Lights, Camera, Action Coming Soon for Eagle Hill Residents

Representatives from Columbia Pictures were at a recent East Boston community meeting to brief Eagle Hill residents on the impacts of filming a new Denzel Washington movie may have on the surrounding community.

Columbia Picture’s Mark Fitzgerald attended last week’s Eagle Hill Civic Association (EHCA) meeting and said filming in Eastie would begin in late July.

“We wanted to come by and let the neighborhood know what we are doing and when we will be doing it. Initial filming will begin on the Meridian Street Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.,” said Fitzgerald. “Then we will be moving up into the neighborhood to film at a home on Falcon Street, which will serve as Denzel Washington’s character’s apartment in the movie.”

During filming some portions of Condor Street, Falcon Street and Meridian Street will have restricted parking for residents. To mitigate these impacts, Fitzgerald said East Boston High School Principal, Michael Rubin will allow residents to park in the EBHS parking lot during times that resident’s streets are closed to parking.

However, while filming will be for only a week or so, some residents living in Eagle Hill that endured the inconvenience of movie crews, street closings, and parking restrictions for films like Here Comes the Boom, Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone weren’t too happy.

“I have an elderly mother, how am I going to get her in and out of the house and drive her places if I have to park all the way up at the high school?” asked one Falcon Street resident.

Others welcomed Columbia Pictures saying that filming movies in Eastie has heightened its profile.

“While some might complain I welcome it,” said a Meridian Street resident. “It’s only for a few days and I love to see our neighborhood depicted on the Big Screen.”

Fitzgerald said he’s have a better idea of exact date and times once Columbia Pictures moves closer to actually filming in Eastie. He pledged to reach out to the community and keep them abreast of all shooting locations, times, and street closures ahead of time.

The movie, The Equalizer, is based on the American television series that ran for four seasons from 1985 to 1989.

Denzel Washington will play the title role as Robert McCall (originally played by British actor Edward Woodward during the shows original run), a former covert operations officer of an unnamed U.S. Government intelligence organization, who tries to atone for past sins by offering, free of charge, his services as a troubleshooter, a protector, and an investigator. People in need find him through a newspaper ad: “Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer. 212 555 4200”.

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