*In conjunction with the Monday (Aug. 28) premiere of TV One’s original film “When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story,” cast members Tami Roman, Lance Gross, Lil Mama and Tasha Smith filmed a public service announcement about domestic violence to air during the broadcast.
Based on an episode of the network’s true crime series, “For My Man,” “When Love Kills” depicts the true story of a teen mom in Atlanta who found herself the victim of psychological manipulation and physical abuse by a man who claimed to love her. Instead, he encouraged her participation in a life of stripping, prostitution, robbery and ultimately, murder – all in the name of love.
Roman, Gross, Lil Mama and Smith appear in the PSA, which reveals that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“When I was 14, I dropped out of school – a lot of people don’t know that. By the age of 16, I was bartending in a strip club, by the age of 20 I was stripping…so I understand how Falicia got there,” says director Tasha Smith, who makes her feature-length directorial debut with the film. “By the grace of God, I ended up here, but she ended up in jail for the rest of her life.”
“This film is a cautionary tale about everything love shouldn’t be in our communities,” says Lori Hall, TV One SVP of Marketing. “Tasha Smith directs a powerful story that reveals exactly how a teenager can fall victim to a relationship that quickly moves from loving to abusive and unhealthy. We want this film to be a wake-up call for young people and families and we hope it will start a lot of dialogue in homes around the country.”
Watch the PSA below:
Additionally, TV One partnered with Saving Our Daughters, an organization whose mission is to empower teenage girls from multicultural backgrounds through theater, music, film and television, to help overcome many obstacles such as bullying (cyber, gossip, face-to-face), dating abuse, domestic violence and other esteem slayers. Young ladies attended the “When Love Kills” premieres held in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles to walk the red carpet with the cast and have a dialogue about real love and self-esteem.
“When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story” premieres Monday, August 28 at 9 p.m. ET on TV One.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
