Byron Bay is set to become the set of a new production when the shooting of the television series, Nine Perfect Strangers, comes to town.
Locals are not unfamiliar with the TV production process, as last year many parts of the Shire were used as a backdrop for the latest edition of Sea Change.
The series, produced by Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films and Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, in conjunction with Endeavor Content and the US streaming company Hulu, has been adapted from Australian author Liane Moriarty’s best-seller.
Ms Kidman said, through her publicist, that she was thrilled to be able to make Nine Perfect Strangers in Australia.
She said, ‘It is a great opportunity for me to give back to the community that nurtured me through so much of my career.’
The series will star Kidman, US actor Melissa McCarthy, as well as Australia’s Asher Keddie and Samara Weaving. Another Australian, Samantha Strauss, has joined the writing team.
Last week, Kidman, her husband Keith Urban, and their children made news headlines for sidestepping mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in the country.
Landing in a private jet, their entourage were allowed to head straight to their home in the Southern Highlands to isolate.
Echonetdaily understands that similar rules also apply to other members of the Nine Perfect Strangers crew, as discussions with the federal government, Screen NSW and the NSW government health authorities has led to an agreement whereby all international and out-of-state cast and crew members will serve a 14-day quarantine under strict government guidelines in a fully-contained facility.
Executive producer Kidman and her core team have been authorised to establish an isolated production hub, under full police-supervised isolation at her property, to allow pre-production to continue remotely through quarantine.
This is similar to arrangements made by governments to support football clubs to train and prepare for matches.
The production of Nine Perfect Strangers, which will begin shooting in August, is touted as injecting $100 million into the Australian economy.
There are other projects looking at filming in the area in the near future, both local and international, however, other than Nine Perfect Strangers, none of these have been publicly announced.
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