Lifetime’s Girl in the Garage The Laura Cowan Story: Filming Locations and BTS (2025)

The emotional drama Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story on Lifetime is based on the true story of Laura Cowan. It gives a very clear picture of Laura’s terrifying ordeal of being held captive with her children—showing how strong people can be.

The film stars Paige Hurd as Laura Cowan, Brad James as Shabazz, and Stephen Bishop as Musa. It was directed by Manu Boyer and put together by a hardworking crew. This Lifetime thriller is going to release today, i.e., 18-jan-2025, has captivated viewers with its honest and powerful portrayal of survival and bravery. In this article, we’ll explore the filming locations, plot and behind-the-scenes insights of Girl in the Garage.

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story Plot Summary

The movie tells the story of Laura Cowan, a loving wife and mother whose life is turned upside down when her husband, Shabazz, gets arrested. When he gets arrested, her life turns upside down. When Laura doesn’t have anyone to turn to, a family friend named Musa offers her and her kids a place to stay. When Musa locks them in his garage and holds them hostage, though, his offer quickly turns into a nightmare.

Laura and her children are held captive for years and are abused physically and emotionally. Even though things are hard, Laura’s resolve to escape grows stronger every day. She finally figures out how to get to the outside world, which saves her family. What the police find, though, is even scarier: Musa had trapped more people than just Laura and her kids. He had locked up other women and kids in his house. Laura was very brave and strong as she fought not only for her freedom but also for the freedom of those who were suffering with her.

Where Was Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story Filmed?

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story is based on a powerful true story that was brought to life in Missouri, mostly in and around Kansas City. The moviemakers chose these places because they were adaptable and could be used instead of Los Angeles and Ohio. The diverse range of Missouri’s landscapes and city scenes made the movie seem more real and sank deeper into the emotional journey of the story.

Lifetime’s Girl in the Garage The Laura Cowan Story: Filming Locations and BTS (1)

Kansas City, Missouri

The main filming took place in Kansas City, which has lively neighborhoods and historic buildings that provide great backgrounds for important scenes in the story. Several scenes took place in well-known places like Westport, which is known for its pretty streets, and Swope Park, which is one of the biggest parks in the area. The production team loved how Kansas City’s unique urban vibe made it a great stand-in for bigger cities and gave the movie a more real feel.

Corey McCartney said, “Kansas City has this incredible mix of modern and historic settings that allowed us to recreate the various environments essential to the story.”

Lifetime’s Girl in the Garage The Laura Cowan Story: Filming Locations and BTS (2)

Overland Park, Kansas

Overland Park, which is just a short drive south of Kansas City, was used for many movies. This quiet suburban area gave the story by Laura Cowan a more personal and peaceful setting that fit its intense and emotional parts. Monstera’s Books on Floyd Street is one of the places where some of the movie’s most moving and powerful scenes were filmed. The town’s warm and friendly vibe made it the perfect place to film the movie’s touching scenes.

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Downtown Kansas City

The filmmakers also used downtown Kansas City to show how busy and lively Los Angeles is and how peaceful and community-focused Ohio is. Different kinds of buildings downtown gave the movie a feel of both city life and everyday life, which made the setting feel real and fit the intense story.

Local Community Involvement

One of the best parts of the production was how local businesses and communities helped make the movie. The movie’s settings came to life with the help of local shops, parks and other places. The film’s emotional tone and setting stayed true to life because the filmmakers worked closely with people from Kansas City.

When Did the Filming of Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story Take Place?

The movie was shot from October 2024 to early November 2024. The production took a few weeks, and the main goal was to show how real and emotional the true story was. “Every moment on set was about honoring Laura’s courage and resilience,” director Victoria Rowell said of the team’s hard work during this time. The film’s powerful story came to life thanks to its careful planning and efficient shooting schedule.

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story Cast Details

The film’s powerful narrative comes alive through a talented cast:

  • Paige Hurd as Laura Cowan: Known for her roles in Power Book II: Ghost and Everybody Hates Chris.
  • Brad James as Shabazz: A versatile actor with credits in Outer Banks and For Better or Worse.
  • Stephen Bishop as Musa: A familiar face from Moneyball and Being Mary Jane.
  • Maresha Robinson as Marva Barfield: Best known for her work in short films and TV projects.
  • Shanica Knowles as Zara: Recognized for her roles in Hannah Montana and Babysitter’s Nightmare.

Child actors Sanaa Sade Salaam, Jackson Little, Jazzanae Sherman, and Kaiden Nicholas Johnson play supporting roles that give the story more depth.

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story” Behind The Scenes

The filmmakers put a lot of effort into recreating the frightening reality of Laura Cowan’s experience. They used real life locations along with carefully designed sets to help the cast & crew truly feel connected to the story. Director Manu Boyer stated, “Capturing the essence of this true story was both challenging and rewarding. The team’s dedication was inspiring.”

The places in Kansas City helped make the setting feel raw and real, which made the story even more intense. Local businesses and communities were also very important to the success of the production, which added to the film’s overall realism.

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story Official Trailer

The official trailer gives us a look at Laura’s crazy journey to stay alive:

Girl in the Garage: The Laura Cowan Story felt real and powerful because of the places where it was filmed. Places like Kansas City and Overland Park were used to film scenes that helped bring Laura Cowan’s hard but hopeful journey to life. These places gave the movie a more real feel, which made it even stronger. Finally, the film shows how strong and brave people who go through hard times are, showing that they can get through anything.

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Lifetime’s Girl in the Garage The Laura Cowan Story: Filming Locations and BTS (2025)
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