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MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) – Crews will begin filming a new season of a Disney Plus series in downtown Macon next week.
“Genius: MLK/X” will tell the stories of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, exploring the parallel of their lives.
According to Harold Young, the Executive Director of the Tubman Museum in Macon, the series is an important comparison.
“Malcolm X wasn’t by any means peaceful, and Martin Luther King was the peace maker, so you got someone who is very radical as far as let’s take it by force, and you have another person who wants to do it by peace talk,” Young said. “There’s two ways of doing things: by force or by peace, but the thing about it is they both wanted the same thing: equal justice for all.”
Macon has been chosen as the backdrop for the series, with production crews selecting the city to gain the look of the civil rights era.
Aaron Buzza, the Vice President of Visit Macon, says the downtown area has been a popular choice for many films because of its iconic scenery.
“Largely because we have a wealth of historical buildings, especially in the downtown area,” Buzza said. “So if they’re trying to shoot something in a particular time period, it’s really easy to do here in Macon.”
The series is also expected to bring foot traffic to local restaurants and businesses.
Mike Seekins, the owner of Famous Mike’s restaurant, says he’s looking forward to the possibilities of even more production coming to town.
“Visit Macon has done such a great job with all the things they do to bring different things to Macon,” he said. “It’s very exciting.”
While the series will tell a difficult story with depictions of violence and police brutality, Young says it’s important to remember this is part of history.
“During those times in the civil rights movement, there was a lot of violence, there were a lot of riots, there were a lot of attack dogs on human beings, there were a lot of water hoses on human beings,” Young said. “We can’t erase that. It’s history. That’s what happened during that time.”
Prep for production began on Thursday and crews will film on January 30 and 31.
Roads will be closed in these areas of downtown:
Friday, January 27, 2023
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Monday, January 30, 2023
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
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