HBO Series on Julia Child’s Life To Film in Framingham

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FRAMINGHAM – Earlier this year, a pilot about the life of famed chef Julia Child was greenlighted for an 8-episode series on HBO Max.

And many scenes from the new 8-episode series will be filmed in Framingham.

Starring Sarah Lancashire as the famed chef, the production company has rented out the former Danforth School for $125,000, said City of Framingham Facilities Director Jim Paolini.

Crews could be seen working at the former school and musuem site this week.

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That building is also where Apple TV productions filmed the drama miniseries Defending Jacob, starring Chris Evans, who attended Brophy Elementary and graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury High School.

“The Danforth is being rented out for a Warner Bros./Northgate production about Julia Child,” said Paolini. “It is the same footprint as Defending Jacob.”

The Danforth Building will not be the only place Hollywood will be filming in Framingham. They plan to film scenes in downtown Framingham and a couple of other locations in the City, said Paolini.

Scenes from the pilot of Julia were filmed in downtown Framingham last year.

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“These movie productions infuse money into downtown and into the City,” said Paolini.

Julia, whose pilot was written by Daniel Goldfarb and directed by Charles McDougall, is inspired by Julia Child’s extraordinary life and her long-running television series, The French Chef, which pioneered the popular cooking-show genre, according to Deadline.

David Hyde Pierce is also cast in the series as Julia’s husband, along with Brittany Bradford, Fran Kranz, Fiona Glascott, Bebe Neuwirth, Isabella Rossellini and Jefferson Mays.

“We are so happy to help bring the incomparable Julia Child back to the small screen, when we need her more than ever,” said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content at HBO Max, in a press release. “This show’s look into her life, marriage and trailblazing career as she transformed the way we talk about food is an absolute delight. Our incredible cast and formidable creative team are a recipe for success, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

Child died in 2004 at the age of 91.

The Julia Child’s kitchen, designed by her husband, which was the setting for three of her television shows, can be viewed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.