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Lifetime's original TV movie, I Am Elizabeth Smart (2017) is a retelling of a true story. Smart was kidnapped when she was 14 years old and the movie is from her perspective, with the real-life Elizabeth Smart as the narrator of the film.
She was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City by a religious fanatic named Brian David Mitchell, and was kept in chains in a hilly encampment where she was starved, drugged, sexually assaulted, and subjected to bizarre rituals.
The film's official synopsis explains the plot of the movie and Smart's story:
"In June 2002, Elizabeth Ann Smart was a 14-year-old girl when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City home by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell. He brought her to a hilly encampment where, with his twisted accomplice Wanda Barzee, he held Elizabeth captive."
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With Smart's on-screen narration, the film stars Alana Boden in the titular role. Skeet Ulrich and Deirdre Lovejoy play Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, respectively. Joining them is an impressive list of cast that play other characters who had an important role in Smart's life and in the kidnapping.
The main cast and characters in I Am Elizabeth Smart
1) Alana Boden as Elizabeth Smart
English actress Alana Boden had won the 2016 London Short Film Festival's Rising Star award. She had begun her career as a child model before taking on the role of an actor. She made her television debut in seasons 2 and 3 of the period drama Mr. Selfridge where she played Beatrice Selfridge. She has also acted in shows such as Hawaii Five-0, Geek Girl and has featured in the movie Infamous Six, among others.
In Lifetime's I Am Elizabeth Smart, Boden plays the titular role, which has earned the young actress, her first acting nomination as Best Actress, in the Critics Choice Awards in 2018.
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2) Skeet Ulrich as Brian David Mitchell
American actor Skeet Ulrich has about 50 acting credits in both TV and film projects. He is best known for his Best Supporting Actor-nominated portrayal of Billy Loomis in the Scream movies. His other famous roles include Detective Rex Winters in Law & Order, Sgt. Mike Trout in #FreeRayShawn, and FP Jones in Riverdale. Ulrich's recent filmography also includes Escape Room, Blood, and Supercell.
Ulrich plays Brian David Mitchell in this TV movie, the religious fanatic who abducted Smart from her home.
3) Deirdre Lovejoy as Wanda Barzee
The Texas-born actress has appeared in over 70 television and big-screen projects that span across several genres. She has starred in the rom-com Bad Teacher, the comedy thriller Killing Vivian, the musical drama Thirsty, as well as in crime dramas like American Gothic, the Primetime Emmy-nominated Bones, and more recently, in The Blacklist. However, she is best known for her role as Rhonda Pearlman, in HBO's The Wire.
Lovejoy plays Wanda Barzee in I Am Elizabeth Smart, Mitchell's former wife and his accomplice in keeping Smart captured in the encampment, where she was subjected to abuse.
Also read: Is M. Night Shyamalan's Trap based on a true story?
4) Anne Openshaw as Lois Smart
The Canadian Screen Awards-nominated actress, has nearly 60 projects in her filmography. She has mostly appeared in TV movies like Fatal Reunion, Criminal Intent, and Captive Hearts. She also worked in several romantic comedies for the Hallmark Channel, such as, Just In Time for Christmas, Date With Love, and Summer in the Vineyard.
Openshaw plays Elizabeth's mother, Lois Smart, in I Am Elizabeth Smart.
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5) Cassidy Nugent as Mary Katherine Smart
Cassidy Nugent has appeared in several Hallmark Channel movies, including Love Struck Cafe and television series such as When Calls the Heart. Both these projects have earned her Best Actress and Best Guest Star Actress wins, respectively, in the Joey Awards. She also has acting credits in Van Helsing, Big Sky River, and its second installment, Big Sky River: The Bridal Path.
Nugent plays Elizabeth's sister, Mary Katherine, in I Am Elizabeth Smart.
Supporting cast members in I Am Elizabeth Smart
Here are the supporting cast members who play significant characters related to Elizabeth Smart's story:
- London Cardinal as William Smart
- Sarah Madison Barrow as Olivia
- Ethan Farrell as Andrew
- Devin Johnston as Dave
- Kiefeer O'Reilly as Edward
- Graem Beddoes as the Grocery Clerk
- Pete Graham as the Nevada Bus Driver
- Chelsey Moore as the Woman in the Library
- Robin T. Rose as the Radio Man
- J.J. Webb as the Jogger
Viewers can watch I Am Elizabeth Smart on Lifetime Movie Club via Prime Video or Apple TV with a subscription, or for free with ads on Tubi TV.
