Posted on September 22, 2020 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate is a film that’s very much of the moment.  We live in a society that is obsessed with celebrities, even faded ones like Ava and Hayden.  We also live in a world where ordinary people — like Olivia — can actually connect with celebrities via social media.  At the same time, though people may not always be quick to admit it, we all secretly suspect that most celebrities are actually crazy and probably have a dungeon underneath their mansion.  Even our favorites are often suspected of harboring dark secrets, as seen by the eagerness of the twitter mob to cancel their former heroes.  As such, we can all relate to Olivia’s willingness to be a part of Ava and Hayden’s seemingly glamorous life while, at the time, Ava and Hayden’s “quirks” serve to confirm what we’ve always suspected about what goes on behind closed doors in Beverly Hills and on Park Avenue.

The Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate strikes a good balance between thriller and satire.  It embraces the melodrama while also retaining enough self-awarness to be fun.  Brianne Davis and Carl Beukes are both entertainingly sleazy as the celebrity couple from Hell while Carrie Wampler is sympathetic and likable in the role of Olivia.  This is an entertaining Lifetime movie that will be enjoyed by anyone who has ever looked at a celebrity tweet and thought to themselves, “What a weirdo.”

After her ex leaves her devastated, Olivia is desperate to flee the city to get a fresh start. She is contacted by an old friend offering a very lucrative opportunity and Olivia agrees to be the surrogate for a very successful actress. Olivia is welcomed into her home and pampered in the lap of luxury. But appearances can be deceiving, when she finds out that Starlet and her husband are harboring some very dark secrets.

Directed by Mark Gantt
Written by Courtney Henggeler
Produced by Ross Kohn and Nancy Leopardi
Director of Photography Andrew Russo