Sartaj Singh
In the directorial hands of Greg Beeman, ‘Mommy Meanest’ narrates the story of Mia, a high schooler who becomes the target of relentless cyberbullying perpetuated by someone she could have never imagined. Mia has always been close with her mother, Madelyn, and is an excellent student at her school. Madelyn, a single mother, supports her daughter and is proud of who she has become. Mia’s increasing popularity also means that she spends more time away from home, often with her new boyfriend.
When Mia begins to receive hurtful and threatening messages online, she starts having doubts regarding her image and confides in her mother. The cyberbullying only intensifies with time, leading Mia on a desperate search for the culprit and leaving her horrified at what she discovers. The Lifetime thriller is inspired by actual events and explores a bizarre tale of jealousy, possessiveness, and obsession. Sequences of the film unfold against a varied urban backdrop, largely revolving around Mia’s school and home.
Mommy Meanest Filming Locations
Filming for ‘Mommy Meanest’ took place in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, with a few shots of Portland, Oregon added in to depict its intended setting. Principal photography for the movie began in late January 2024 and was wrapped up by February 12 of the same year. The cast and crew seem to appreciate the time they spent together behind the scenes, taking to social media and praising the team.
“What a dream to work with the beautiful star (Lisa Rinna),” wrote Briana Skye in the caption of an image she shared on Instagram. “Thank you for being actually the best movie mom ever! I adore you. Thank you Lifetime for welcoming me into the family! It’s an honor to play Mia in this heartbreaking true story.”
Greater Vancouver, British Columbia
Under the umbrella of Stalking Productions, the film crew began shooting the project outside the urban cityscape of Vancouver, within the Greater Vancouver area. Known as the Hollywood of the North alongside Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver is a versatile filming hub with its diverse landscapes surrounding it. From urban cityscapes to lush forests and picturesque coastlines, the city stands out as a filming destination for its diverse visual gallery. Its architecture and geography allow it to stand in for various cities worldwide. For instance, in ‘Mommy Meanest,’ its peripheral suburbs stood in for Portland, Oregon.
Lifetime filmmakers frequently choose Vancouver as a filming destination due to its versatility and reliability. The city’s infrastructure provides easy access to shooting sites, experienced crews, and competitive tax incentives. Its proximity to Hollywood also makes it a convenient choice for Lifetime projects looking to minimize costs while maintaining high production values. As such, the city has served as the shooting destination for movies like ‘Living with My Mother’s Killer,’ ‘Buying Back My Daughter,’ ‘Amish Stud The Eli Weaver Story,’ ‘How She Caught a Killer,’ ‘A Podcast to Die For,’ and ‘Murdaugh Murders.’
Portland, Oregon
‘Mommy Meanest’ is set in Portland, and as such, a number of establishing shots of the city can be seen in the film. In particular, we can observe the Fremont Bridge over the Willamette River. A steel-tied-arch bridge, it connects downtown and North Portland. While the real-life story associated with ‘Mommy Meanest’ took place in Michigan, the quintessential urban landscape of Portland was chosen to canvas the Lifetime film.
Mommy Meanest Cast
‘Mommy Meanest’ is the first time actress Lisa Rinna and her daughter, Delilah Hamlin, have worked together on a movie. Rinna takes on the role of Madelyn while Delilah Hamlin essays Summer. The film sees actress Briana Skye step into her debut lead role in a film as Mia. Lisa Rinna is best known as a star of Bravo’s hit reality television series, ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.’ She has also garnered attention with her work in ‘Days of Our Lives’ as Billie Reed, ‘Melrose Place’ as Taylor McBride, and Hulu’s ‘Veronica Mars’ as Lynn Echolls.
Briana Skye first walked into the limelight as Mira in the TV series ‘Van Helsing.’ She has also made appearances in ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,’ ‘Batwoman,’ and ‘Dangerous Lies.’ Delilah is a model who is featured in the archival footage of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ and enacts an aspiring nurse in ‘How She Caught a Killer.’
Other Cast members include Kyle Clark as Josh Landon, Jonathan Simao as Eliot, Bradley Stryker as Erik, Kelsey Lopes as Zoey, Jason Tremblay as Scot, Jill Morrison as Elizabeth, and Jessica Garcie as Piper. Also appearing in the movie are Ramudhi Ekanayake as Emma, and Katrina Kwan as Detective Bolton.
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