‘I Am Elizabeth Smart’ Lifetime Movie Premiere: See Photos, Cast And Trailer

Many of Lifetime’s original movies based on real-life events are unauthorized, but its newest one, “I Am Elizabeth Smart,” which premieres tonight, is fully authorized.

The film is based on the true events of Elizabeth Smart’s abduction 15 years ago and is airing a few days after Lifetime’s sister network, A&E, premiered its two-part “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography” special, as part of a cross-network event to mark the 15th anniversary of Smart’s kidnapping.

“I Am Elizabeth Smart” features Skeet Ulrich (“Riverdale”) as Brian David Mitchell, Smart’s kidnapper and captor for nine months, along with Deirdre Lovejoy (“The Blacklist”), who plays his co-conspirator Wanda Barzee. Alana Boden (“Ride”) stars as Elizabeth.

A first film about the kidnapping was released in 2003 on CBS, shortly after the incident, but it didn’t fully tell the story, as Smart wasn’t yet ready to share all that had happened to her.

Now, Smart’s involved in the movie-making process and was both a producer and the on-screen narrator of this Lifetime original, which should help viewers to better understand all that she went through.

“Elizabeth herself, as a producer and on-screen narrator, explores how she survived, and confronts the truths and misconceptions about her captivity,” the film synopsis explained.

The film follows the events of the kidnapping, which began in June 2002, when 14-year-old Elizabeth “was abducted from her Salt Lake City home by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell,” according to the synopsis.

“He brought her to a hilly encampment where, with his twisted accomplice Wanda Barzee, he held Elizabeth captive. She was starved, drugged, raped and subjected to bizarre religious rituals until, nine months later, she enabled her own rescue,” the synopsis continued.

The film was executive produced by Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch and Joan Harrison of Asylum Entertainment, as well as Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed of Marwar Junction Productions. Barbara Lieberman and Tom Patricia were also executive producers, along with the aforementioned Smart as a producer. The script was written by Tory Walker.

The Sarah Walker-directed “I Am Elizabeth Smart” airs on Lifetime tonight at 8 p.m. EST.