Production of the Apple TV+ series “Lady in the Lake” was halted in Baltimore on Friday after the series received threats of violence.
The Baltimore police department confirmed that a group of locals contacted producers working a shoot on Park Avenue in the downtown area at 4 pm on Friday and threatened to return in the evening to shoot somebody if production didn’t cease.
Producers were also told to pay a sum of $50,000 to the group before production would be allowed to continue. Those on the series elected to reschedule filming and look for another location after receiving the message, according to the police department.
Natalie Portman, Moses Ingram, Y’Lan Noel, Mikey Madison and Brett Gelman star in the series, which takes place in Baltimore in 1966 and is adapted from the novel by author Laura Lippman.
It remains unclear if production has resumed since the incident. Shooting on the series began in April and is expected to continue through the fall.
David Simon, who created the Baltimore-set HBO series”The Wire” and is also the husband of author Lippman, offered a statement on Twitter saying:
“Not my production. Don’t know all details. But we shot 200 hours of television over two decades. Communicated where we shot. Always a few loudmouths hyping; always folks in crew –locations, security, BPD — trained to firmly but respectfully respond. Baltimore is good people.”
Alma Har’el created the series that Portman executive produces alongside Sophie Mas.
Source: Variety
