An AppleTV+ series starring Natalie Portman abruptly halted production in Baltimore on Friday afternoon after several individuals threatened the set with violence, attempting to extort a large sum of money from the crew, Maryland authorities said. The threats came from “drug dealers,” who warned they would shoot someone if the cast and crew of Lady in the Lake didn’t clear out of the downtown area, according to The Baltimore Banner. The group also allegedly demanded $50,000 from producers, who declined to pay out. “The leaders of the production decided to err on the side of caution and reschedule the shoot after they found another location,” a Baltimore Police Department spokesperson said. It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether production had since resumed. The new series, which also stars Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram, is based on a crime novel by former Baltimore Sun reporter Laura Lippman.
