The Octavia Spencer-starring crime drama series was scheduled to shoot scenes on the historic Leimert Plaza Park set in Los Angeles, but activists made it clear the crew weren't welcome.
- Feb 27, 2021
AceShowbiz - Filming of Octavia Spencer's TV drama "Truth Be Told (2019)" shut down early on Thursday, February 25 after protesters descended on the historic Leimert Plaza Park set in Los Angeles. Production on the AppleTV+ crime drama was cut short when activists made it clear the crew weren't welcome.
According to Deadline, the organized protesters objected to the fact filming was allowed to take place in areas like Leimert Plaza Park, while local homeless people looking for a safe haven amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been turned away. Many parks in Los Angeles have been locked up by officials in recent months.
The permitted shoot came to a halt on Thursday afternoon as the protesters made it clear they would do whatever was necessary to disrupt filming. Spencer and her co-star Kate Hudson were not on the set, but two actresses playing their characters as younger women were.
Los Angeles film office, FilmLA, acknowledged that such incident did take place in Leimert Plaza Park. A spokesperson for the local non-profit permitting organization, Phillip Sokoloski, told Deadline, "It's my understanding that the production company struck its set for the evening sometime around 5 PM."
It is not clear if the production will be returning to Leimert Plaza Park.
"Truth Be Told" is based on Kathleen Barber's novel "Are You Sleeping". Created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman, the series follows journalist Poppy Parnell as she creates a true-crime podcast to re-investigate decades-old murder case and help exonerate Warren Cave whom she may have mistakenly helped to convict.
Its second season, which is under production, will stray away from the original novel.
