Italia Ricci takes on a central role in the 2026 thriller “The Boy with My Son’s Face,” a Lifetime television movie directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero. The film combines mystery, family drama, and psychological suspense around a mother whose life is turned upside down when she encounters an image of a boy who appears to be connected to her deceased son.
Released on March 14, 2026, the film stars Italia Ricci alongside Stephanie Izsak, Luke Camilleri, Siobhan Williams, and Gigi Saul Guerrero. Ricci plays the character Susan Webster, the mother at the heart of the story.
Who Is Italia Ricci?
Italia Ricci is a Canadian actress known for appearing in television dramas, comedies, and thriller productions. Her television work has included prominent roles that have allowed her to move between lighter dramatic performances and more serious character-driven stories.
In “The Boy with My Son’s Face,” Ricci takes on a much darker and more emotionally demanding role as Susan Webster. The character is placed at the center of an unsettling mystery that forces her to question her memories, relationships, and understanding of what happened to her child.
Her involvement is particularly notable because the film depends heavily on its central character’s emotional journey. Rather than simply presenting a conventional thriller mystery, the story follows a mother trying to determine whether the disturbing evidence in front of her could actually be connected to her past.
Italia Ricci as Susan Webster
Italia Ricci portrays Susan Webster, a woman whose life has been shaped by a devastating loss and a deeply troubling past.
The story begins with Susan facing an extraordinary situation involving her newborn son. According to the film’s synopsis, Susan wakes one night to discover that her baby is missing, only for the police to tell her that the child was never there.
The mystery becomes even more complicated as Susan’s story continues. After years have passed, she sees a photograph of a boy who looks remarkably similar to her dead son, despite the boy being older and apparently alive.
That discovery becomes the driving force behind the film’s mystery and sends Susan searching for answers.
The Story Behind “The Boy with My Son’s Face”
At its core, “The Boy with My Son’s Face” is a mystery thriller about grief, memory, identity, and deception.
Susan’s world changes when she encounters the photograph of a boy who appears to have an extraordinary resemblance to her deceased child. Instead of dismissing the image, she begins searching for an explanation.
The film’s official descriptions emphasize the increasingly disturbing nature of Susan’s investigation. As she searches for answers, she encounters secrets and deception that cause her to question people she once trusted.
This setup gives Ricci’s character a complicated emotional journey. Susan is not simply trying to solve an unexplained mystery; she is also forced to confront painful memories and uncertainty surrounding one of the most traumatic experiences of her life.
Why Italia Ricci’s Role Is Important
Susan Webster is the emotional center of the movie, making Italia Ricci’s performance particularly important to the story.
The mystery works because viewers experience many of its revelations through Susan’s perspective. As she attempts to understand what the photograph means, the audience is encouraged to question what is real, what has been hidden, and who can be trusted.
This type of thriller requires the lead performer to balance vulnerability with determination. Susan is presented as someone dealing with an extraordinary amount of emotional pressure while simultaneously trying to uncover information that could completely change her understanding of the past.
Ricci’s role therefore goes beyond simply being the film’s lead character. Susan’s search for the truth provides the narrative framework around which the film’s mystery develops.
Italia Ricci and the Emotional Side of the Thriller
Although the film is categorized as a mystery and thriller, its story also contains a strong dramatic component.
The central mystery is closely connected to Susan’s experience as a mother and the devastating loss surrounding her child. This gives the suspense a personal dimension because the questions Susan is trying to answer are directly connected to her identity and emotional history.
The combination of family drama and mystery is one of the movie’s defining characteristics. Instead of relying entirely on external danger, the story creates tension through uncertainty and Susan’s increasingly desperate search for the truth.
For Italia Ricci, this means the role requires emotional scenes as well as suspense-driven moments.
The Cast of “The Boy with My Son’s Face”
Italia Ricci leads a cast that includes several actors in supporting roles. Stephanie Izsak plays Alice Markham, while Luke Camilleri portrays Mark, Susan’s husband. Siobhan Williams plays Amy, and Gigi Saul Guerrero appears as Cassie while also directing the film.
Other members of the cast include Georgia Bradner as Ginny, Shiraine Haas-Blake as Dr. Nicole Riley, and Dayleigh Nelson as Parole Officer Tomi Leigh Peterson.
The cast gives Susan’s investigation a variety of relationships and characters through which the mystery unfolds.
Gigi Saul Guerrero Directs the Film
“The Boy with My Son’s Face” is directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero, who also appears in the movie as Cassie.
The screenplay was written by Oritte Bendory and Barry L. Levy, while Bruce Harvey is credited as producer. The production credits also list Italia Ricci as an executive producer, giving her involvement with the project a role beyond acting.
Guerrero’s direction places the story firmly within the mystery-thriller format while allowing the family drama to remain an important part of the narrative.
Italia Ricci as an Executive Producer
One interesting detail about Italia Ricci’s involvement is that she is credited not only as Susan Webster but also as an executive producer.
This means her connection to the project extends beyond her performance on screen. The executive producer credit places Ricci among the production team involved with the film.
For viewers interested in Italia Ricci’s career, this makes the project particularly noteworthy because it demonstrates her participation in both the creative and production sides of the movie.
When Was “The Boy with My Son’s Face” Released?
“The Boy with My Son’s Face” premiered on March 14, 2026. The film was released as part of Lifetime’s 2026 slate of original thrillers.
The movie has a reported runtime of approximately 86 to 90 minutes, depending on the listing, and is classified as a thriller or mystery-thriller. Apple TV lists the movie as a 2026 thriller drama with a 1-hour-30-minute runtime, while IMDb lists an 86-minute runtime.
What Makes the Movie Different?
The central premise is what immediately distinguishes the movie from a conventional missing-person thriller.
Rather than simply following a mother searching for a missing child, the story introduces a much more unsettling question: how can a mother discover an apparently living boy who looks like her dead son?
That question creates the film’s central mystery and gives Susan a personal reason to continue investigating even when the people around her may doubt what she has discovered.
The story also introduces themes of trust and deception, making the viewer question whether Susan can rely on the people closest to her.
Themes Explored in the Film
“The Boy with My Son’s Face” explores several themes that are common in psychological thrillers but gives them a distinctly family-focused context.
Grief is one of the most obvious themes because Susan’s actions are connected to the loss of her son. Her discovery of the photograph effectively reopens a painful part of her past.
The movie also explores memory and uncertainty. Susan’s understanding of her own history becomes increasingly complicated as new information emerges.
Trust is another major theme. As Susan investigates the mystery, she begins questioning people she once believed she could depend on, creating additional tension within the story.
Is “The Boy with My Son’s Face” Based on a True Story?
The available listings identify the movie as a fictional 2026 thriller rather than presenting it as a true-story adaptation.
The premise is intentionally dramatic and mysterious, centering on Susan Webster’s experiences and the unexplained resemblance between a boy and her deceased son. Official entertainment listings describe the movie through its fictional storyline rather than identifying it as a dramatization of a real case.
Viewers should therefore approach the story as a thriller designed for entertainment rather than as a factual account.
Where Can You Watch “The Boy with My Son’s Face”?
Availability can vary by country and platform.
Current listings show the film through digital rental and purchase options, while JustWatch reports availability information that can change depending on region and time.
Because streaming and digital licensing arrangements can change, viewers should check the current availability in their country before deciding where to watch the movie.
Italia Ricci’s Role in the Movie: Final Thoughts
Italia Ricci’s role as Susan Webster is central to “The Boy with My Son’s Face.” The character’s search for answers provides the emotional and narrative foundation for the film’s mystery.
The movie combines family drama with psychological suspense, placing Susan in a situation where grief, memory, and trust become increasingly difficult to separate.
Ricci’s involvement is also notable because she is credited as an executive producer in addition to starring as Susan. Alongside director Gigi Saul Guerrero and co-stars including Luke Camilleri, Stephanie Izsak, and Siobhan Williams, she helps anchor a thriller built around a particularly unsettling question: what would you do if you discovered a living child who appeared to be the son you had lost?
For viewers interested in Italia Ricci’s latest television work, “The Boy with My Son’s Face” offers a different kind of role, placing her at the center of a mystery driven by family, loss, and unanswered questions.
