Shubhabrata Dutta
Helmed by Michael Nankin, Lifetime’s two-part true crime drama ‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy’ explores the shocking crevices of oppression within the walls of a religious cult. The story, like a pendulum of trauma shifting between past and present, focuses on the respective parts of former Mormon fundamentalist Rena Chynoweth’s life. Also titled ‘‘The Thirteenth Wife: Escaping Polygamy,’ it shows how Rena, as a teenager, is made to marry Ervil LeBaron, a polygamous cult leader whom the former’s family devotes itself to.
As time passes, the young girl is forced to become an assassin, a weapon of violence, doing “God’s deed.” Years later, despite managing to escape the shackles of exploitation, Rena is forced to relive her past after a violent massacre tied to the cult brings a journalist to her doorstep. Since the narrative is based on a true story, the visuals play a consequential role in showcasing the world Rena was a part of and the one she is pulled back into.
Where Was The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy Filmed?
‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy’ was filmed entirely in British Columbia, specifically in Kelowna and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Principal photography began in the first half of February 2025 and continued for several weeks before wrapping up in the second half of March the same year. Kelowna became the base for filming while the Thompson-Nicola Regional District was used as the setting for additional scenes.
Kelowna, British Columbia
The production team resorted to the southern interior of British Columbia and accessed the city of Kelowna to tape the majority of ‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy.’ A furnished suite was reportedly rented for a few weeks to capture indoor scenes. On the other hand, the myriad urban and natural backdrops served as the settings for outdoor shots. Situated on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, Kelowna is reputed for its vineyards. This has made tourism a significant part of its economy as people from around the world arrive to taste globally recognized wines, which range in flavor from Chardonnay to Merlot to Syrah to Riesling to many more.
Some well-known wineries in the area are Black Swift Vineyards, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Mission Hill Winery, and Priest Creek Family Estate Winery. As far as scenery is concerned, Kelowna is home to over 200 parks and other natural spaces, some of which are Stuart Park, Knox Mountain Park, City Park, Lochview Trail, Prospera Place, and Kettle Valley Railway. Kelowna is a growing production hub and offers top-of-the-line production facilities, which may have been utilized to give proper shape to the movie. Other projects shot in the city include ‘Girl Taken,’ ‘Raise a Glass to Love,’ ‘Million Dollar Secret,’ and ‘The Bear Lake Murders.’
Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia
A part of the film was filmed in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, a regional district in southern British Columbia. The crew chose Ashcroft, a village community in Thompson Country, to tape additional shots. It has many churches, like the Sage Hills Evangelical Free Church, St. Gerard’s Catholic Church, and St. Alban’s Anglican Church, which may have been used to film scenes set inside a church, an important element in the movie.
The semi-arid climate and the desert-like landscape further enabled the crew to add contrast to the visual canvas. Some of the spots you can visit in Ashcroft are Harmony Bell Tower, Heritage Place Park, Legacy Park Campground, and Ashcroft Museum. Thompson-Nicola Regional District itself is known for its parks, like Adams Lake Provincial Park, Arrowstone Provincial Park, Bedard Aspen Provincial Park, and Blue Earth Lake Provincial Park, all of which offer visitors an escape from the hustle and bustle of their urban lives.
The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy Cast Details
The cast of ‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy’ is led by Felicity Huffman, Olga Petsa, and Eric Johnson. Veteran actress Felicity Huffman got her first paying TV job at the age of 15. Not many might know she wanted to be a backing singer and has even sung backup vocals for the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Tina Turner. Olga was born and raised in Cyprus, a small island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. She is into dancing, painting, and singing. Eric is into social work and a member of the Hollywood Hill Association, which is aimed towards the preservation of nature and rural lifestyle.
Felicity Huffman as Older Rena Chynoweth
Felicity Huffman plays the role of adult Rena Chynoweth in ‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy.’ Known for her performances as Lynette Scavo in ‘Desperate Housewives’ and Dana Whitaker in ‘Sports Night,’ she can also be spotted in ‘American Crime’ as Jeanette Hesby, Leslie Graham, and Barb Hanlon. As far as movies are concerned, you can see her as Tammy MacDonald in ‘Tammy’s Always Dying,’ Helen Halston in the Netflix comedy ‘Otherhood,’ and Lilly in ‘Georgia Rule.’ ‘‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy’ is Huffman’s first Lifetime movie.
Olga Petsa as Younger Rena Chynoweth
Olga Petsa plays the younger version of Rena Chynoweth in the film. She made her feature debut in 2021 as Nicky in the Netflix coming-of-age comedy movie ‘Mixtape.’ She also stars opposite Rachel Sennott in the adult comedy movie ‘I Used to Be Funny,’ where she plays Brooke Renner. In the Netflix series ‘Black Mirror,’ she can be spotted as a goth chick. She has two short films to her credit as well, namely the fantasy short ‘Daisy’ and the thriller short ‘Twitch.’
Eric Johnson as Ervil LeBarond
Eric Johnson is a common face on television, known for his portrayals of Robert O’Brien in ‘Saint-Pierre,’ Erik in ‘Vikings,’ Sheriff Beasley in ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,’ Chad Mulligan in ‘American Gods,’ and Tracy Crane in ‘Condor.’ His notable feature film performances include Davis in ‘A Simple Favor,’ Jack Hyde in ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ and ‘Fifty Shades Darker,’ Reinhardt in ‘The Players,’ and Charlie Lake in ‘Disappearance at Clifton Hill.’ He is also the voice of Sam Fisher in the video game ‘Splinter Cell: Blacklist.’
Huffman, Petsa, and Johnson are joined by a talented additional cast comprising Michelle Harrison as Thelma Chynoweth, Matthew Harrison as Dan Jordan, Adrian Petriw as Joel Lebaron, and Jonathan Whitesell as Mark Chynoweth. The extended cast includes Jessie Fraser as Josie, Matthew Nelson-Mahood as Aaron, Barry W. Levy as John, Rubi Tupper as little Rena, and Arlina Rodriguez as Delphina. They are joined by Roman Kinsella as Joel’s Son, Haven Gin as Kaitlin, Kellen Bruce and Anthony Bolognese as Isaac, Shyinne Anastacio as Rebecca, Andres Collantes as Arturo Lebaron, Erik Kavanagh as Heber, and Manny Hernandez as a Federal agent.
Read More: The 13th Wife Escaping Polygamy True Story, Explained
