Simulated gunfire in Leonardo DiCaprio-starring movie filming in Sacramento causes concerns
SACRAMENTO – A movie shoot starring Leonardo DiCaprio in Downtown Sacramento is causing some concerns.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Maryanne Gilliard said that the court workers were not notified about the filming until late Monday night after regular business hours.
In the message they received, it said the filming would include "simulated gunfire," "talent in police uniforms brandishing weapons" and "emergency vehicles with flashing lights."
The courthouse is about two blocks away from where film crews were spotted Tuesday near 7th and J Streets.
"It has created some excitement in downtown," said Hugo Cervantes, owner of Cilantro's Mexican Restaurant which is right by the filming. "You see everyone from Kaiser coming out and seeing if they can get a glance of Leonardo, and they ended up just getting a glance of me."
Gilliard said that the late notice from the court gave her and other judges no time to tell their jurors about the filming until it was already happening, and they showed up to court Tuesday.
"We want people to feel safe to come to court," Gilliard said. "Law enforcement engaging in a fire fight does not project a safe image for people who are needing or wanting to come to the courthouse."
She told CBS13 that jurors seemed relieved that it was not a real live situation.
CBS13 went into the courthouse on Tuesday and was told it had no comment on the filming.
Cervantes said the filmmakers checked in on them multiple times. His employees usually park in one of the alleyways where the shooting for the movie was happening.
"My staff had to find other places to park, but besides that, it's kind of exciting," Cervantes said.
Gilliard hopes that next time the city will ask for the court's input beforehand.
"Don't do it on a weekday," Gilliard said. "Do it on the weekend when we don't have jurors."
The movie shoot in Sacramento shut down some streets but still did draw a crowd even on a workday with eager fans hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the stars. As originally reported by Deadline earlier in January, the as-of-yet unnamed film is a Warner Bros. production. DiCaprio and Sean Pean, along with Regina Hall, are listed as stars of the film.
Actress and musician Teyana Taylor was also spotted on set with DiCaprio. Photos show DiCaprio wearing a suit and sporting a ponytail.
CBS13 also reached out to the City of Sacramento which said the production company is in contact with the courthouse, but it did not have anything else to say about the filming.