Naman Shrestha
Directed by Camrus Johnson, Lifetime’s ‘Mary J. Blige’s Real Love’ is a romantic drama movie that focuses on Kendra, an 18-year-old girl who earns a scholarship at a coveted HBCU college and sets off on her own for the first time. The ambitious teenager is determined to do well academically as she attempts to balance work-study and keep things professional with her photo class partner Ben. However, love has a way of seeping in when two people are meant to be, no matter how hard they try not to fall for each other.
So, even though the disapproval of their parents, financial hardship, and an unexpected pregnancy, Ben and Kendra are inevitably drawn to each other as they learn the meaning of real love with each other. Things get complicated when she must choose between her love for him and her dreams. A part of the network’s ‘Voices of a Lifetime’ lineup, the romantic movie unfolds mainly at an HBCU college in North Carolina, where Kendra navigates the last stages of her teen life. Moreover, the party scenes and other exterior shots collectively make one curious about the actual filming sites of ‘Mary J. Blige’s Real Love.’
Mary J. Blige’s Real Love: Where Was it Filmed?
‘Mary J. Blige’s Real Love’ was filmed in British Columbia, especially in Metro Vancouver. As per reports, the principal photography for the romantic movie commenced in early October 2022 and wrapped up in about three weeks within the same month. Although the story is set in North Carolina, British Columbia’s vast and versatile landscape worked well to stand in for the Old North State. Now, without further ado, let’s traverse all the specific locations that appear in the Lifetime movie!
Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
Also known as Greater Vancouver. Metro Vancouver hosted the production of ‘Mary J. Blige’s Real Love.’ The filming unit traveled across the metropolitan area to shoot several pivotal sequences. Apart from the principal city of Vancouver, they took their production to a couple of other locations across Metro Vancouver. For instance, the City of Langley was an important shooting spot for the movie.
Furthermore, the cast and crew members of the romantic movie were spotted taping various key portions in the city of Abbotsford. Interestingly, the Abbotsford School District administers around 46 public elementary, middle, and secondary schools, making the city a suitable production location for a movie like ‘Mary J. Blige’s Real Love.’
To shoot most of the HBCU college scenes, the production team probably set up camp in an actual school or college. But some interior scenes were likely taped using a sound stage or two in one of the film studios in the metropolitan area. Besides the Lifetime movie, Metro Vancouver’s locales have been featured in numerous film and TV projects. Some notable ones are ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ ‘The Age of Adaline,’ ‘Firefly Lane,’ ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies,’ ‘A Million Little Things,’ and ‘Virgin River.’
Mary J. Blige’s Real Love Cast
Ajiona Alexus essays the role of the 18-year-old Kendra in the Lifetime movie. Known for her role as Sheri Holland in the famous Netflix series ‘13 Reasons Why,’ the talented Ajiona has been featured in several other productions. You might also recognize her from ‘BMF,’ ‘Acrimony,’ ‘Empire,’ ‘Light as a Feather,’ and ‘Something Like Summer.’ On the other hand, Da’Vinchi portrays Kendra’s love interest and photo class partner.
You may find the actor’s face familiar is that Da’Vinchi features in ‘All American,’ ‘BMF,’ ‘Grown-ish,’ ‘The Disappearance of Mrs. Wu,’ and ‘The Way Back.’ Other cast members who play supporting yet pivotal roles in the Lifetime movie are Marci T. House (Professor Lovett), Garfield Wilson, Princess Davis, Shiraine Haas, Austin Anozie, Millan Tesfazgi, and Leanne Ofori-Atta (Constance Shay).
Read More: Is Lifetime’s Mary J. Blige’s Real Love Based on a True Story?
