Aman Goyal
driven by the compelling performance of Natalie Portman as Apple TV+’s ‘Lady In The Lake’ is an adaptation of Laura Lippman’s suspenseful period drama of the same name, which, in turn, is inspired by real-life events. Created by Alma Har’el, the show chronicles the life of Maddie Schwartz (Natalie Portman), a Jewish housewife who pursues the truth behind a major conspiracy and immerses herself in investigative journalism. Putting an end to years of a tasteless marriage — which she believes oppresses her — Maddie leaves her home to resume her writing career.
However, Maddie soon becomes fixated on the murder case of Cleo Johnson, a bartender struggling to make a living who experiences racial injustice and political scrutiny. The hard-working mother, resilient in her commitment to seeking social justice for the Black community, is mercilessly killed and dumped in a lake. Upon discovering Cleo in a lake, Maddie immerses herself in solving the murder case of the bartender and 11-year-old Tessie. Filled with lies and deception, her investigation does not go easily as more murders follow, leading up to her. ‘Lady in the Lake’ relies heavily on its colors, locations, and timeline to raise the bar of suspense on the seemingly evil characters, resulting in a gripping drama-thriller.
Lady in the Lake Filming Locations
‘Lady in the Lake’ is set in late 1960s Baltimore, Maryland, and is shot in real locations in and around the northeastern city. Several sequences are filmed outside the main city and within other Baltimore County townships and villages. Filming began in April 2022 and lasted eight months until early November that year. As revealed by Governor Wes Moore, the production contributed over $100 million to the state’s economy through its expenses in the state.
Baltimore, Maryland
‘Lady in the Lake’ is filmed in various locations in and around the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The production crew utilizes several iconic backdrops, while the more surreal-looking scenes are taped within the walls of studios. These include old apartment buildings and furnishings to refine the period setting and vibrant yet malicious clubs. The store Lakein’s Jewelers at 5400 Harford Road was changed into Weinstein’s Jeweler with 1960s-style decorations. The gut-wrenching funeral scene was recorded at B’nai Israel Cemetery at 3701 Southern Avenue.
Among the most unnerving sequences taped for the show is the one at Loch Raven Reservoir, where Cleo’s body is discovered. Some regions extensively used for shooting include Hollins Market at 26 South Arlington Avenue in Sowebo and the Hamilton neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore. Patterson Park and Redwood Street are similarly explored by Maddie as she wanders around looking for clues.
Witnessing the contrast between her life as a housewife and the protests and injustices outside lays the foundation for Maddie’s transformational journey. In an interview, actress Moses Ingram, who hails from Baltimore, shared her own experiences as a Black woman struggling with multiple jobs in the area. She shed light on the differences between her experiences and others and on the impact the murders that inspired ‘Lady in the Lake’ had on the city.
Among the many iconic attractions visited by the crew is the 300,000-volume 19th-century George Peabody Library at 17 East Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore. The site, which already had rich historical value six decades ago, was used for a crucial sequence when a character falls from the black cast-iron balcony of the fifth tier. The historical references and sensitive subject matter resulted in security threats for the cast and crew, causing the production to temporarily come to a halt during August 2022. However, police investigations concluded that the threats were harmless, and instead, a local vendor was trying to extort money.
Other Filming Locations in Maryland
For some shots of ‘Lady in the Lake,’ the production team briefly steps outside the city of Baltimore, though it remains within Baltimore County. Exterior sequences are recorded in Pikesville, a suburban region northeast of the city borders where Maddie’s husband, Milton Schwartz (Brett Gelman), works. Here, the team mostly films around Seven Mile Lane to highlight privileged classes’ quiet, peaceful suburban lives. Pikesville is also a well-known region when it comes to large shares of the Jewish population, providing an authentic touch to address the anti-Semitism the local community experienced in the mid-20th century.
The production leveraged the Maryland Film Production Activity Tax Credit, which permits the makers tax incentives up to 28% of their local expenses’ total authorized direct costs. According to the Governor’s office, ‘Lady in the Lake’ provided the local community with 1,132 jobs, commercialized orders, and service orders from 2,456 local businesses and paid for more than 32,000 hotel room nights.
Read More: Lady in the Lake: Is the Apple TV+ Show Inspired by True Events?
