Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story on Lifetime- Full list of cast 

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Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story is a true-crime drama thriller from Cineflix Productions for Lifetime. It was directed by Felipe Rodriguez and written by Crystal Verge. The movie will premiere on Lifetime on January 11, 2025, at 8 pm ET/PT.

The plot will follow Marcela Borges, played by Dascha Polanco, as her peaceful weekend in Florida turns into a nightmare when masked gunmen invade her house, demanding $200,000 she doesn't have.

Newly pregnant, Marcela has to navigate this dangerous situation in a desperate attempt to save her husband and young son. The cast includes Dascha Polanco as Marcela Borges, Johnathan Sousa as Rubens Morais, and Nisa Gunduz as Bianca Dos Santos among many others.

Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story is part of Lifetime's 'Ripped From the Headlines' series, which dramatizes real-life events and spotlights Marcela's strength and quick thinking during a life-or-death situation.


Cast and characters of Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story

1) Dascha Polanco as Marcela Borges

Dascha Polanco (Image via Getty)
Dascha Polanco (Image via Getty)

Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story features Dascha Polanco as Marcela Borges, a newly pregnant woman whose Florida home is invaded by masked gunmen demanding $200,000. Marcela must navigate this perilous situation to protect her family and her unborn child.

Polanco is best known for her role as Dayanara "Daya" Diaz on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). She was born on December 3, 1982, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and relocated to the United States as a young child, growing up in Brooklyn and Miami.

She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Hunter College and initially pursued a career in healthcare before transitioning to acting.

Throughout her career, Polanco has received several accolades. For her work on Orange Is the New Black, she won an ALMA Award in 2014 for Special Achievement in Television. Additionally, she was part of the ensemble cast that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2015 and 2016.


2) Johnathan Sousa as Rubens Morais

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In Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story, Johnathan Sousa portrays the husband of Marcela Borges, Rubens Morais. He stays by Marcela's side when masked gunmen invade their Florida home to demand $200,000 and are forced to fight for their family's safety during the horrible incident.

In Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story, Rubens Morais is portrayed as a supportive husband, as seen in the trailer where he says "We can do this together" during a hospital sequence portraying his support during his wife's pregnancy.

Johnathan Sousa is a Canadian actor known for his work in independent film and television. He came to prominence with his role in The Animal Project (2013), a drama about fringe theatre practice. He has also appeared in Withheld (2015) and the horror movie Thanksgiving (2023).

Johnathan Sousa, a graduate of Ryerson University's performance acting program, was honored with the Louis Taube Memorial Award for his talent and commitment. He also received additional training at the Actors Conservatory and the Canadian Film Centre.


3) Marisa McIntyre as Teresa

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In Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story, Marisa McIntyre plays Teresa, the quintessential suburban housewife and best friend to Marcela Borges, the film's protagonist portrayed by Dascha Polanco. Teresa is a key supporting character who lives next door to Marcela. She is shown balancing the challenges of motherhood while pregnant with her second child.

In an interview with Survived the Shows on January 6, 2025, McIntyre describes Teresa as a loyal and caring friend, a figure of support amidst the chaos unfolding in Marcela’s life. While the film primarily focuses on Marcela's journey, Teresa’s presence adds depth to the narrative, showcasing a strong bond of friendship in the face of danger. She said:

“The the real star of the film is Dasha( Marcela Borges) as I'm sure you know um who is wonderful and uh I'm her best friend and that's really that's really all I can say without giving too much away.”

Marisa McIntyre is a Canadian actress and performer with a diverse background in theatre and television. She is recognized for her role in True Justice: Family Ties (2024) and has appeared in the television series Chucky (2021).

Her theatre work includes performances in productions such as Company, for which she received a Dora Award nomination in 2015 for Outstanding Performance – Female in the Musical Theatre Division.


Other cast and characters of Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story


More about Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story

The storyline of the movie on Lifetime reads :

"Marcela Borges and her growing family’s idyllic weekend quickly turn into every family’s worst nightmare when masked gunmen barge into their Florida suburban home. With gunshots piercing their walls, a newly pregnant Marcela, her husband, and their young son are left with no choice but to comply with their captors’ demands: surrender $200,000 or their lives."

It continues:

"But with no means of accessing that sort of money, Marcela faces insurmountable odds to protect her family from their violent captors and must make the life and death decisions to keep her family safe."

Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story premieres on Lifetime on January 11, 2025, at 8/7c. You can watch it live on Lifetime or stream it the next day on Lifetime's website. Lifetime is accessible through cable subscriptions or streaming services like Frndly TV, which offers plans starting at $6.99 per month. Ensure the service includes Lifetime to watch the movie.