Written by Tom Deehan on Aug 25, 2016. Posted in On Location / Production News

HBO’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks filming in Atlanta

HBO’s television film, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (adapted from the non-fiction novel of the same name) has begun filming in Atlanta, Georgia with scenes shot at Buckhead church. The film will tell the true story of Lacks who was unwittingly at the centre of a number of medical breakthroughs in the 20^th century, after her cervical cancer cells were discovered to be immortal.

The project has been in development since 2010 when the rights were optioned by Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball, but failed to be greenlit until May 2016. Production credits go to HBO Films, Cine Mosaic, Harpo Films and Your Face Goes Here Entertainment.

George C. Wolfe (You’re Not You) is on board to direct while Winfrey will star as well as produce alongside Rose Byrne (X-Men: Apocalypse) and Renée Elise Goldsberry (The Good Wife) who will portray Lacks herself.

Rebecca Skloot published The Immortal Life back in 2010 to critical acclaim and the book spent 75 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.

Atlanta is an incredibly popular filming location within Georgia, which is in itself one of the main production hubs of the United States. Georgia’s success can be attributed to its film incentive programme which provides 20% in transferable tax credits and an extra 10% if the state is sufficiently credited in the final product.

There is no limit on the amount that can be claimed from the incentive and the minimum expenditure needed to qualify is USD500,000.

Atlanta has been populated recently with productions from Marvel Studios including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming, while the Netflix drama Ozark began filming earlier this month by Lake Allatoona.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will air on HBO in 2017.