ET exclusively debuts the first trailer of the original movie inspired by the real-life scandal.
Lifetime's original movie about the controversial NXIVM cult has its very first trailer -- and as expected, it is bonkers.
Based on Catherine Oxenberg's memoir, Captive, the upcoming TV film, Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter, details the real-life story of Oxenberg's quest to save her daughter, India, from the organization, and only ET has the exclusive trailer of the movie.
The story follows Catherine (Andrea Roth), who takes a 20-year-old India (Jasper Polish) to a leadership seminar at NXIVM, only to find her daughter pulled into the cult and eventually joining a secret sorority of female members who are “branded with the cult leader’s initials, ordered to maintain a restricted diet and forced to recruit other women as sex slaves.”
In the dramatic minute-long trailer, which will officially make its broadcast debut Friday, Peter Facinelli creepily embodies cult leader Keith Raniere as he shares, with unnerving verve, NXIVM's (or rather his) controversial outlook on the purported self-help group's mantra.
"This is more than just top-secret," Keith says in voiceover in the opening seconds of the film's trailer, as FBI agents close in on the cult's top leaders. "This is about learning to reach your maximum potential."
"Yes master," a young woman, presumably India, agrees without much of a fight, as a vignette of scandalous moments between Keith and India flash to amplify just how inappropriate things get. Later, she expresses to someone, almost dejectedly, "You have no idea what these people are capable of."
"He just wants what's best for all of us," says Allison, who is played by Sara Fletcher, the actress bearing an uncanny resemblance to the real-life Mack. "Are you ready for your NXIVM transformation?" Watch ET's exclusive trailer above to get the full experience.
In June, Raniere was found guilty on seven counts, including sex trafficking, racketeering and conspiracy charges. Raniere faces life in prison. Mack, best known for Smallville and Raniere's associate, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in April.
Following the premiere of Escaping the NXIVM Cult, Lifetime will roll out a documentary special with journalist Gretchen Carlson called Beyond the Headlines: Escaping the NXIVM Cult With Gretchen Carlson. The companion doc will show Carlson investigating the cult and feature a sit-down with Oxenberg about her real-life journey to save her daughter from NXIVM.
Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother's Fight to Save Her Daughter, part of Lifetime's "Ripped from the Headlines" slate, premieres Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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