Is Killing the Competition based on a true Story? Explained

Killing the Competition made its grand premiere on Sunday, March 1, 2025, on the Lifetime Network and brought to life a harrowing story about a mother's obsession with her daughter's success. Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Lilly Brooks O'Briant, Eddie Mills, and more, the story focuses on a mother who goes above and beyond just to make sure that she will do anything to make her daughter into a success.

In the trailer for Killing the Competition, it boldly makes the statement that the story is based on true events. The actors, especially Melissa Joan Hart, has previously stated how she was inspired by real-life events to tackle her character Elizabeth Fenwick, and the story also pulls from many real-life scenarios.

However, overall, the movie is still largely a work of fiction with these events not having happened in real-life. It is only inpsired by those, but the story as a whole, was still something that was made up for the purpose of entertainment.

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Killing the Competition is inspired by true-crime events

Killing the Competition very much portrays a deep and dark story about a mother's obsession going a bit too far. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that the film itself wasn't based on real-crime stories. However, the exact plot of the movie still remains fictional. It is only inspired by real-life events that helped serve as an inspiration for the story.

While these events may have happened, as the stars of the film have previously spoken about how they were inspired by real-life cases to tackle their characters, the film exists in the vaccum of the imagination of its writers.

Talking about the plot itself with TV Insider, actress Melissa Joan Hart explained how she thought that the story was initially absurd even though it was written as a true-crime drama.

She explained that Killing the Competition itself could be stranger than fiction, but that was the entire point of it:

Yeah, it was really hard because it was written as a true-crime drama. However, when some people read it, they found it to be comedy. We had to find the sweet spot in between. We ended up saying it’s absurd. Sometimes life can be stranger than fiction," explained Hart.

She continued:

"We’ve heard that many times. This is one of those stories where it’s stranger than fiction. You don’t want to believe there are people like that out there, but there are a few."

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Melissa Joan Hart opens up about playing Elizabeth in Killing the Competition

In the film, Melissa Joan Hart stars as the witchy mom who is a little bit too obsessed with making sure that her daughter is successful. Elizabeth's character is a bit complicated in that regard, and Hart does her best to bring this role to life in all its villainous absurdity that makes her seem so menacing. She is only a mother trying to relive her past glory through her daughter and failing at it.

Talking about the role with TV Insider, Hart revealed how she wasn't too much into the role originally, but reading up more about it got her interested.

"It’s interesting because it was not a role I was super into at first. It seemed like the story had been told before. The mom of a cheerleader who wants better for her daughter and that kind of thing. Then the more we dug in and layered in some fun stuff, I started to get into playing this character. It’s based on a true crime, so it’s absurd there," she revealed.

She later continued:

"There is also this angle where you can also relate. I have three teenage boys, so to relate to a teenager and the emotions that come up as a mom. When they are teens, they may start moving out of the house and not need you as much anymore."

Viewers can currently tune in for Killing the Competition as it is available to purchase, rent, or stream on video-on-demand services.