Movie magic in Maple Bay with Oscar winner Casey Affleck in town

CHEK

WATCH: The Cowichan Valley community of Maple Bay has caught Hollywood’s attention with Casey Affleck shooting a movie in town. April Lawrence went to find him.

If you look closely you can catch a glimpse of Hollywood magic through a Garry Oak meadow in Maple Bay.

The Hollywood drama Light of My Life is filming at the heritage property Elkington House.

It stars 41-year-old Academy Award winner Casey Affleck, who scouted the location himself.

“We’re absolutely thrilled here in Maple Bay that Casey Affleck, recent Oscar winner, would choose our location, it’s very exciting for the neighbourhood,” said Wendy Marshall, who lives near the movie set.

And it’s also exciting for the local pub where people are buzzing about having a movie star in their midst.

“Everybody is talking about it, every customer, is asking if they’ve been in that day, if he’s nice, but as I’ve said I’ve yet to see him but when I do I’ll tell everybody,” said Caroline Whitehead, a server at the Lion Rampant Scottish Pub.

Taylor Smith is the one person in the pub who has seen Casey Affleck.

“I was working ten feet away from him all day long but he’s a pretty busy guy,” said Smith, who has worked with the special effects crew on the film.

“He’s acting and directing in the film and the way he works with the cast and the crew is very very professional,” he said.

But not everyone has caught movie fever ? Ronnie Auton has only just learned about the movie, and it’s star.

“So I believe he’s called Casey Affleck? I had to Google him,” she said.

But it isn’t all about Affleck, for local businesses it’s about the greater impact of a film crew being in their little seaside community during the off season.

“We’ve had a whole bunch of the crew come down for lunch, there was about two weeks in a row where they were down almost every day,” said Bruce Findlay, owner of the Lion Rampant Scottish Pub.

When the trucks pull out in the next week or so, it’s hoped this brush with fame, will put little Maple Bay on the map.

April LawrenceApril Lawrence

Recent Stories

Send us your news tips and videos!