Melissa Ponzio chats about being a Mom in Lifetime’s ‘Cheerleader Nightmare’, premiering this Sunday on Lifetime – 8pm ET.
While flying a drone with the AV club, teenage Sophie (Taylor Murphy) accidentally spies her boyfriend cheating with the school’s head cheerleader. But when the cheerleader turns up murdered, Sophie’s boyfriend becomes the prime suspect. He insists he’s innocent, bringing her evidence that he didn’t do it, and Sophie believes the killer is framing her unfaithful boyfriend. When the killer strikes again, Sophie realizes that she must discover the real truth before she becomes the latest victim.
I’m a fan of Melissa Ponzio (Chicago Fire, Teen Wolf, Walking Dead), so it was a treat to speak with her about Cheerleader Nightmare, a new movie from Lifetime premiering this Sunday, July 29 at 8pm ET, and her role as Mom to teenage daughter Taylor Murphy, whose boyfriend is accused of murdering a friend and fellow cheerleader.
Cheerleader Nightmare sounds so intriguing, what were the challenges in filming this mystery?
Melissa Ponzio. Lifetime is dedicated to the stories it brings to its Young Adult audience. They want it to be believable and suspenseful, while managing the emotional ups and downs of being a teenager in the modern world. How do you process friendships, secrets, comradery, tragedy, and being able to conceal and protect your friends, when your community has suffered a tragic loss? It’s ordinary people surviving extraordinary things.
What was it like working with Taylor Ashley Murphy?
Melissa Ponzio. Taylor brought her A game. We shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico on a 15 day schedule. It’s Taylor’s movie, she was very hands on, really delving into creating her character, both internally and externally. Playing a mother and daughter in such a traumatic experience was very intense. We got very close. She’s a total professional.
Were you professionally trained as an actress?
Melissa Ponzio. I graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Journalism. I minored in Theatre Arts, but I was always the class clown and I like to have fun. My Mom was supportive, she told me “just go for it”, and that’s what I did.
I know you live in Atlanta, have you had the opportunity to work in your home town yet?
Melissa Ponzio. Yes. Pinewood Atlanta Studios, in Fayette, is becoming a mecca for film production. We actually filmed much of The Walking Dead there.
I loved Teen Wolf. It really caught on, becoming almost an overnight sensation.
Melissa Ponzio. I know, I think of it as Romeo and Juliet, the Vampire version! The writers followed through on giving it a lot of heart and mythology. It was a role, that as my long time partner, actor Kenny Alfonso says, “gives you everything an actor signs up for”.
Thank you Melissa. I’ll be watching Cheerleader Nightmare, this Sunday, July 29 at 8pm ET on Lifetime.
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