdaughter’ reportedly took place in California, especially in Los Angeles and a few surrounding areas. From what we can tell, the principal photography for the Lifetime production got underway around early December 2023 and continued for a few weeks before wrapping up in the same month.
Los Angeles, California
All the pivotal sequences for ‘The Stepdaughter’ were lensed across the city of Los Angeles, situated in Southern California. The production team set up camp in several neighborhoods and streets in the City of Angels in order to tape important scenes against suitable backdrops. In particular, the cast and crew members were spotted shooting a few portions in and around the Atrium Irvine Office at 19100 Von Karman Avenue STE 480, in the city of Irvine, which is a part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Many of you might also spot various popular landmarks and buildings in the backdrop, including the Los Angeles City Hall, the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
When one of the cast members, Cassidey Fralin, was asked about her favorite part of filming ‘The Stepdaughter’ during a conversation with the AFA Studio, she explained that she had a blast on set. She added, “I had the privilege of working with an incredible stunt team that helped me execute quite horrifying stunts, from rooftop scenes to thrilling action sequences. Alongside wonderfully funny co-stars and indulging in fantastic food, the experience was remarkable.” Apart from ‘The Stepdaughter,’ LA has hosted the production of numerous movies and TV shows, such as ‘The Prestige,’ ‘Fight Club,’ ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ ‘The Lincoln Lawyer,’ and ‘The Night Agent.’
The Stepdaughter Cast Details
The story of ‘The Stepdaughter’ is brought to life by the impressive performances from Annie Ilonzeh, Blue Kimble, and Cassidey Fralin. What connects Annie and Kimble is the fact that they both have experience as producers. The former served as a producer for ‘Vicious Affair’ and ‘Soul Mates,’ while Kimble has produced projects like ‘A Christmas Wish,’ ‘My Online Valentine,’ ‘Dying to Be Famous,’ and ‘Monogamy.’ As for Cassidey, besides being a talented actor, she is also a passionate dancer and singer.
Cassidey Fralin as Joanna Lawrence
Cassidey Fralin portrays Joanna Lawrence, a vindictive teenager who seeks revenge for her mother and grandmother’s deaths, in ‘The Stepdaughter.’ Widely recognized for her portrayal of Young Alisha in ‘Sydney to the Max,’ Cassidey also features in other shows, such as ‘Time Traveling Bong,’ ‘Just Add Magic,’ and ‘Black-ish.’ Her movie credits also include ‘We Belong Together,’ ‘Always and Forever,’ and ‘The Stepdaughter 2.’
Blue Kimble as Michael Lawrence
In the Lifetime production, Blue Kimble essays the role of Michael Lawrence, Joanna’s father. The ‘Ruthless’ star has showcased his versatility by featuring in different kinds of projects, such as ‘Twisted Mines,’ ‘Monogamy,’ ‘The Black Hamptons,’ ‘The Family Business,’ and ‘P-Valley.’ You might also recognize him as Dalton in ‘A Christmas Miracle,’ Ryan in ‘Finding Destiny,’ Dalton in ‘A Christmas Gift,’ Memphis in ‘Bid for Love,’ and Big Six in ‘My Brother’s Keeper.’
Annie Ilonzeh as Whitney Hughes
Annie Ilonzeh steps into the role of Whitney Hughes, the stepmother of Joanna and the new wife of Michael, in ‘The Stepdaughter.’ Throughout her decades-long acting career, Annie has been featured in several shows like ‘S.W.A.T.,’ ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Person of Interest,’ ‘Empire,’ ‘Arrow,’ and ‘Drop Dead Diva.’ Her face might seem familiar as she stars in ‘Singing in My Sleep’ as Rissa, ‘Ruined’ as Liv Richards, ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ as Madison Roland, and ‘Peppermint’ as FBI Agent Lisa Inman.
Other cast members who feature in the Lifetime film in supporting roles are Akeem Cheatham as Brian Hughes, Jered Cheatham as Eric Hughes, Judi Johnson as Cassandra, Rayan Lawrence as Terrance Clark, and Candi Marie as Terrance’s partner. In addition, Amanda Michelle Smith (Newscaster), Loren Paul (Cop), Craig Thomas (Robertson), Alan G Franks Jr. (Pharmacist), and Matthew P McManus (Chemist Kevin) also star in the thriller.
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