Lifetime’s ‘Twisted Little Lies,’ originally titled ‘Nightmare Student,’ is a thriller movie that recounts a cautionary tale of obsession. The film follows Brianna, a professor who finds out that her boyfriend, Nick, has been cheating on her with his co-worker, Christina. Distraught by the unexpected betrayal, she turns to the internet to look for a potential partner, hoping it will help her deal with the heartbreak. Interestingly, she meets a man named William, who seems like an ideal guy, but things take a surprising turn when Brianna learns that his new love interest is actually her student, Cooper.
Desperate to make up for her mistakes, the professor immediately cuts all ties with him, but it’s too late by then as the troubled college student comes up with a dangerous plan to avenge his rejection. The high-tension drama that unfolds captures the real risks of obsessive infatuation. If you are also intrigued by some of the scenes and wonder where the movie is shot, we have got you covered.
Twisted Little Lies Filming Locations
‘Twisted Little Lies’ was shot entirely in Illinois. The midwestern U.S state is no stranger to film and television production. Places like O’Hare International Airport (‘Home Alone‘), Grant Park (‘About Last Night’), Biograph Theatre (‘Public Enemies‘), and Wrigley Field (‘The Break-Up’) are some of the most prominent shooting locations in the region. Curious to learn the specific details of the filming? Allow us to be your guide.
Chicago, Illinois
The filming of the thriller movie was done primarily in Chicago and nearby areas. The production appears to have commenced in the region in late June 2021 and wrapped up sometime around mid-July 2021. The filming took almost 15 days, and the cast and crew worked late nights to complete the filming on time.
The city is well-known for its architecture, jazz music, and mouth-watering food. Over the years, it has also attracted filmmakers from around the world and has served as a shooting location of iconic movies like ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘The Blues Brothers,’ ‘The Fugitive,’ ‘High Fidelity,‘ and ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon.’
Twisted Little Lies Cast
Jessica Morris leads the star-studded cast of the Lifetime movie by essaying the role of Brianna Scott, the professor whose boyfriend cheats her. You may recall watching her in television movies like ‘The Wrong Roommate’ or ‘Abduction Runs in the Family.’ Ulyses Espinoza appears as Brianna’s lover Nick McDermott. The actor is best known for ‘Chicago P.D.‘ and ‘4400.’
Conlan Kisilewicz plays the role of Cooper Thompson, Brianna’s troubled student who pretends to be an older man to date her. His acting credits include ‘A Party Gone Wrong‘ and ‘Where Are the Fathers.’ Melissa Archer portrays Christina Thompson, Nick’s co-worker and Cooper’s older sister. Other noteworthy cast members include Yvonne Lu (Stephanie), Hao Feng (Andy Merritt), Miranda Arpin (Rachel), Sayge Terrell (Jeremy), Julio Alexander (Pete), and David James Slama (Dr. Charles Whitmore).
Is Twisted Little Lies Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Twisted Little Lies’ is not based on a true story. The obsessive infatuation of Cooper and his dangerous schemes to avenge the rejection may sound vaguely familiar to some of the viewers. While there have been a number of real-life instances in which people have committed horrific atrocities when their romantic advances have been rejected, one must not connect any such story with the Lifetime film.
‘Twisted Little Lies’ is just one of many examples in popular culture where the storytellers have used creative license to come up with a horrifying account of obsession and its dangers. Driven by a fictional narrative penned by Melissa Archer and Jessica Morris, Lifetime’s ‘College Professor Obsession‘ is a great example of this.
Although the aggressor in the film is the professor, unlike ‘Twisted Little Lies’ where the student goes to desperate lengths driven by desires, one can still see that the antagonist in both the stories has similar motivations. It just goes on to prove that similar plotlines have been explored in the past as well, and with the knowledge that the specific details of the film are fictitious, one can safely infer that ‘Twisted Little Lies’ is not a true story.
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