Naman Shrestha
Based on true events, Lifetime’s ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story’ is a Wendy Ord directorial that dramatizes the real-life heroics of Regina Smith, who led to the capture of “The Eyeball Killer.” The biographical crime mystery movie, which is a part of the network’s ‘Ripped From the Headlines’ segment, follows a single mother named Regina Smith, who joins the Dallas Police Department and soon comes across the first victim of the serial killer, Charles Albright, along with her partner Eddie.
Since Charles surgically removed the eyes of his victims, he was given the nickname — “The Eyeball Killer.” Still a rookie in the department, Regina is determined to get to the bottom of the case. As she investigates and digs deeper, she stumbles upon key pieces of evidence that lead her right to the merciless killer who mainly targets female sex workers. The authenticity of the narrative is complemented by the use of apt locations and the ability of the makers to create a setting of the timeline of the serial killer’s crimes.
Where Was Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story Filmed?
The shooting for ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story’ took place entirely in British Columbia, specifically in Kelowna. Reportedly, the principal photography was carried out between August and September 2024, particularly from August 19 to September 9. The cast and crew members had many delightful moments on set during the shooting process, making the entire experience very memorable for everyone involved.
Kelowna, British Columbia
While looking for a vast and diverse landscape that could provide them with different kinds of settings, the makers of ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story’ decided to set up camp in the city of Kelowna, which is situated in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. Thanks to the surrounding mountains, majestic lakes, and tall architecture, the city has the ability to provide a backdrop fit for any genre and setting, be it future or past. Since the story unfolds in the late 1980s, the production team redecorated plenty of streets and neighborhoods in order to add a layer of authenticity to the narrative.
In order to shoot the scenes based in the Dallas police station, they either utilized an actual establishment or made the most of a soundstage in one of the film studios located in and around Kelowna. As for the exterior portions, they were mostly taped in different parts of the city, which doubled for Dallas. Moreover, in the aerial or establishing shots of the city, many of you might spot several landmarks and places of interest associated with Kelowna, such as the William R. Bennett Bridge, One Water Street, the Okanagan Wineries, and Prospera Place. Apart from ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story,’ the Orchard City has hosted the production of multiple films, including ‘A Score to Settle,’ ‘A Mother’s Nightmare,’ ‘The Angel Tree,’ ‘Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Very Foul Play,’ and ‘The Founder Effect.’
Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story Cast
Karrueche Tran dons the garb of Regina Smith in the Lifetime production. In order to do justice to her role, she even connected with the real-life Regina Smith over Zoom. Widely recognized for her role as Virginia on ‘Claws,’ she has many more film and TV credits tied to her name. For instance, you might have seen her in ‘The Nice Guys,’ ‘Never Heard,’ ‘Embattled,’ ‘Games People Play,’ ‘The Bay,’ ‘Bel-Air,’ ‘Vanity,’ and ‘Deputy.’ Meanwhile, Blair Penner portrays Regina Smith’s partner, Eddie, in ‘Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story.’ You may recognize him from ‘Van Helsing,’ ‘A Sugar & Spice Holiday,’ ‘A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love,’ ‘A Kindhearted Christmas,’ and ‘Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery.’
Furthermore, ‘Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, with Love’ fame actor Ted Cole essays the role of Charles Albright, the serial killer. Other talented stars who feature in the crime film in supporting roles include Christopher Russell as Norm, Brittany Clough as Molly, Lauren Jackson as Susan Peterson, Ashley Alexander as Vergie, Jon Bryant as Brian Demper, and Damon Gregory as Lt. Corban. In addition, Shaye Quinn appears as Lisa Pratt, while Hannah Krostewitz steps into the character of Mary Pratt.
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