Diamond-selling R&B singer Ne-Yo will star in a new psychological thriller, Held Hostage in My House.
Lifetime acquired the movie, formerly titled Blunt, which premieres Saturday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET on the network.
Held Hostage in My House also stars Amy Smart (Starship Troopers, Rat Race), Matt Davis (Legally Blonde, Blue Crush), Billy Zane (Titanic, Back to the Future), and Greer Grammer (Awkward, Deadly Illusions).
Per the logline, “A single mother (Smart) wakes up to find herself hogtied and held captive at her country vacation rental by an unknown assailant. In a race against time, she must piece together clues from the previous guests to find out who assaulted her, and hopefully survive the ordeal.”
Ne-Yo plays Professor Mead in the movie. “I was drawn to the project because it doesn’t give you everything right away like most films do today,” he said in a behind-the-scenes video. “As I read the script to this, I literally had no idea where it was going to end up.”
He added, “My favorite thing about my character is his quirkiness. He’s an art professor. However, he’s still cool in his own right, meaning he wants to be the artist that everybody respects his work and gets accolades, but he knows he doesn’t have the talent, so he prides himself on finding the next talent, and he feels that Dawn is that talent.”
Ne-Yo concluded, “I personally feel like this is the kind of movie that all audiences can get into, be you a fan of that film that just gives it all to you up front or be you a fan of the film that makes you think a little bit, you’re going to find something about this film to appreciate.”
Held Hostage in My House is written and directed by Anna Elizabeth James. The movie was produced under James’ Kiss and Tale Productions banner alongside Richard Switzer, Julie Gause, Paul Luba and Chad Verdi Jr.
Larry Galluzzo and Tim Bien are executive producers. Voltage Pictures, LLC helms the global rights.
Ne-Yo is no stranger to acting. The multitalented entertainer recently appeared in the series BMF, starred in the series Step Up: High Water, and will star in the upcoming romantic comedy The Pact.
In June, Ne-Yo released his single “2 Million Secrets” under his independent label Compound Entertainment.
“It’s a blessing to be in this position to control my own destiny as an independent artist,” says Ne-Yo. “My artistry means everything to me and I’m excited to embrace this new beginning with ‘2 Million Secrets.’ It’s a personal song that took growth to write, but I’m proud to share it with the world.”
In other news, Ne-Yo’s Las Vegas residency, Human Love Rebellion, at Wynn Las Vegas kicks off Aug. 7. The three-night residency concludes Aug. 10.