The Upper East Side’s Carl Schurz Park has a cameo in the upcoming season of the NBC’s hit drama ‘The Blacklist.” The production took over part of the park to film what appeared to be pivotal scenes for the long-running show’s tenth season, involving a very real-looking campaign event for fictional Virginia Senator Cynthia Panabaker.
Crews members, actors and extras filled the small gathering area near the entrance to the park at East 86th Street and East End Avenue Thursday morning to shoot the scenes, which included a dozens of extras holding campaign signs and cheering on the fictional candidate.
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Sandwich boards placed around the production area alerted park-goers that filming was in progress and there were “actors in police uniforms and prop weapons in use”
“He’s got a gun! Bang!” a crew member called out once the cameras were rolling— simulating dialogue and a sound effect of a gunshot that would be dubbed into the final cut— sending the extras cast as supporters fleeing from the faux campaign rally in a panic.
After several takes, the crew moved on to shoot another scene where a young man wearing a black jacket and beanie stands stoically in the same crowd as supporters cheer on Senator Panabaker. Moments later, the same actor is seen being patted down by an actor dressed as a law enforcement agent.
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Portrayed by Deidre Lovejoy since The Blacklist’s third season, Senator Panabaker is expected to play a large role in upcoming tenth season of the James Spader-led thriller, following the departure of two longtime cast members following the season nine finale last spring.
At one point on Thursday morning, she was seen in character on the campaign stage, dressed in a blue suit.
Spader, who has portrayed international fugitive and criminal mastermind Raymond Reddington since the show’s debut in 2013, was not seen at Thursday’s filming in Carl Schurz Park.
This is at least the second time The Blacklist has shot scenes on the Upper East Side this month. The production was seen filming in the low 80s near Fifth Avenue in early September, with actors Diego Klattenhoff and Hisham Tawfiq spotted on set.
A premiere date for The Blacklist’s tenth season has not yet been released.
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