April (Dying to Be a Cheerleader)

**April** (Nicolette Langley) was the main villainess from the 2020 Lifetime film, *Dying to Be a Cheerleader* (alternately titled, *Killer Cheerleader*; airdate October 3, 2020).

## Events

April was a member of the Amazons, Locklear High School's cheerleading squad, as well as the best friend of team captain Taylor Jennings. However, the film's progression established April as being obsessively devoted to Taylor, to the point of insanity and resorting to targeting anyone who (in her mind) hurt Taylor. One victim was Tracy, another member of the squad, whose performance drew Taylor's ire. In response, April tripped Tracy, causing her to break her leg in the process.

The film saw Taylor quickly antagonize new student and main protagonist Darcy Daniels, which included Taylor accusing Darcy of stealing Taylor's boyfriend, Brandon Hollister, from her (despite Darcy having a boyfriend, Warren). April advised Darcy to stay on Taylor's good side, and Madison (another cheerleader) did the same, with Darcy walking off in response. Taylor and April witnessed Madison's exchange with Darcy. However, April--feeling Madison was a threat to their friendship--killed Madison by bashing her head into the wall of the locker room shower.

Darcy ended up joining the Amazons to replace Madison. Meanwhile, April decided to target Brandon next, stealing Darcy's drone (which belonged to her aunt, Cassandra Tuxford) and swooping it over Brandon, causing him to fall and get injured. The use of the drone led to Darcy being accused of the attack by Taylor, and she became a suspect in Madison's murder later in the film. As for the squad, coach Janice Phillips promoted Darcy to co-captain of the Amazons, which led to another fight between both Taylor and Darcy, with April witnessing the brawl. Later that evening, the evil April stalked Phillips and waited in ambush inside her car before strangling her to death.

## Reveal

    Taylor rallied the Amazons together following Phillips' death, and after Darcy revealed her plans to transfer out of Locklear, April informed Taylor that she wouldn't have to worry about Darcy anymore. During the film's climax, April abducted Darcy from her home and placed her in the trunk of the car before taking her to an abandoned house, where Darcy was placed in the home's kitchen. April was officially revealed during the abduction, when she was shown shouting that she had to think about her next move before lashing out at Darcy for not getting on Taylor's good side.

In addition, April voiced her devotion to Taylor, adding that she idolized her and that she was grateful that Taylor chose her to be her best friend and that she was the only one who understood her, with Darcy reminding April that she was always nice to her and wanted to befriend her, a fact that April did acknowledge. The villainess confessed to killing Madison, adding that while Darcy wasn't to blame for that action, she was to blame for her other acts of villainy. At that moment, April doused Darcy with gasoline while informing her that she would kill her by setting her on fire, using that method to set up Darcy as an arsonist due to her past--while adding that she was burning the house down because Taylor hated it.

Taylor and Cassandra arrived at the house after the former remembered April's words to her, and while wielding a knife, April confessed everything to Taylor: killing both Madison and Phillips, sending the drone after Brandon, and tripping Tracy, all because they were (in April's mind) hurting Taylor. However, the maniacal madwoman stated that she would have to kill Taylor due to the fact that she knew too much, and she would get away with killing all three women due to the fact that she was on medication and it wasn't working. Darcy broke free from her restraints and took down April, but when she went to check on April, she ended up tackled by the villainess, who continued her attempt to kill Darcy. During the struggle, Darcy took the knife and stabbed April, fatally wounding her and also destroying her evil plans. In her final moments, April asked Darcy if she meant what she said about wanting to be her friend. Darcy confirmed that she did as April died of her wound.

## Trivia

* This was Nicolette Langley’s first villainous Lifetime movie role.