Meagan Good’s new movie Death Saved My Life was inspired by a true tale ripped from the headlines. A successful businesswoman seems to have a wonderful life in public but lives in turmoil behind closed doors. Her husband becomes violently abusive, and as she attempts to leave he hires a hitman to kill her. She learns of this plot and has a life-changing decision to make. Does she stay or leave? This is going to be an edge-of-your-seat drama. The movie premieres on Lifetime on Saturday, February 13th at 8 pm ET.
Death Saved My Life Release Date
Death Saved My Life Plot
On the surface, it seems Jade (Meagan Good) has it all, a successful marketing career, a husband admired and respected in the community, and a young daughter they both dote on. But behind closed doors, her life is far from idyllic. Her husband Ed (Chiké Okonkwo) is a controlling man who is physically and psychologically abusive. When Jade decides to leave Ed, he tells her “If I can’t have you, nobody will,” a threat which becomes very real when she discovers he has hired someone to kill her. Knowing no one will believe her, Jade realizes the only way to escape Ed is to make him believe the hitman completed the job and that she is dead. –Lifetime
Exclusive Interview With The Cast
We previously interviewed Meagan Good’s hubby regarding his new book. This time Celebrity Myxer had a chance to sit down and interview Meagan, her real sister La’Myia Good, and Chiké Okonkwo about the movie. The actors discussed mental health issues in the Black community, domestic violence, and what pushes a person to escape from an abusive relationship.
In the film, all characters are dealing with some form of mental health issues (whether they know it or not.) Meagan’s character, Jade, suffers from depression. La’Myia’s character, Lee, suffers from bipolar disorder. We discover she disappeared for ten years but vows to her sibling she is back and will never abandon her, and her niece. Chiké’s character, Ed, unknowingly is extremely narcissistic and violent.
Meagan Good, Chiké Okonkwo & La’Myia Good in “Death Saved My Life” movie
Chiké tells us this type of narcissist person is very controlling, overtly loving but violent and dark. Okonkwo also shows his admiration for Jade’s character as she garnered the strength to leave, and (spoiler alert…) turn the tables on him.
La’miya enlightened us on how important a movie like this is necessary for society amidst a pandemic. We have been limited inside for about a year. And for some people, they may be forced to live with their abuser. Hopefully, watching this film will empower the victim to gain the courage to either start the conversation or gain the strength to leave.
Meagan expressed a few key points in our interview with her. First, she spoke on how the film normalized mental health conditions. She pointed out people living with bipolar conditions are normal people but living with a condition they oft cannot control. “They think these people are crazy when they’re not,” explains Meagan. “Not all mental illnesses are in a manic state,” Good elaborates. “We have four friends who are bipolar, and one in particular, I would get frustrated at her when she wouldn’t leave an abusive relationship. I had to eventually learn that, she would leave when she was ready,” Meagan Good confesses.
Second, she talked about the courage of women in situations like her character. Death Saved My Life was based on a true story of a woman who faked her death in order to get out of an abusive relationship. However, this story arc illustrated how a victim turned the power and sanity tables against her abuser. Good quotes, “courage isn’t doing something because you’re brave, it’s being absolutely terrified yet doing it anyway.”
Third, we asked Meagan what she personally does to keep her own mental stability. She explained her daily regiment of starting with God first, saying prayers and affirmations over herself. Being sure not to reach for her phone first. She continues with a spiritual song first, before “getting a lil ratchet after that.” In short, she focuses on positivity and spirituality led by God versus focusing on anything else that would guide her day.
There are a lot of topics we’ve covered in our exclusive interview with the cast. If you are dealing with some of the issues in this movie (or know someone who is) please watch! If you need someone to talk to- either ask us in the comments or contact us directly.
Is Death Saved My Life movie based on a true story?
Meagan Good Stars in Death Saved My Life
Yes! In the film, Good’s character stages an elaborate plot to fake her own death in an effort to escape her menacing hubby.
Stay tuned…
After the Meagan Good Lifetime movie, Beyond the Headlines: Faking Death, will air. This is an expose by writer Elizabeth Greenwood, who discusses her research on the phenomenon of “pseudocide,” or faking one’s own death. Based on the experience of Jane in Death Saved My Life, Greenwood discusses the main reason why women fake their deaths, and why a disappearing woman in books and movies is so popular. She also presents real-life cases of faked deaths that have captured the public eye, and why people resort to such lengths to disappear. This piece airs right after the movie at 10 pm ET on Lifetime.
The Intruder co-star will give us an exclusive insight into the movie in an interview. More on that soon… In the meantime, be sure to check out the trailer above and drop a line in the comments below!
