see jason momoa

People are worried about the damage Jason Momoa's recent shoot did to Leslie Street Spit

The new Apple TV series See starring Jason Momoa is one of the many productions filming in and around Toronto this month, and residents have been taking notice of its elaborate set, which came in the form of a complete dystopian village the team constructed on the Leslie Street Spit.

Though it's certainly cool to have such big names in town and to get a glimpse behind the scenes of Hollywood movies and TV shows, some locals are concerned about the impact such activities have on the city's flora and fauna, particularly in the case of See.

Members of various community groups online have been discussing the disruption the shoot has caused in the environmentally sensitive area, which included but was not limited to a ton of vehicle activity, dozens of large trucks, noisy generators, "piles of film junk," structures emitting smoke and even a grounded helicopter.

"Why is this allowed on a fragile urban wilderness? Go somewhere else!" a user commented this week on one of many recent threads about See in the Friends of the Spit Facebook group, in which people have expressed concern for displaced local wildlife not only during the now-wrapped filming, but also in its aftermath.

Another called it "downright disrespectful," while still others called it "scandalous" and "disappointing" behaviour that demanded city attention and action.

Now that the public is allowed back on the grounds again, some have shared photos of a barren and admittedly bleak looking landscape with bricks, chunks of lumber, literal garbage and all sorts of other debris strewn around, and no animals in sight.

"This is a special place — not a film location," one group member shared in a letter sent to Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher.

"We thought this was a park and conservation area? A protected place. Cars nearly ran us off the road. Generators were noisily humming away. How is a permit even issued for this sacred place? Why is the city advertising the Spit as a film location? This is a travesty."

Fletcher told the CBC over the weekend that she hopes this will be the last major shoot in the location, and that more conversations need to be had about future productions taking place in the city's few green spaces.

According to the news outlet, money earned from such shoots goes toward maintaining the parkland in the end, and each project is carefully assessed beforehand to ensure it does not cause any damage, with film companies required to restore the land to the condition it was in prior to their arrival.

Lead photo by

Noam Marcus in Friends of the Spit


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Latest in Film

Prime Video just released a new series shot and set in Ontario cottage country

Comedian roasts Toronto in new Netflix special

Ontario film fans must go on an odyssey to see Nolan's new movie the right way

Mel Gibson just showed up at a Toronto wellness centre

Ontario's cottage country to serve as backdrop for major reality TV series

This is where to find liminal 'Backrooms' vibes in Toronto

Sponsored

Ontario kung-fu film festival returns to theatres with stacked line-up

Here's where you could potentially spot Theo James in Toronto this week