Gabby Petito Movie Actors Want Pair Seen As Real People: Report

BLUE POINT, NY — The actors of "The Gabby Petito" appeared in a sneak peek on Inside Edition highlighting Saturday's premiere on Lifetime while wearing purple ribbons in support of domestic violence victims, saying it was important to show that the pair were real people, not characters.

Petito was reported missing in September 2021 after she went on a cross-country "Van Life" trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, after he showed up to his parents house in her van, but without her, sparking an extensive search that spanned several states and involved multiple law enforcement agencies.

Laundrie later killed himself and in his suicide note admitted he strangled Petito to death.

The case garnered a massive amount of media attention and the story of her disappearance captivated the world.

"It's a huge responsibility for us to portray Brian and Gabby," said Skylar Samuels, who stars as Petito. "I think it's an important distinction we've tried to make is that Brian and Gabby aren't characters. They are people."

Evan Hall, who portrays Laundrie, said the two actors have discussed how the story is a cautionary tale.

Samuels, who closely resembles the 22-year-old former Blue Pointer, said that every day she thinks about Petito's parents and she is "heartsick every day that they have to deal with every parent's worst nightmare."

The sneak peek also shows several scenes that were recreated from the couple's journey, including the highly-publicized traffic stop by police in Moab, Utah, in which the pair was detained after a fight on Main Street.

The trailer of the movie, which was released last month, centers around Petito's complicated relationship with Laundrie.

It begins with Samuels leaning against the window of a van as Hall drives, and the clip then follows with her telling someone, "I know you don't see it, but, like, most of the time, he is like a really great guy."

Next, Petito and Laundrie share a tender moment sitting up in bed, and he says: "So I was thinking we just hit the road and see what happens."

She agrees, touching the side of his face. But the tone of the trailer darkens quickly.

It portrays several scenes widely reported in media accounts such as the pair's fight on a street and in a restaurant, as well as some scenes that they documented of their trip on social media.

The trailer ends with a campfire scene and Petito telling Laundrie, "I thought you wanted to travel and see the world together, but instead it feels like you just want me all to yourself."

The film is part of Lifetime’s Stop Violence Against Women public affairs initiative and as part of that there will be a new Public Service Announcement to debut "as part of the movie’s rollout, driving to the important work of the network’s coalition of partners to provide resources for women," producers said back in May.

The trailer also contains a PSA advising anyone suffering from domestic violence to call the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.

Petito's family has previously said that they do not approve of the movie, according to a report in The Sun.

In a statement issued by the AWARE Foundation, which has partnered with the Schmidt/Petito family on domestic violence programs, Schmidt said: "We thought our followers should know that the Lifetime movie on Gabby Petito has no connection to the Petito family nor did they give their approval," the statement shared by the foundation reads.

"Lifetime took it upon themselves to make the movie," the statement read.

The movie's director, Thora Birch, told Newsday that after some initial contact with Petito's family members earlier this year, there has just been "radio silence."

In an email to the outlet, Petito's mother, Nicole Schmidt, denied she acknowledged it, saying, "Please know that we don't have any comment pertaining to the movie."

The movie premieres at 8 p.m. and will be available for streaming on Sunday.

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