An arrest has been made in connection with the incident that halted the production of Apple TV+’s upcoming Natalie Portman film, Lady in the Lake, in Baltimore. However, there are still questions about inconsistencies in the story about what happened on the set.
The Baltimore Police Department told Yahoo Entertainment on Tuesday that officers were called to the Endeavor Content production’s set around 4 p.m. on Aug. 26 “regarding a crew member.”
“Preliminary information indicated that a crew member received a verbal threat of violence from an individual who allegedly brandished a firearm,” the department said in a statement. “At the time, filming was halted due to a lack of caution.”
Detectives determined after an investigation that “a local street vendor was upset that he had not been compensated by the production for lost business, because he could not operate his clothing business while the crew was filming at that location.”
Officers later identified the vendor as Keith L. Brown, 43, of Pikesville, Md., who was arrested on drug charges on Aug. 29.
“Brown informed detectives that he had spoken with a crew member and a security manager and was awaiting paperwork to receive compensation for lost business on Aug. 26,” according to the department.
During their ongoing investigation, detectives continue to interview people.
When the production was shut down on Friday, police said producers were threatened by locals who demanded $50,000 to continue filming.
“After finding another location, the production leaders decided to err on the side of caution and reschedule the shoot,” department spokesperson Chakia Fennoy told the Los Angeles Times.
The police were called after a crew member reported that individuals had brandished a gun at another of the workers, a driver, while demanding money in order for them to continue filming, according to the incident report provided by the police on Tuesday. While the crew member initially claimed to have seen the gun, he later stated that only the driver had. Someone else on the set security team initially stated that the perpetrators wanted $4,000 but later stated that it was $50,000. The victim’s “recollection of the incident changed during the investigation,” according to an officer.
Endeavor Content did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Yahoo Entertainment.
However, the company issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday:
“Friday afternoon, prior to the arrival of the cast and crew on the Baltimore set of our production Lady in the Lake… a driver on our production crew was confronted by two men, one of whom brandished a gun directed at our driver, and they fled the location. As the investigation continues, we are collaborating with the Baltimore Police Department. The safety and security of our crew, cast, and everyone involved in our productions is our top priority, and we are grateful that no one was hurt. Production will resume with enhanced security measures in the future. It was an honour to film Lady in the Lake in Baltimore and collaborate with its vibrant community in a variety of ways.”
The limited series Lady in the Lake is based on Laura Lippman’s 2019 crime novel of the same name, which is inspired by two disappearances in 1960s Baltimore. Maddie Schwartz, a bored housewife who decides to leave her husband to become a crime reporter, is played by Portman.
