You know that feeling when you're scrolling through Lifetime or LMN and a movie title just grabs you? A Killer in My Home is one of those titles. It sounds like every homeowner's worst nightmare, right? If you’ve watched it, you probably spent half the movie squinting at the screen, trying to figure out where you’ve seen the mother or the "creepy" boarder before. Honestly, the A Killer in My Home cast is what keeps this 2020 thriller grounded, even when the plot goes off the rails into full-blown melodrama.
The movie focuses on a woman named Allison who, after her husband dies, decides to rent out her guest house to help with the bills. Big mistake. Huge. She ends up with a tenant who isn't just looking for a room—he's looking for a family. It’s a classic setup, but the actors actually sell the tension better than you’d expect for a TV movie.
The Lead: Josie Davis as Allison
Josie Davis isn't a stranger to this genre. Far from it. She plays Allison, the grieving widow trying to keep her life together for her daughter. Davis has been in the industry since she was a kid—most people remember her as Sarah Powell on Charles in Charge. But since those sitcom days, she’s basically become the queen of the "woman in peril" thriller.
In this film, Davis does a lot of heavy lifting. She has to play vulnerable but also protective. You’ve probably seen her in The Perfect Assistant or The Stepdare. She has this specific way of acting—lots of wide-eyed concern—that fits the Lifetime aesthetic perfectly. She’s the anchor. Without her being believable as a mom just trying to survive, the whole "killer in the backyard" thing would feel kind of silly.
The Antagonist: Tora Woloshin and the Tension
Wait, let's talk about the boarder.
The tenant, Marco, is played by Joey Lawrence’s brother, Matthew Lawrence. Well, actually, that’s a common mix-up. People often get these TV movie actors confused because they all inhabit the same cinematic universe. But in A Killer in My Home, the primary tension comes from the interloper.
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Actually, let’s get the facts straight. The movie, which also goes by the title The Rent Killer in some regions, stars Josie Davis and Marc Heron.
Marc Heron plays the role of the suspicious new arrival. He’s got that look—charming one second, slightly "off" the next. That’s the secret sauce of these movies. If the guy is too scary immediately, the audience screams at the TV for the protagonist to run. If he’s too nice, there’s no suspense. Heron hits that middle ground where you kind of get why Allison lets him stay, even though you know it’s going to end in a basement standoff.
Supporting Players: Mea Wilkerson and Others
Then there’s the daughter. Mea Wilkerson plays Riley.
In these movies, the daughter is usually the one who sees through the BS first, or she’s the one the killer tries to bond with to manipulate the mom. Wilkerson plays Riley with a decent amount of teenage skepticism. It’s a tough role because you’re often stuck being the "voice of reason" that the adult characters ignore until the third act.
The A Killer in My Home cast also includes actors like:
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- Tora Woloshin as Lexi. You might remember Tora from The X Factor. She brings a bit of an edge to the screen that contrasts with the more traditional "suburban" feel of the rest of the cast.
- Paul Van Scott as Detective Miller. Every thriller needs a cop who is just a few steps behind until the very end.
Why the Casting Works for This Specific Genre
Why do we keep watching these? It’s not for the Oscar-level cinematography. It’s the familiarity. When you see someone like Josie Davis on the poster, you know what you’re getting. There’s a comfort in the formula.
The casting directors for these films—often working on tight budgets and even tighter filming schedules (we're talking 12 to 15 days usually)—look for actors who can hit their marks and deliver emotion on cue without a hundred takes. Marc Heron and Josie Davis have that chemistry where you can feel the awkwardness of a stranger entering a private home.
It’s interesting to note that A Killer in My Home was directed by Linden Ashby. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He was Johnny Cage in the original Mortal Kombat movie and played Sheriff Stilinski on Teen Wolf. Having an actor-turned-director usually helps the cast because he knows how to talk to them on their level. You can see that influence in the way the scenes are paced; he gives the actors room to breathe before the "crazy" starts.
Common Misconceptions About the Cast
People often confuse this movie with The Killer in My Backyard or A Murderer Upstairs. There are so many of these "home invasion" or "bad tenant" movies that the casts tend to blur together in the collective memory of cable TV viewers.
I’ve seen people argue online that this was a Vivica A. Fox "Wrong" movie. It’s not. While Vivica is the GOAT of this genre, she isn't in this one. This is a Josie Davis vehicle through and through.
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Another thing: some viewers think the actors are "overacting." Honestly? That’s usually a choice. In a movie where a guy is literally trying to replace a dead husband, you can’t play it subtle. You have to lean into the drama. The A Killer in My Home cast understands the assignment. They aren't trying to make Citizen Kane; they're trying to make you check your door locks twice before you go to bed.
The Production Behind the Scenes
This movie was produced by The Cartel, a production company that has mastered the art of the TV thriller. They know exactly who to cast to get those "Discover" clicks and "Live Tweeting" sessions during a Saturday night premiere.
They filmed mostly in California, using those sprawling suburban houses that look beautiful but also feel incredibly isolated. That isolation is a character itself. When the cast is small—essentially just the mom, the daughter, the boarder, and a couple of friends—the house becomes a pressure cooker.
Actionable Takeaways for Thriller Fans
If you liked the A Killer in My Home cast, there are a few things you should do to find similar vibes:
- Follow the Director: Check out Linden Ashby’s other directorial work. He has a knack for suspense that’s a bit more "actor-focused" than some of his peers.
- The Josie Davis Catalog: If you liked her performance, watch The Perfect Assistant. It’s arguably her most iconic role in this space and shows her playing the "villain" instead of the victim, which is a fun flip.
- Check the Credits for "The Cartel": If you look for movies produced by this specific company, you’ll find the same level of production value and often the same rotation of talented character actors.
- Don't Skip the "Related" Tab: On streaming platforms like Tubi or Hulu, look at the "People also watched" section for this movie. Because of how licensing works, you’ll often find Marc Heron or Mea Wilkerson popping up in other thrillers filmed around the same time.
The reality of the A Killer in My Home cast is that they are the backbone of a very specific, very successful corner of the entertainment industry. They provide that "junk food" entertainment that is surprisingly hard to get right. It takes a certain skill to make a "tenant from hell" story feel fresh, and this group managed to do it by focusing on the emotional stakes rather than just the jump scares.
Next time you're watching, pay attention to the smaller roles. You’ll start to see how these ensembles are built to create a sense of community that the villain eventually tears apart. It's a formula, sure, but when the cast is this committed, it's a formula that works every single time.
Check the "Cast and Crew" section on your streaming service to see the most recent projects from Marc Heron and Josie Davis; both have remained incredibly active in the indie thriller circuit through 2024 and 2025.