Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Nightmare Pageant Moms'(originally titled ‘Crazy Pageant Moms’) stars Brittney Q. Hill as Emilia and Summer Monet Finley as Emilia’s daughter, Sophie, who are undergoing challenging financial circumstances as they hardly have any money to fund the latter’s college fees. However, when they find out about a regional mother-daughter beauty pageant offering a huge scholarship prize, the duo prepares for the competition. Yet, little do Emilia and Sophie know about another mother-daughter team in the pageant who are ready to play dirty and deadly to get crowned the winner and take the prize home.
Helmed by Linden Ashby, the thriller movie features impressive onscreen performances from talented actors apart from the lead pair, including Gina Simms, Rachel Walters, Jeremy Carr, Muretta Moss, and Isabelle Almoyan. The theme of a beauty pageant and the sinister lengths the competition can make someone go to keep things interesting. Still, it makes the audience wonder about the storyline’s authenticity, as such instances are not unheard of in real life. Well, if you have also been curious about whether the film is based on true events or not, here is everything you should know.
Nightmare Pageant Moms is an Original Screenplay
No, ‘Nightmare Pageant Moms’ is not based on a true story. Instead, the Lifetime movie is the brainchild of writer Melissa Cassera, who is known for her work in Lifetime’s ‘Obsession Thrillogy,’ ‘Who Killed Our Father?,’ ‘Mommy’s Little Star,’ ‘Crazy Neighborhoods Moms,’ and ‘Daddy’s Perfect Little Girl.’ Evidently, she made the most of her experience in the entertainment industry, creative mind, and exceptional writing skills to create an enthralling yet realistic screenplay for the thriller film.
Mother-daughter beauty pageants, a central theme in the movie, tend to occur worldwide in real life as well. As in every other competition, some participants are willing to cheat and even go to extreme lengths to win the pageant. Since all these instances are not something unique and alien to reality, many viewers will likely wonder if the movie is connected to reality. Another reason you might find these subject matters familiar is because numerous films and TV shows have explored them over the years.
For instance, the subject of beauty pageants is showcased in the 2000 comedy film ‘Miss Congeniality,’ the 1999 comedy movie ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous,’ and the 2015 action comedy film ‘Beauty and the Bestie.’ Nevertheless, one of the aptest examples has to be that of the Anne Fletcher directorial ‘Dumplin’.’ Like Nightmare Pageant Moms,’ the 1999 comedy-drama film centers upon a mother-daughter bond, albeit under different circumstances.
Based on the eponymous novel by Julie Murphy, the movie follows a plus-size teenager named Willowdean, the daughter of a former beauty queen. After she joins her mother’s Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant, many other contestants are inspired, and as a result, they follow her footsteps which revolutionizes the pageant. What connects the two movies in question is that both portray a mother-daughter bond in demanding situations and how they deal with them together. All in all, even though some realistic themes are at the heart of the narrative, it doesn’t change the fact that ‘Nightmare Pageant Moms’ is a work of fiction.
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