Gillian Anderson, Lena Headey reflect on shooting ‘The Abandons’ in southern Alberta

CTV's Ian White speaks to Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, stars of the Netflix series 'The Abandons', which was shot in southern Alberta.

Lena Headey admits a five-month-long shoot on location can be “kind of depressing” if the food scene isn’t good, but both she and Gillian Anderson are giving a shout-out to Calgary restaurants.

Headey’s favourite? Bridgette Bar on 10th Avenue S.W.

Anderson’s? Major Tom.

“The best steaks I’ve ever had, so yeah, big shout-out to Major Tom,” Anderson told CTV News.

Anderson and Headey play feuding matriarchs in the Hatfield and McCoy-style drama The Abandons, which begins streaming Dec. 4 on Netflix.

Both have effusive praise for the beauty of southern Alberta.

“Oh my gosh, those mountains. The mountains and the valleys and the river ranges—it was just so exquisitely beautiful,” Anderson said.

“We were there five, five and a half months, and every day would drive out the same drive, the same approach to the land that we were shooting on, and it took my breath away every single morning,” Headey said.

“And every single night, we’d leave, and if you were lucky, you’d get the sunset on that big sky and it never got old.”

The lengthy shoot between May and October included the Calgary Stampede, which impressed both actors.

“What a mad time. It was one of the best things I’ve ever, ever experienced,” Headey said.