Lifetime Announces ‘Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story’ Starring Yaya DaCosta

Lifetime has announced its latest “Ripped from the Headlines” movie, “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story,” following the real-life story of Smith’s search for her true identity.

Starring and executive produced by Yaya DaCosta (“The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Chicago Med”), “Not My Family” is based on the memoir by Monique Smith, who endured a traumatic childhood only to discover that her family wasnt actually hers.

From an early age, Smith felt out of place in her family, enduring constant abuse and neglect. As she grew older and became a mother herself, she started questioning who she really was. When she discovered she had no legal documentation, including a birth certificate or social security card, she embarked on a decades-long quest for the truth.

Using DNA testing, confronting family members, and searching records, she fought to uncover her real identity and whether anyone had been searching for her all along.

Robert Hamilton III, Solace Kimbro Jones, Kadeem Isaiah, Morgan-Rose Jordan, and DaCostas real-life sister, Djassi DaCosta Johnson, also star in the film.

“Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” is produced by Undaunted Content in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment. DAngela Proctor serves as executive producer for Undaunted Content, with Yaya DaCosta also executive producing. The film is directed by Tailiah Breon from a script written by Sylvia Jones.

“Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” will premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, April 12 at 8/7c.