Lifetime Premieres Original Movie CLEVELAND ABDUCTION Tonight

SAG Award winner Taryn Manning (Orange Is the New Black, Hustle & Flow, 8 Mile) stars as Michelle Knight and SAG nominee Raymond Cruz (Breaking Bad, Major Crimes) portrays Ariel Castro in the Lifetime Original Movie CLEVELAND ABDUCTION (#ClevelandAbduction) produced by Sony Pictures Television. Premiering tonight, April 25, at 8pm ET/PT, the film explores the true story of Michelle Knight, a 21-year-old single mom whose life was irrevocably changed by a chance encounter with an unsuspected criminal.

On August 22, 2002, Knight was abducted by Castro (Cruz) in Cleveland and held captive in his home for more than 11 years. Finding strength through her belief in God and determined to be reunited with her son, Knight refused to be broken by the twisted Castro. Soon thereafter, he abducted two teenagers, Amanda Berry (Samantha Droke, Eastwick) and Gina DeJesus (Katie Sarife, Supernatural), and imprisoned them alongside Michelle, who then became a friend and sister figure to her fellow victims.

When Berry became pregnant with Castro's child, it was Knight who delivered her baby, even performing CPR on the infant girl under the threat of Castro while he told her, "If the baby dies, you die." Despite enduring more than a decade of brutality, Michelle's spirit would not be broken, and her unshakable faith in the face of a seemingly hopeless situation was a testament to the human spirit. On May 6, 2013, Michelle was rescued from the home that was her prison for nearly 11 years, and finally given the chance to reclaim her life.

Golden Globe Award nominee Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) portrays Carla, a nurse who helped care for Knight in the hospital, and Emmy Award winner Joe Morton (Scandal) plays Solano, an FBI agent in charge of the investigation.

Cleveland Abduction is produced by Sony Pictures Television. Executive producers are Judith Verno (Masters of Sex, Lizzie Borden Took an Ax) and Frank von Zerneck (The Elizabeth Smart Story, Left to Die). David Rosemont (Bonnie & Clyde) produces. The film is written by Stephen Tolkin (The Craigslist Killer) and directed by Alex Kalymnios (Becoming Human, Hollyoaks).

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, around the world and for a multitude of platforms. In addition to having one of the industry's largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. In addition to its U.S. production business, SPT has 19 wholly owned or joint venture production companies in 13 countries and also maintains offices in 31 countries. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio includes 148 channel feeds available in 178 countries, reaching more than 1.2 billion cumulative households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns U.S. production company Embassy Row and is a part owner of cable channel Game Show Network (GSN) and national U.S. media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premier national advertising sales companies and handles the commercial inventory in SPT's Syndicated series as well as the Rural Media Group and DoctorOz.com.

ABOUT LIFETIME
Lifetime is a premier female-focused entertainment destination dedicated to offering the highest-quality original programming that spans scripted series, nonfiction series and movies. As a result of the network's aggressive programming strategy, which has doubled the hours of its original programming, in 2014 Lifetime reached its strongest ranking among the key Women 18-49 demo in six years and its youngest median age in 18 years. Lifetime® Television, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime® Digital 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.

Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for GLAAD

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