Kyle Chandler, Casey Affleck Filming Matt Damon’s Manchester-by-the-Sea
Kyle Chandler by Jaguar PS / Casey Affleck by Tinseltown / Matt Damon by Featureflash / Shutterstock
Indie movie Manchester-by-the-Sea, produced by Matt Damon, is filming in the North Shore area, reportedly in Manchester, Beverly, Essex, Gloucester, and Salem.
Actors Kyle Chandler and Casey Affleck are tied to the lead roles in Manchester. The movie follows Lee Chandler (Affleck), a “ne’er-do-well plumber” from Massachusetts who takes guardianship of his nephew following the death of his brother Joe (Chandler). The movie is naturally intertwined with a bevy of flashbacks. Actress Michelle Williams plays Lee Chandler’s wife.
Damon was initially going to play the part of Lee Chandler before Affleck revealed that he’ll be replacing Damon (likely due to some Jason Bourne business that needs attending). Affleck also just wrapped up shooting a local movie with Chris Pine and Ben Foster out of Quincy, a Disney film called The Finest Hours.
Meanwhile, Kyle Chandler, a newbie to the league of actors who’ve portrayed Bostonians, confessed that he’s really concerned that the people of the Bay State won’t like his Boston accent. A fair concern considering not many are successful (and we aren’t nice about it).
According to reports from the Salem News, the opening day of shooting was set up in Manchester, and last Tuesday, scenes were shot in Beverly in the Central Cemetery and inside a funeral home on Cabot Street. In a scene set up on Lothrop Street, Beverly Police had parts of the road closed off while Affleck and actor Lucas Hedges shot a scene walking down the street.
According to OLV, the movie’s base is set up on 33 Tozer Road in Beverly (production sites are indicated by yellow “MBTS” signs placed around town), and also rented the old Appleseed’s Clothing Warehouse.
Manchester cameras are expected to roll through the end of April. Made any sightings? Let us know via email!
