Ricki Lake Returns to Acting in Lifetime Movie ‘She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story’ (Exclusive)

Lifetime‘s latest “Ripped from the Headlines” original movie She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story will mark Ricki Lake‘s return to acting. The former daytime talk show host will play Susan Cox Powell’s (portrayed here by Matreya Scarrwener) mother Judy Cox. Mike Dopud (Power, Deadpool 2) plays Susan’s father Chuck Cox.

Lake was a successful actress before she ever emceed her own daytime TV show. She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for playing the lead role of Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray. She became a go-to casting for the film’s director John Waters but also branched out beyond his filmography with roles in Mrs. Winterbourne, Cabin Boy, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Cookie and Inside Monkey Zetterland. Lake’s last credited acting role appears to be from a 2021 Lifetime holiday movie titled Under the Christmas Tree.

She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story is based on the true story of a young Utah mother whose disappearance becomes national news. It follows Susan’s parents as they fight for custody of their grandchildren — domestic violence has many victims.

The made-for-TV movie also marks Elisabeth Rohm’s (Girl in the Basement, The Dating App Killer and Husband, Father, Killer) return to directing for Lifetime. She and Kara Feifer executive produce the movie for their Rohm Feifer Entertainment — the banner and Lifetime have (also) previously collaborated on A Doctor to Die For: The Sarah Harris Story, Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs and Wife Stalker.

She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story, which will debut in early 2027, also marks a reunion for Rohm and Scarrwener — the former directed the latter in Husband, Father, Killer.

Susan Cox Powell had been trapped in a controlling and abusive marriage when she vanished in 2009 without a trace. Her husband Josh’s (Jonathan Whitesell) alibi is that he was camping with their two sons when Susan disappeared. His story does not add up; there is even more weirdness among extended family, and the tragedies pile up.

She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story is produced by Bruce Harvey for CMW Autumn Productions Inc. in association with Studio TF1 America Inc. and Rohm Feifer Entertainment. Timothy O. Johnson and Meghan Hooper White serve as additional executive producers. Waneta Storms wrote the script.