Netflix series 'The Perfect Couple' to film in the SouthCoast. Will picketers delay shoot?

Seth Chitwood, Standard-Times
Updated ·4 min read

NEW BEDFORD — The Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber series "The Perfect Couple," that has been filming in Chatham since April 3, has plans to complete its last few days in the SouthCoast area.

But production of the series has been halted since Tuesday because of Writer's Guild of America (WGA) picketers.

According to IMDb.com, the six episode Netflix series is described as, "When one lavish wedding ends in disaster before it can even begin — with a body discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony — everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect."

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Based on the book by Elin Hildebrand, principal photography was scheduled from April 3 to July 5, 2023, with filming locations including Chatham, Eastward Point, Harwich and around Cape Cod. Casting is by a Los Angeles-based company Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting.

HYANNIS 05/17/23 A lift is moved into position as movie production crews for the Netflix series "The Perfect Couple" spent a day of location shooting around the ferry Grey Lady in Hyannis Harbor. The upcoming television series is based on a novel by Elin Hilderbrand and stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. Steve Heaslip
HYANNIS 05/17/23 A lift is moved into position as movie production crews for the Netflix series "The Perfect Couple" spent a day of location shooting around the ferry Grey Lady in Hyannis Harbor. The upcoming television series is based on a novel by Elin Hilderbrand and stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. Steve Heaslip

Filming was shut down on Tuesday

Members of the WGA, who have been on strike since May 2 because of major issues with contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), finally made their way to The Cape to stop filming.

Members of the Writers Guide of America and supporters were out picketing at the so-called base camp for the Netflix series "The Perfect Couple". Production of the series was essentially stopped by the picketers who were out for the first time in two locations Tuesday and will continue until production has closed down. Last month the Writers Guild of America went on strike. The series stars Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning and Meghann Fahey and is based on the novel 2018 novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Filming started in early April and was scheduled to go through the end of the month.

According to Boston.com, deploying small teams of picketers wherever a film production is happening has been an effective tactic for the WGA in delaying the work of film studios.

“If your movie or TV show is still shooting and we haven’t shut it down yet, sit tight,” tweeted writer and WGA negotiating committee member Eric Haywood in May. “We’ll get around to you.”

As of Friday morning, filming has not yet resumed as picketers have grown in numbers since Tuesday. Representatives for Netflix and Hilderbrand have not yet commented on when filming will continue.

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It's unclear how this may delay filming plans for the SouthCoast area this week. WGA picketers have a history of shutting down productions until the strike is over.

Justin Baldoni, the director of “It Ends With Us,” an upcoming film set in Boston starring Blake Lively, announced on Friday he was halting production until the WGA strike is settled.

Shows including “The Chi,” “American Horror Story,” “Severance” and “Billions” have all had production disrupted due to WGA picket lines. On the set of the Apple TV+ series “Loot,” star Maya Rudolph went to her trailer and refused to return to set in solidarity with the picketers, according to the New York Times.

Additionally, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) voted to strike, on June 5, if their negotiations are not met by the AMPTP by June 30. If they do not come to a fair deal, all union members will begin striking which means all productions with guild members attached must ceases production immediately.

Want to be a background actor?

Boston Casting, known for casting films such as "Knives Out" and "Ted," have been casting background performers throughout production. Recently, they have been seeking a large amount of background help for a wedding scene and book launch party to be filmed in the New Bedford area in June and July.

Filming in the Mattapoisett area is set for June 27-30, and Dartmouth for July 5-8. Official locations have not yet been announced. If interested in being a background actor, the casting company has a newsletter sign-up on their website.

Prospective actors can also create a profile with their headshot and information on their company's website for their database.

'The Perfect Couple' has been filming since April 3

Approximately 110 crew members and actors are working on the production, according to the permit disclosed by The Cape Cod Chronicle. The bulk of the filming, encompassing about 39 days, will take place at a private residence in the Eastward Point neighborhood. Filming is also scheduled to take place at vacant commercial space in North Chatham adjacent to Chatham Light Liquors.

Kidman and Schreiber plays the groom's mother and father respectively, the groom is played by Billy Howle ("Dunkirk"), the bride is actress Eve Hewson ("Bridge of Spies") and Dakota Fanning ("War of the Worlds") plays the sister of the groom.

The series is set to premiere on Netflix in the summer of 2024.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Netflix series 'The Perfect Couple' plans to film in Dartmouth area