Natalie Portman Series Halts Production in Baltimore After Violent Threats

Apple TV+ series The Lady in the Lake halted production in Baltimore Friday after producers were threatened by locals, according to police. 

A Baltimore Police Department spokesperson said the crew was filming in the downtown area when producers were approached by several people who told them they would come back and "shoot someone" if they didn't stop filming. "The locals then told the producers that if they paid them, they would allow the production to continue." The Baltimore Banner reports that the "drug dealers" attempted to extort $50,000 from the crew, though police have not confirmed the dollar amount. The producers declined to pay and halted production for the day. 

"The leaders of the production decided to err on the side of caution and reschedule the shoot after they found another location," the department spokesperson continued. "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," said Endeavor Content, the production company behind the series. "It has been a privilege filming ‘Lady in the Lake’ in Baltimore, working with its vibrant community across many areas."

Based on the best-selling book by former Baltimore Sun reporter Laura Lippman, The Lady in the Lake stars Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram and tells the story of a 1960s housewife and mother who becomes an investigative journalist after an unsolved murder gets under her skin. This change soon puts her in the path of another woman (Ingram) also pulling off a balancing act with her many obligations and advancing the agenda of Baltimore's Black community. 

The Lady in the Lake is set to continue filming in the Baltimore area through October.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.