Kodjoe said the relationship between Ian and Lila evolves as a result of the traumatic situation. You deal with and you manage your child, and there’s a whole lot of things we project on our children.” But, to me, at the core was the mother and son relationship, because when you have a child on the spectrum, as a parent, you constantly put out fires. “Obviously, there are circumstances that are high stakes and dangerous and suspenseful, which lent itself to heighten the stakes to the point where it’s life or death. “The mother/son relationship is what attracted me to the script,” Kodjoe said. There’s a lot there to explore and Kodjoe does it with expert precision and compassion. Kodjoe said that he was drawn to the Nneka Gerstle-penned screenplay primarily, however, by the powerful dynamic between the mother and son. “You know, she has this massive presence and persona.” Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker on the set of ‘Safe Room’ “We did not know how sweet and kind and shy and delicate she was,” said Parker. However, Parker revealed that the actress was down to earth. Kodjoe also admitted that meeting the iconic Drea de Matteo was intimidating. “She felt like a real mom to me, and both Boris and Nicole knew that this was going to be like their first movie project, so they made sure before, we had lunch together.” “Well, she was amazing,” Sanchez told reporters. Zoom call for TV JournalistsĪt Lifetime’s recent Virtual Press TCA Day for the film, Sanchez himself said the emotional connection Ian and his mother share came from Parker’s warmth on set. Lifetime also provides resources to learn more about autism at the end of the film. It’s a measure that more films and shows are taking as roles for those on the spectrum are becoming more inclusive. According to the television movie’s official site, the network’s advocacy involved working in tandem with RespectAbility to ensure that the script approached Ian’s character appropriately.įurthermore, Sanchez is himself on the autism spectrum. Lifetimes’ efforts to portray Ian with authenticity are remarkable.