A new television series from Starz will film in Wilmington, and word is out today to potential extras that they will be needed.
 
The romantic drama series is currently called Untitled J&L Project and stars Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff. It is in pre-production here, but is filing permits to begin shooting in late March.
 
Jackson is known to Wilmington, and to Dawson’s Creek fans worldwide, as Pacey Witter from that iconic teen drama series shot locally. Ridloff is known for her roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and in the film Eternals.
 
The project has been developed by Ava DuVernay, who will oversee the show’s writing through her content company ARRAY Filmworks. ARRAY will produce alongside Warner Bros. Television, with which it has an overall agreement.
 
Lisa Mae Fincannon, casting director of Wilmington-based Fincannon & Associates, is recruiting local talent for named roles in the series, while Taylor Woodell, owner of TW Cast & Recruit, learned this week that she has been tapped to provide extras. She blasted the news Wednesday morning to her list, letting them know that March 27 is the first filming day. The project plans to shoot well into August.
 
Untitled J&L Project is all about opposites attracting, according to a story last May in Hollywood Reporter. One aspect that plays out in the story arc is that Jackson’s character is hearing, and Ridloff’s is deaf, as she is in real life.
 
“It’s heavily based around the deaf community, and we’re tapping into that community around here. It’s an exciting thing – I don’t know the whole cast list – but Lisa’s casting at least one or two actors and actresses who are deaf,” Woodell said Wednesday. “We need extras of all ages, all types.”
 
Because of the show’s premise, Woodell said, the production is “really reaching out and leaning in” to the deaf community in the Wilmington area and beyond. The filming process will be designed to be accessible to people with all levels of hearing: for instance, there will be a translator on set.
 
“The production will try to accommodate real people in real situations,” she added. We’re going to be reaching out to compile a list of organizations and groups [in the deaf community]. We’ve found 20-some that are Wilmington-based to help us find extras. This is such an interesting and beautiful experience for me.” 
 
The Untitled J&L Project has filed for filming permits in a number of locations around Wilmington, starting in late March.