The evil and envious Gemma
Gemma (Brittany Goodwin) is the main villainess from the 2023 Lifetime film, Sabotaging the Squad (originally titled, Cheer, Drama, Murder; released on Lifetime Movie Club on June 2, 2023, and aired on LMN on February 1, 2024)
Backstory and Introduction[]
Gemma is the best friend of main protagonist Missy Clark, with their shared backstory revealing that they were co-captains of their high school cheerleading squad, the 360s. Though Gemma expressed a friendly demeanor towards Missy, who was hired as the cheerleading coach for their former squad, she had actually harbored jealousy of Missy, having harbored resentment over sharing the captaincy with Missy, while feeling that Missy had married her husband, Adam, knowing that Gemma was in love with him.
Heel Turn[]
In adulthood, Gemma attempted to become an assistant coach on the 360s, who were coached by fellow former cheerleader, Krista, whose husband, Trevor, was having an affair with Gemma. However, Krista found out about the affair and was later visited by Gemma later one night, leading to a verbal confrontation that revealed that Krista was having her own affair with Sasha, who was in charge of the squad. Krista informed Gemma that she was never good enough on the squad, and in response to Krista's words (which included a refusal to hire her as an assistant), Gemma turned heel by attacking Krista and strangling her to death in a rage. It was Krista's death that led to Missy being hired, and after Gemma became Missy's assistant, the maniacal villainess began to sabotage her in order to take over.
Gemma's evil plan included drugging Missy on numerous occasions, and also tossing the 360s' new uniforms before regionals, which was followed by the squad finishing in third place. Gemma also locked Missy in a bathroom during another performance, and after she was freed, Missy suspected Darlene, who had wanted to become the squad's coach, of being behind everything. In addition, Candi and Tawnya were also suspected of being in cahoots with Darlene, as they were all former fellow squad members whose daughters were on the squad, and they were overly critical of Missy's coaching. The film's progression revealed that Candi and Sasha were having an affair, with the former half also voicing her knowledge of Gemma's affair with Trevor to Darlene. Gemma overheard the pair talking, and afterwards, the evil Gemma stalked Candi before bludgeoning her to death.
Reveal and Arrest[]
Gemma attacking and chloroforming Darlene
Krista's daughter, Rachel, had been looking into her mother's death and suspected Darlene, but after seeing Gemma, she later went to Missy and voiced her own suspicions towards her, as she was at Krista's house on the night in question. Missy asked Gemma about Krista, with the villainess claiming that she asked Krista about wanting to become an assistant, while leaving out other details about her visit. Later that night, Gemma visited Darlene's house and presented blood-covered gloves under the claim that they belonged to Darlene, which was followed by the madwoman chlorforming Darlene and abducting her.
Gemma later did the same to Arielle Clark (Missy's daughter), and after Missy received a text of Arielle held captive, she went to the gym and found Candi's body before being knocked out by Gemma. After tying up Missy, Gemma revealed her intense jealousy of Missy, while accusing her friend of stealing Adam from her, while also revealing her affair with Trevor and that she killed Krista during a confrontation. The villainess claimed that Krista's death was an accident, but later admitted to killing Candi because she knew about Gemma's affair. While wielding a boxcutter, Gemma revealed her plan to kill Missy, Arielle, and Darlene, while setting up Darlene as a jealous villainess with a motive to kill Missy.
During Gemma's rant, Darlene manage to set her cellphone to record, and once the alert went off, Arielle head-butted Gemma, who struck Arielle in response. The villainess attacked Missy and attempted to kill her, only for Rachel to appear and knock out Gemma to avenge her mother. Afterwards, Gemma was handcuffed and arrested for all of her crimes.
Trivia[]
- Brittany Goodwin also played villainess Rebecca Jones in 2023's A View to Kill For.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Gemma Heel Turn (Sabotaging the Squad)