SMILF Showtime Series Filming In Brookline

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline has long been ready for its close up. It's been the location of a Chronicle Special, and several Brookline Interactive films, but now the Golden Globe nominated Showtime series SMILF is filming in Brookline Village this week, according to some keen eyed folks in Brookline.

Production on Season 2 started in June.

"We are currently in production in and around Boston for SMILF Season 2 which will premiere on Showtime early next year," said a public relations spokesperson for Showtime in an email to Patch.

At least one local sandwich shop reports seeing a production assistant come in to pick up some food.

And check out some photos from one alert cameraman in Brookline (and there were a few):

SMILF was also reportedly in Southie and Dorchester this last fall shooting scenes and then they popped up in Wellesley to shoot a few weeks back.

SMILF aims to take a comedic look at the life of Bridgette Bird (Frankie Shaw), a woman from South Boston whose desires for relationships and a career collide with her working-class single mom status. It's a semi-autobiographical series, whose title is meant to be ironic and to reclaim the demeaning nature of the label, according to the folks over at Showtime.

The cast also includes Miguel Gomez, Samara Weaving and Alexandra and Anna Reimer. Rosie O'Donnell plays Shaw's mom. Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Connie Britton, Mark Webber and Raven Goodwin all made appearances in Season One.

The first episode of SMILF aired in November and was quickly picked up for a second season.

In February City Councilor and Southie resident Ed Flynn got serious push back when he urged Boston to remove the ads for SMILF in bus shelters around the city.

"I’m tired of Hollywood making a profit off of these abysmal shows that in no way capture the real lives, character and contributions of the people of South Boston," he said.

The lead actress and creator of the show, whose family come from Southie was among those who pushed back, taking to social media to express her thoughts in an open letter:

"I was raised by a single mother who grew up in Southie. My Grandma Mary raised six kids by herself on East Fourth street. Growing up, I spent all my free time there hanging out with my aunts and cousin. I don't know my father, so family to me was all women, all Southie, all the time.

I love Southie. We shot the pilot in the very house my mom grew up in. My uncle Peter, who has schizophrenia and is beloved by everyone in the neighborhood, got to make the most money he’d ever made in his life for his small speaking role as a customer in Joseph’s bakery. All that being said, I’m not claiming to represent every single woman in South Boston. How could I? I’m writing about the people I know and the issues I care about.

Here are the two statements in full:

Showtime's SMILF Is Apparently Filming In Wellesley

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Photo up top of filming in Brookline Village courtesy from a Patch reader who works in Brookline Village with permission.

Photo of the main character Frankie with her son, credit: SHOWTIME with permission.