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Jana Kramer shared a tribute to domestic violence survivor Morgan Metzer and a poignant message as her newest movie premiered on Sunday (June 9).
Kramer, 40, plays Metzer in Lifetime’s new “Ripped from the Headlines” thriller, Gaslit By My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story. She stars in the movie alongside One Tree Hill co-star Austin Nichols and her real-life daughter, Jolie Rae Caussin, 8, in her acting debut.
“Domestic violence can shatter lives,” Kramer said in a PSA that she posted on Instagram as the movie premiered on Sunday. “It affects millions of people, including myself. You deserve to live a life free from shame, fear and abuse. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-SAFE. Please join me and Lifetime in overcoming domestic violence.
“My hope is that it helps at least one person. Whether that be finding help or finding peace,” Kramer wrote in her caption. “Morgan was brave enough to let me tell her story because she knew it wasn’t just her story. Though Morgan’s story wasn’t exactly how my DV relationship started or ended, the familiar thread is what makes all of our stories thread together. The feeling crazy, the physical abuse, the mental, the verbal abuse ..the believing it was our fault, that we deserved it, that we weren’t enough…that we were bad. Morgan was lucky to survive but many are not. Please join me and lifetime to stop violence against women. Call 1-800-799-7233. Help is available. And as Morgan said on our press tour, Gaslighting is sneaky and she hopes women watch tonight to pay attention to some of the signs. 💜”
Kramer said earlier this year that she’s “ready to bring this true story to life,” and “wildly proud” of her daughter for appearing alongside her in the film. She said it would be a “challenging” role, but one she was “ready” to take on. Lifetime describes the film:
“Based on a true story, the movie follows Morgan (Jana Kramer) and Rodney Metzer (Austin Nichols) who were childhood sweethearts and married by the time Morgan was just 21 years old. The couple loses their first child shortly after birth but are overjoyed when they have twins a year later. Tensions began to rise when Rodney loses his job and goes into debt. Rodney blames their fights on Morgan’s drinking – even if she’d only had one – and convinces Morgan that she pushed him down the stairs in a blackout rage. The couple finally separates, and Morgan’s life begins to turn around, until Rodney gets diagnosed with cancer. Not long after, a masked intruder breaks into Morgan’s home and assaults her. Rodney shows up only minutes after the intruder is gone; when authorities question him, Rodney’s story doesn’t seem to be adding up. Does Rodney really have cancer and is he the hero that he claims to be, or has he been gaslighting Morgan for decades? J. Barrett Cooper, Denise Dal Vera and Maximo Sherman also star.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse in a relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline for 24/7/365 confidential support at 800-799-7233 (SAFE), or text BEGIN to 88788, or chat online.