It grew out of a true story that aired for "Good Morning America" and screened first on Monday.
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Hollywood met New York at the Paley Center in Midtown, coming together to salute a personality who now has one foot planted in each world.
Roberts is beginning a new chapter in her long and storied career, not on the air, but behind the scenes.
"This is different," she said. "This is stretching a different creative muscle for me as opposed to being at 'Good Morning America,' one that I am so challenged by and so fascinated by, the whole process."
Roberts' name above the title was important to actress Niecy Nash.
"It was just like, 'Hey, Robin Roberts is a part of this? Where do I sign?'" she said. "We all love Robin. I mean, we all love Robin, and we were so excited when she came to set."
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"Stolen by my Mother" is the true story of Kamiyah Mobley, kidnapped as an infant by Gloria Williams, who raised the child as her own for 18 years.
Rayven Ferrell worked closely with Mobley to tell her truth.
"I learned how resilient she is, how much of a warrior she is, and how strong love can be," Ferrell said.
A tip led authorities to reunite Kamiyah with her real mother, and the woman she thought was her mom is now in prison.
"I think in part she's still processing, Sandy, if I have to be honest," Roberts said. "I've spent a lot of time around her, and I always feel better after I've been around her. I'm almost like a big aunt, worried how she is going to handle all of this."
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Roberts' milestone marks a new beginning at the company she has called home for three decades now.
"And it just shows how I have been very blessed and fortunate to be given the opportunity to stretch and to do different things within that 30 years," she said. "This is just the latest chapter in what I've been allowed to do. It's storytelling. It's just a different form of storytelling."
Happy 30th anniversary to someone who has been so warm, generous, and kind to me for so many years.
Robin Roberts presents: "Stolen by my Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story" premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. on Lifetime. The channel owned in part by Disney, the parent company of ABC7.