or


[10/06/20 - 09:35 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights Newest Ripped from the Headlines Movie "Girl in the Basement" Starring Stefanie Scott, Judd Nelson and Joely Fisher
Under the Broader Focus initiative, Lifetime reunites with Elisabeth Röhm who is making her directorial debut with this film.

[via press release from Lifetime]

LIFETIME GREENLIGHTS NEWEST RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES MOVIE "GIRL IN THE BASEMENT" STARRING STEFANIE SCOTT, JUDD NELSON AND JOELY FISHER

INSPIRED BY ACTUAL EVENTS

MOVIE MARKS ELISABETH RÖHM'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

Los Angeles, CA - October 6, 2020 - Lifetime greenlights Girl in the Basement for the network's Ripped from the Headlines slate, inspired by actual events of a young woman imprisoned in her family home. Girl in the Basement stars Stefanie Scott (Insidious: The Last Key, Beautiful Boy, Good Girls Get High) as Sara Cody, Judd Nelson (St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club, Empire) as her father Don and Joely Fisher (9-1-1, Station 19, Growing Up Fisher) as her mother Irene. Under the Broader Focus initiative, Lifetime reunites with Elisabeth Röhm who is making her directorial debut with this film, and executive producer Manu Boyer who directed Röhm in last year's Family Pictures movie, based on the novel of the same name. Röhm will also make a cameo in the movie. Produced by Big Dreams Entertainment and Swirl for Lifetime, Girl in the Basement will debut in 2021.

"We believe in Elisabeth and know her craft as an actress will be invaluable as she steps behind the camera to direct," said Tanya Lopez, EVP Movies, Limited Series and Original Movie Acquisitions, Lifetime & LMN. "Elisabeth's passion and commitment will bring out incredible performances from Stefanie, Judd and Joely for this extremely shocking story."

"I am profoundly impressed with Lifetime for making this brave movie. As I step behind the camera for the first time, I am beyond grateful and indebted to Tanya Lopez for being my champion and making this moment in my life possible. Thanks to Sebastian Dungan who developed the project and believed in the story from the start. I am profoundly grateful to my creative EP Manu Boyer for guiding me as a first-time director and sharing in our third movie collaboration. I am humbled by the support of my Lifetime family for pushing me to this next step in my career," said Elisabeth Röhm.

"I love working with Elisabeth. I loved directing her as an actress and I am very happy to guide her through her first steps as a director and continue this great creative collaboration," said Manu Boyer.

Inspired by actual events, Girl in the Basement is the horrific story of Sara (Stefanie Scott), a vibrant teen girl who was looking forward to her 18th birthday so she could move away from her controlling father Don (Judd Nelson). But before she could ever blow out the candles, her world became extremely dark after Don imprisons her in the basement of their home. While Don tries to convince wife Irene (Joely Fisher) that Sara ran away, he would secretly visit her in the basement to torture and rape her while Irene and her sister Amy (Emily Topper) continued living upstairs. As the years pass, Sara gives birth to several children, alone in the basement. Don eventually brings up their youngest son, leaving him on the doorstep for Irene to find with a note from Sara saying that was her son and she couldn't care for him, leaving Irene to finally accept Don's claims about Sara. After decades of captivity, Sara finally escapes, and her family learns the devastating truth about what had been going on for over 20 years right beneath their feet.

Girl in the Basement is produced by Big Dreams Entertainment and Swirl for Lifetime. Leslie Greif, Manu Boyer and Barbara Marshall, who also wrote the script, executive produce the movie while Elisabeth Röhm directs. Jessica Bahowick co-produces. Producers are Eric Tomosunas, Alex Kerr and Ron Robinson.

The network's 2020 Ripped from the Headlines slate of Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story, Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer, Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story, Neighbor in the Window, and You Can't Take My Daughter reached more than 25 million viewers total viewers, from January - April on Lifetime & LMN. Lifetime also recently announced a development deal with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for two Ripped from the Headlines movies.

About Broader Focus

The Broader Focus(TM) initiative from Lifetime(R) is dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers. Lifetime believes that the best creative product will be achieved when diverse voices are creating the media images we consume. While women continue to be extremely underrepresented in all behind-the-scenes roles, Lifetime is leading the entertainment industry by hiring women for these vital positions.

About Lifetime

Celebrating over 35 years of entertaining audiences, Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women, dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning award-winning movies, breakout non-fiction series and documentaries. Lifetime has an impressive legacy in public affairs, bringing attention to social issues that women care about with initiatives such as Stop Breast Cancer for Life, Stop Violence Against Women and Broader Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers, including women of color, to make its content. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.





  [october 2020]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· GIRL IN THE BASEMENT (LIFETIME)





[10/16/25 - 12:58 PM]
Lifetime Announces Annual "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" Holiday Movie Slate Kicking Off November 29th
Featured talent this year includes Brandy Norwood, Kane & Katelyn Brown, Loretta Devine, Debbi Morgan, Arielle Kebbel, Tyler Hilton, James Lafferty, Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Sy'Rai Smith, Nischelle Turner, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and others.

[10/16/25 - 12:31 PM]
Video: "The Witcher" Season 4 - Character Trailer - Netflix
Scattered to fates unknown, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri traverse the war-torn Continent and its countless enemies in the hope of finding each other again.

[10/16/25 - 11:32 AM]
A+E Global Media and Rachael Ray's Free Food Studios Cook Up Expanded Programming Partnership with Over 100 New Episodes Ordered
The network has ordered 110 new episodes of Ray's programming, including new episodes of "Meals in Minutes," that will continue to focus on her approachable and comforting cooking style.

[10/16/25 - 11:18 AM]
Video: "Don't Date Brandon" - Official Trailer - Paramount+
Brandon seemed like the perfect boyfriend, but when Amber reaches out to his ex-wife Athena, the truth begins to unravel, revealing a disturbing history of lies, restraining orders, and a criminal past.

[10/16/25 - 11:01 AM]
"Pop Culture Jeopardy!," from Sony Pictures Television, Returns for a Second Season on Netflix
"We couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with the exemplary team at Netflix, to bring more episodes to our passionate and loyal viewers," said Suzanne Prete.

[10/16/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Unwraps a Festive Holiday Lineup!
CBS celebrates the 2025 holiday season with an all-new lineup of joyful holiday programming!

[10/16/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: "Marines" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The coming of age docuseries follows the members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), the US military's "force in readiness" in the Pacific.

[10/16/25 - 10:02 AM]
Video: Tubi Debuts Trailer for New Horror Film "Glamping" a Killer Weekend Getaway Just in Time for Halloween
What begins as an influencer's dream cabin getaway with her friends soon unravels into a nightmare when a masked killer crashes the trip.

[10/16/25 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Three-Part Documentary Series "Alex vs ARod" Debuts November 6
From the pinnacle of athletic success to the depths of scandal, Alex Rodriguez saw his prolific baseball career marred by a high-profile suspension for performance-enhancing drug use.

[10/16/25 - 09:22 AM]
Video: "Honest Renovations: A Holiday Home Makeover" - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel
The latest installment in the franchise premieres Monday, November 10.

[10/16/25 - 09:02 AM]
Apple and NBCUniversal Introduce the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle
Customers in the U.S. can save over 30 percent by subscribing to the Apple TV and Peacock Premium bundle for $14.99 per month, or Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 per month, through either app or website.

[10/16/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Squid Game: The Challenge" - Season 2 Official Trailer - Netflix
Featuring new, unpredictable challenges and high-stakes games from the hit series, this reality competition brings the "Squid Game" phenomenon to life.

[10/16/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "LEGO Disney Frozen: Operation Puffins" - Official Trailer - Available on Disney+ October 24
After the events of "Frozen," Anna and Elsa want to start fresh in Arendelle, and make the castle feel a bit more comfortable.

[10/16/25 - 08:33 AM]
"On Patrol: Live" on Reelz+ Streaming Service Now Available on Apple TV
The expanded availability for Reelz+ comes on the heels of the network celebrating its 300th episode of "On Patrol: Live."

[10/16/25 - 08:31 AM]
Anderson Silva Faces Chris Weidman in the Ring for a Historic Trilogy Showdown on Most Valuable Promotions "Jake vs. Tank" on Friday, November 14 from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, Live Globally Only on Netflix
"Jake vs. Tank" is the culmination of four years of callouts and a brewing rivalry between Jake "El Gallo de Dorado" Paul and Gervonta "Tank" Davis.