Production on Natalie Portman's Apple TV Plus series, Lady in the Lake, started in April 2022. However, on Friday, August 26, filming was forced to halt after locals threatened to commit acts of violence unless their demands were met.
The Baltimore Banner reported that a group of locals confronted a driver for production and would only allow filming to resume if they were paid $50,000, threatening to return later in the evening and shoot someone if production had resumed after the driver refused to pay. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has received a statement on what exactly occurred on the set of the Apple TV Plus show and how production plans to address the situation.
Beforehand, a Baltimore Police Department spokesperson said the producers of Lady in the Lake decided to reschedule the shoot after a new location could be found. Now, Endeavor Content, the studio behind the Apple TV Plus series, has commented. "Friday afternoon, on the Baltimore set of our production Lady in the Lake, prior to the arrival of the cast and crew … a driver on our production crew was confronted by two men, one of whom brandished a gun directed at our driver, and then they fled the location," said Endeavor Content. "We are working with the Baltimore Police Department as the investigation is ongoing. The safety and security of our crew, cast and all who work across our productions is our highest priority, and we are thankful no one was injured. Production will resume with increased security measures going forward. It has been a privilege filming Lady in the Lake in Baltimore, working with its vibrant community across many areas."
Lady in the Lake is based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. Set in Baltimore in the 1960s, the story centers on a housewife and mother named Maddie Schwartz (Portman), who is pushed to become an investigative reporter following an unsolved murder. However, her newfound purpose results in a clash with Cleo Sherwood (Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram), a Black community activist fighting for social justice while struggling to balance several jobs and motherhood.
The incident on the set of Lady in the Lake is not the only violent confrontation to occur on the set of a television show this year. In July, the Justified revival series had to stop filming after two cars crashed through the production's barricade. The occupants of the vehicles were firing weapons at each other at the time of the crash.
Lady in the Lake will be released on Apple TV Plus.