Aman Goyal
The Lifetime true crime drama ‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie’ follows Shannon, an ambitious college student struggling to pay her tuition. When Shannon mysteriously stops attending classes and disappears, her college counselor, Ms. Ellen, expresses concern and attempts to seek help from the police and college administration, only to be shut down. With Shannon trapped in the claws of a sex trafficking ring, time begins to run out for Ellen. Determined that her trusted student hasn’t dropped out, the counselor decides to fight for her life, taking the investigation into her own hands.
Directed by Delmar Washington and a spiritual sequel to his 2023 thriller ‘Black Girl Missing,’ the film creates another thrilling and terrifying experience with plenty of emotions at stake. A part of the network’s ‘Ripped From the Headlines’ segment, it highlights the alarming reality of how villains exploit familiar locations for their evil deeds. Evidently, even a campus with thousands of pupils turns out to be far from safe from such dangers, fueling the tension and suspense of ‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing.’
Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie Filming Locations
‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie’ was entirely filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. Principal photography began in April 2024 and concluded in May. Known as the Hollywood of the South, Atlanta’s booming film industry is often utilized to disguise the city for other settings. However, ‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie’ is among the rare projects emphasizing authenticity over budget constraints.
Atlanta, Georgia
‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie’’ was shot in Atlanta, Georgia. The city, with a significant Black population and a dark history of similar cases of disappearances and kidnapping, proved to be an important and authentic setting for the movie. Based on a true story about a girl going missing at an HBCU captures the surroundings and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
A significant portion of the movie required scenes set at educational institutes. The production crew extensively used Morehouse College, a historic HBCU located at 830 Westview Drive Southwest. Known for its role in the civil rights movement, the main campus, which is a male-only institute, provided a contrasting backdrop to the movie’s events. The B. T. Harvey Stadium at 865 Westview Drive Southwest was utilized for the scenes that showcase the bond forming between Shannon and Ellen.
Dormitory and plaza scenes were filmed at Thomas Kilgore Jr. Campus Center at Kilgore Residence Hall within the campus grounds. The walking trails surrounding Wildwood Center at 2300 Windy Ridge Parkway Southeast provided most of the shots outside the campus, highlighting the chaos in Ellen’s search for Shannon. The transport agency Four Winds Executive Relocation assisted the production and can be spotted in several shots. Several sequences featuring the perpetrators were filmed in one of the city’s major trailer parks.
Some cast members explored the city and attended ATL Elite Fitness. Lead actress Naturi Naughton (Ms. Ellen) shared her filming experience with Fox 5 Atlanta, saying, “It felt like we were including the [college] community.” She also mentioned that her family, who hails from the city, was proud of her work and that she felt a personal connection to her character’s maternal instincts and the search for Shannon.
Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie Cast
Naturi Naughton stars in ‘Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie’ as the college counselor Ms. Ellen. She is known for her role as Tasha Green St. Patrick in the TV shows ‘Power’ and ‘Power Book II: Ghost,’ as well as for portraying Jill ‘Da Thrill’ Sumpter in ‘Queens’ and Brenda in ‘The Playboy Club.’ Naughton’s prominent movie roles include ‘Step Sisters,’ ‘Call Her King,’ and ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ Tanyell Waivers plays Shannon, the young student who goes missing and must stay resilient. She is recognized for her roles as Britney DeVeaux in ‘Lace,’ Keke in ‘Queen Sugar,’ and Nyasha Mambo in ‘Parish.’ Waivers also appears in the movies ‘Dear Zoe,’ ‘African Giants,’ and ‘Christmas Revisited.’
Mark Hood portrays King, the antagonist who abducts Shannon. He is best known for his role as Rodney Joseph in ‘Churchy,’ and his work in the movies ‘Signature Move’ and ‘Love You Right: An R&B Musical.’ Hood also appears in episodic roles in ‘Black Monday,’ ‘The Resident,’ ‘Chicago P.D.,’ and ‘Chicago Fire.’ Additionally, he is a musician who was one of the contestants on the ninth season of ‘The Voice.’ In supporting roles, Maura Gale plays college Dean Miles, and Tim Davidson is the Campus Police Chief, both of whom Ellen urges to locate Shannon.
Gale appears in ‘Kingdom Business’ as Joyce Williams and ‘Saints & Sinners’ as Gloria Stewart. She also stars in the TV movies ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ and ‘A Nashville Legacy.’ Davidson, another character actor, stars alongside her in the latter movie and can also be seen in ‘Hidden Orchard Mysteries: The Case of the Air B and B Robbery’ and ‘You Don’t Know My Name.’ The cast also includes Jessica Medina as one of the other kidnapping victims, Zo’Anne Mckinstry as the financial aid officer, Hasani Vibez Comer as the football player Jamal, Aaron Gillespie as Horse, and Alexis Austriaco as Fee Fee.
Read More: Lifetime’s Black Girl Missing: Exploring Filming Locations and Cast Details
