Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore

Natalie Portman

At PM, Drug dealers threaten, extort producers of Natalie Portman project filming in Baltimore. 

Natalie Portman's new Apple TV+ project was filming in Baltimore when some local drug dealers approached the production on Friday and demanded $50,000 from the team or they would be gunned down.

The Baltimore Banner reports that, "The leaders of the production decided to err on the side of caution and reschedule the shoot after they found another location," according to Baltimore Police Department spokesperson James Moses.

The Apple TV+ show "Lady in the Lake" was filming in downtown Baltimore when two local hoodlums claimed that the Hollywood crew were on their turf and needed to pay up. The drug dealers forced the production to shut down around 4 pm but said they could resume working for a fee of $50,000.

Lupita Nyong’o

The pair brandished a firearm and reportedly pointed it at members of the crew. After they delivered their ultimatum, the two left and said they would return a few hours later for the production's response.

Baltimore police confirmed to The Baltimore Banner that the two men who made the threats were local drug dealers and were serious.

According to Deadline, "Lady in the Lake" is a Endeavor Content production starring Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o. It's an adaptation by Laura Lippman's book by the same name.

$50,000 to shoot film in Baltimore. Who do they think they are, the government? 

UPDATE from KT at Haut Hair, Baltimore police arrest street vendor for violent threat against crew of Apple TV+ show.

Today it is being reported that an arrest has been made. The suspect is a street vendor who was angry that the miniseries production was causing him to lose business. He wanted compensation for lost sales.

The Baltimore Police Department confirms to EW that Keith L. Brown, a local street vendor of Pikesville, Md., “was upset that he had not been compensated by the production for lost business, since he could not operate his clothing business while the crew was filming at that location.”

Brown informed detectives that he had spoken with a crew member and a security manager for the miniseries and was awaiting paperwork to receive compensation. Brown was arrested on Monday on a narcotics charge.

It’s unclear if the man is a drug dealer but he was arrested on a narcotics charge. Detectives are interviewing additional individuals. The investigation is open and on-going. As a precaution, production is paused.

The Wombat has Late Night With Rule 5 Sunday: Sydney Sweeney ready for your Labor Day picnic.