Residents of Brigus South were thrilled to witness the production of the new Netflix series “Below.” Lillian Carey, a Brigus South native, expressed her excitement and anticipation of spotting local landmarks and her family members on the screen. She marveled at the bustling activity during the 2025 production, which contrasted with the usual tranquility of the small community of around 50 residents.
The production team ingeniously reimagined Brigus South as the fictional community of Snook’s Arm. Through meticulous set design, they transported the area back in time, with notable transformations such as replicating an old church by constructing a new facade over an existing home. Additionally, other structures were altered to resemble historical fishing sheds and stages, and homes were repainted to reflect popular color schemes from past decades.
Local resident Elizabeth Power shared her experience of having her home revamped for the show, with the house being painted blue with distressed white details. Despite occasional noise from the filming, she found the process fascinating and eye-opening. Another resident, Alexis Rice, praised the respectful behavior of the production team, who transformed her home to appear abandoned by requesting that she leave her grass uncut all summer. However, they later took care of the lawn maintenance after filming concluded.
Rice also mentioned minor inconveniences like using dark curtains to block out bright lights during nighttime scenes but appreciated the crew’s consideration in ensuring her driveway remained accessible. She humorously recounted an incident where the crew created a fake pothole in the road, which she found amusing given Newfoundland’s existing pothole-plagued roads.
A community watch party provided locals with the first glimpse of “Below,” starring Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penney, a fisherman grappling with a mysterious sea creature menacing the town. The cast includes actors from Newfoundland and Labrador, with Willow Keane playing Calvin’s sister Ruth Penney. The series, consisting of six episodes, is now available for streaming on Netflix.
