Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story’ is a drama film that brings a true story to life through the direction of Lee Gabiana. The narrative focuses on two childhood sweethearts, Morgan and Rodney Metzer, who decide to tie the knot and make their relationship official while the former is only 21 years old. The early stages of their marriage were not easy, as they lost their first child just sometime after birth. However, they get the privilege of becoming parents just a year later when they give birth to twins. Soon, things begin to go downhill for the couple — Rodney loses his job and the family goes into debt. They begin arguing more frequently, and Robert puts the blame on his wife, making her believe that she even pushed him down the stairs after getting drunk.
As things turn sour, Morgan and Rodney decide to go their separate ways. Right when her life starts to get better, her ex-husband is diagnosed with cancer. Soon, Morgan is attacked and assaulted in her home by a masked intruder. Just a few minutes later, the cancer patient shows up, and when he is questioned by the police, his story doesn’t add up. This makes him the prime suspect in the case. A majority of the story unfolds in the residence of Morgan and Rodney, raising questions about the actual filming sites in the viewers’ minds.
Where Was Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story Filmed?
For filming, ‘Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story,’ the production team traveled to West Virginia. They began shooting the Lifetime movie in late March 2024 and continued for the next three weeks or so, before wrapping up in April of the same year. Jana Kramer shared the experience she had during the shooting on social media as she wrote, “There was a lot of tears shed during this movie but where there is sadness there is joy especially when you’re working with the most lovely people and your own daughter.”
West Virginia
The entirety of ‘Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story’ was lensed in West Virginia, a landlocked state known for its rolling hills and mountains. The cast and crew members set up camp in a residential area in the Mountain State to tape many pivotal sequences for the thriller. Jana Kramer, who herself had been through some traumatic experiences in the past, found recording a few scenes quite triggering and unsettling.
She revealed in a conversation with US Magazine, “It was hard. I mean, we had a moment on set where we had to cut because I had a complete panic attack because (my costar) Austin (Nichols) was on top of me. I couldn’t breathe. And that just triggered me right back to my abuse situation.” Due to the fact that the filming process took her back to a difficult time in her past, she remained in contact with her therapist. She further stated, “There (were) a few times where I was triggered waking up feeling my arms bruised again. Austin didn’t mean to bruise me or hurt me, but when we’re in the scene, I’m like, ‘Go for it.’ … But waking up, it’s like, ‘Wait, why do I have bruise marks on my arms?’ And it’s like, ‘No, no, no, no. That’s the past. You’re playing this part.’ But I did have to kind of remind myself where I was at in reality.”
However, there were a few times during the shoot that she felt empowered. For instance, filming the courtroom scene of Morgan felt like a healing experience because she did not get “to say anything to (her) abuser when (they) were in court. She talked about it in detail with Access Online, saying, “For me, I didn’t even know I needed that moment, but when I finished it, (it) was almost like this weight was lifted, and I was able to kind of just be free from the experience of that.”
Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story Cast
Michigan native Jana Kramer portrays Morgan Metzer in ‘Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story.’ Although she is best known for her recurring role as Alex Dupré in ‘One Tree Hill,’ she has also played important parts in shows like ‘Entourage,’ ‘90210,’ and ‘Friday Night Lights.’ In her acting career, she has also bagged several major roles in numerous movies as well, such as ‘Soccer Mom Madam,’ ‘Support the Girls,’ ‘Love at First Bark,’ ‘The Holiday Fix Up,’ and ‘A Cowboy Christmas Romance.’ Starring opposite to Jana is Austin Nichols, who essays the role of Rodney Metzer in the Lifetime production. In order to follow his dream of becoming an actor, Austin moved from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, at the age of 18.
Owing to his determination and talent, he has been able to make it into the industry and bag several major roles in movies and TV shows, including ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Glory Road,’ ‘The Day After Tomorrow,’ ‘Bates Motel,’ ‘Ray Donovan,’ ‘Walker,’ ‘The Iron Orchard,’ and ‘The Christmas Classic.’ The drama movie also features impressive performances from J. Barrett Cooper as Richard, Vince Foster as Officer Jones, Clark Moore as Griffith Walker, Pete Burris as Rod Metzer Sr., Abigail Esmena as Nicole, Dalton Rimbert as Peter, and Stephanie Cotton as Kathy Metzer. While Robert Liscio plays the role of Officer Rick MacLaughlin, Larry Orton portrays a Grief Therapy Participant. Furthemore, Denise Dal Vera and Maximo Sherman feature as well.
Read More: Lifetime’s My Nanny Stole My Life: Filming Locations and Cast Details
