Netflix TV series boosts popularity of film locations in Greater Victoria
The Netflix miniseries Maid is earning global praise – and it appears that seemingly ordinary Greater Victoria shooting locations are quickly becoming popular tourist attractions.
At Sassy's Family Restaurant in Brentwood Bay, staff are getting a lot of reservations for one table in particular.
"That's table three, in the sunroom," said Noel Eanzer, a server at Sassy's.
It's all because the table was featured in just a few seconds of screen time in the Netflix television series.
Sassy's is just one of 160 Greater Victoria location that Netflix filmed at.
The production was a boon for businesses, which were in the grips of one of B.C.'s COVID-19 lockdowns at the time.
"They hired out the entire restaurant and paid out the staff wages," said Eanzer.
Meanwhile, a strip mall in Saanich stood in as Value Maids, the company where main character, Alex, played by Margaret Qualley, gets her job.
Value Maids is actually Tillicum Laundry near Hampton Park.
Tillicum Laundry is shown: (CTV News)
Other shooting locations include downtown Victoria, the Patricia Bay Highway, and an oceanfront mansion at Ten Mile Point.
"I watched the show in, I think, in 10 hours or something," said Katherine Gilbert of the Vancouver Island South Film and Media commission. "I just really couldn't turn it off."
Everybody and their dog is talking about the show. But amid the charm of its breathtaking and familiar scenery are subjects that can be hard to touch on.
The show focuses on a single mother who escapes from domestic abuse.
She ends up at a women's shelter, which was filmed at an apartment building in Esquimalt.
The apartment building in Esquimalt that stood in as a women's shelter in the Netflix series is shown: (CTV News)
The unit that the character lives in with her daughter, Maddy – played by young Victoria resident, Rylea Niveah Whittet – is unit 23.
The woman who lives in that unit is named Piper, and she say she's a fan of the show.
"I cried at some points," she told CTV News. "I've seen it probably three times through."
The show also employed locals for its cast and crew, including one woman who was formerly homeless, who was hired on as an extra then later offered an acting contract.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.