Naman Shrestha
Inspired by true events, Lifetime’s ‘Daddy’s Deadly Secret’ is a thriller drama film about a former couple — Richard and Ellie — who might have gone their separate ways but continue to maintain an amicable and respectful relationship. Since they divorced mutually, they co-parent their daughter, Abigail, and get to stay in touch with one another. Not long after the divorce, Richard is able to find love again when he meets Caroline, who becomes his new fiancee. However, the smooth sailing lives of both Richard and Ellie are shaken when their daughter doesn’t return home from school and disappears.
Taking matters into their own hands, Richard and Caroline embark on a mission to uncover the truth about Abigail’s whereabouts. As they dig deeper into the case and discover a web of lies and deceit, they can’t help but question whether Abigail ever existed or not. Helmed by Sean Cisterna, the movie takes place in a small and quiet town that hides its dark side behind the curtain, making it a character in itself.
Where Was Daddy’s Deadly Secret Filmed?
Filming for ‘Daddy’s Deadly Secret’ was carried out primarily in Ontario, particularly in Hamilton. From the looks of it, the crew members, including the filmmaker, scouted for suitable locations in September 2023. After finalizing the sites, principal photography for the thriller film seemingly commenced in October 2023 and went on for a few weeks before concluding by the end of the same month.
Hamilton, Ontario
A major portion of ‘Daddy’s Deadly Secret’ was lensed in the port city of Hamilton, situated in southern Ontario on the western end of the Niagara Peninsula. The production team reportedly set up camp at Digital Canaries Film Studios at 422 Barton Street East in Hamilton. For taping the scenes set in the classroom and the police station, they utilized a few standing sets out of more than 30 that are available in the film studio. Apart from the standing sets, the facility also provides props and reuse specialists, making it a suitable shooting site for different kinds of projects. The cast and crew members also got out of the sets to tape various key portions outdoors.
The filming unit took over different neighborhoods and streets of the city to shoot prominent exterior scenes. Furthermore, in the aerial shots of the cityscape, numerous buildings and landmarks of Hamilton can be spotted, such as the Dundurn Castle, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the HMCS Haida National Historic Site, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Cathedral of Christ the King, and the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre. Over the years, many filmmakers have been attracted to Hamilton for shooting purposes and have made the most of its facilities. Besides ‘Daddy’s Deadly Secret,’ the Electric City has hosted the production of ‘Wrong Turn,’ ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage,’ ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities,’ ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’
Daddy’s Deadly Secret Cast
A British Columbia native, Sarah Allen, portrays Ellie in the Lifetime movie. Throughout her long acting career, she has been featured as a prominent character in a number of movies and TV shows, including ‘Silent Witness,’ ‘Strange But True,’ ‘Bury the Past,’ ‘Ice Road Killer,’ ‘Five Days at Memorial,’ ‘Remedy,’ and ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie.’ Some of you might also recognize her from a few other TV shows she has starred in, such as ‘Murdoch Mysteries,’ ‘Jozi-H,’ ‘Human Trafficking,’ and ‘The Best Laid Plans.’ On the other hand, Steve Byers dons the garb of Richard, Ellie’s former husband, in the thriller film.
Hailing from Ontario, Steve began his acting career by bagging minor roles in ‘First Wave,’ ‘2gether: The Series,’ and ‘The Wedding Dress.’ As he began giving out impressive performances, he bagged prominent roles in many major film and TV projects like ‘Falcon Beach,’ ‘Final Verdict,’ ‘Wild Roses,’ ‘The Man in the High Castle,’ ‘Deadly Secrets by the Lake,’ ‘Shadowhunters,’ ‘Too Close for Christmas,’ ‘Slasher,’ and ‘Love on the Right Course.’ Moreover, the film consists of other talented actors in supporting roles, including Andréa Grant, Maya Misaljevic as Abigail, Ferelith Young as Marianne, and Steve Belford as Doug.
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