‘Vanished’ Cast Talk Thriller At Celeb Premiere [Exclusive]

A Thriller With Purpose

Producer Donna Christopher said the film's message is what drew her to the project in the first place.

“It's a great story, but it also has a message behind it,” shared Christopher. “So many missing people, missing black women. That was one of the reasons why I loved this project so much.”

Actor Chris Rumble, who plays a hitman in the film, said that part of the project forced him to confront the weight of the story from a perspective he hadn't considered before.

“I'm looking forward to the impact of this movie in terms of the story and how much it needs to raise awareness of what's going on on a regular basis,” Rumble said. “For me, as a 65-year-old white man, I wasn't as aware of the story behind the story as I needed to be, and to be in the middle of it, and be part of the problem as a hit man, it really brought it home to me.”

Lead actress Shaquita Smith echoed that sentiment, emphasizing awareness and advocacy as the film's driving force.

“I want people to take away the awareness,” Smith said. “​​​​​If you see something, say something. It's about highlighting disappearing black women and we're normalizing the opportunity to be an advocate for women and children.”

Complex characters and breaking expectations

Actor O'Shea Russell spoke about stepping into a role that challenges perception.

“You can't judge a book by its cover,” Russell said. “This character doesn't embody everything that I believe in. Like being loving, nurturing and being a provider, being a protector. That's my first nature as a person. But as a character, he's kind of vindictive. I hope people take away from this movie to not always believe what you see.”

Actor Rod Minger welcome the opportunity to move beyond familiar roles.

“I'm finally in a movie where I'm not the comic relief,” he said. “So I'm looking forward to people seeing me play in different character tropes.”

Princess Elmore, who Dr. Patrice Taylor portrays, described the emotional range required for her role.

“My character has so many different emotions and reactions,” Elmore said. “I had to make sure to consider everything she was going through, but also add a twist to make sure it suited me.”

Consciousness centered and security of black women

Actor Shanell Brooks emphasized the importance of daily vigilance.

“Even if you're going through your normal routine, you have to be aware of your surroundings,” Brooks said. “This is a topic that needed to be discussed.”

Producer Dr. Regina O reversed the evening as both celebration and responsibility.

“These types of incidents are more common than we know,” she said. “As a culture, I hope we take more pride in protecting our people and being extremely careful about our children.”

Actress Audra Nicole added that the film should help push missing black women into national conversations.

“When our people go missing, it should be a bigger deal,” she said. “I hope this sparks a national conversation about the lack of exposure we're getting.”

A Star Studded Atlanta Showing

The premiere drew a mix of industry figures and supporters, including Karlie Redd, Mimi Faust, Clifton Powell, London Deelishis Charles, Chrystale Wilson, Dennis LA White, Demetria McKinney, Lisa Wu, and more, and underscored Atlanta's continued role as a hub for black film and television.

Supporters like Keith Swift Jr. also turned up to show love for the cast, sharing excitement to see O'Shea Russell “come in here and do his thing,” while attendee Mz Coxx said she hoped the film would encourage viewers to “be more aware of their surroundings.”

As anticipation built prior to the screening, attendees expressed excitement for the film's twists and turns and layers of storytelling.

“I'm excited to see the twists and turns,” Jeff Logan said. “This shares a real problem, but it will be interesting to see how different each character is from the rest of the group.”

Why disappeared is worth watching

Produced by Tressa Azarel Smallwood, Donte Don Lee, Audra Nicole, and Donna Christopher, and directed by Reel Rebel Films, Vanished combines suspense, thriller, and drama to tell a story that feels timely and unsettling.

According to the official synopsis: a birthday night becomes terrifying when Shavon Taylor discovers a hidden room, a dead body, and evidence of a horrible secret at the clinic where she works. The next morning, she is awakened, disoriented, and told that it was all a dream. But the body was real, and so is the danger. The evidence is gone, her phone is wiped, and someone is watching her, enlightening her at every turn. As Shavon digs deeper and follows a trail of missing women, she is torn between staying silent and risking everything to uncover the truth. With her life unraveling and no one left to trust, she is forced to work with her ex, a local reporter who is chasing his own big story, as the danger grows closer to home.

While the film promises suspense and unexpected revelations, the message remains clear. Pay attention. Ask questions. Protect Black women.

Disappears now streaming exclusively on Tubi, inviting audiences to experience the mystery and join a story that refuses to be seen.