‘Hershey’ begins filming in Historic Harmony
HARMONY — The usually quaint borough of Harmony will be in the spotlight this week as film crews transform several spots into sets for an upcoming movie.
Production for a biopic dubbed “Hershey” began filming in the borough on Monday, May 12, and is expected to continue through Wednesday evening.
The film follows the journey of Milton Hershey and his wife, Kitty, as they navigate love and loss while building the iconic chocolate brand.
Local businesses, historical landmarks and residents from around the Greater Pittsburgh Region are set to make appearances in the film.
That included Wunderbar Coffee & Crepes, where the storefront was styled to mirror the late 1800s and capture the intended time period of the production.
“It’s been pretty cool,” said owner Seth Murphy, who was notified of the plans a few weeks ahead of time. “They painted the door and the windows and changed the brand of course. It looks really good.”
In a Facebook post Sunday, Wunderbar Coffee & Crepes announced it will be closed through Wednesday. Murphy said his business was compensated for the brief closure.
“At first I was a little nervous because we weren’t sure if they were going to have to shut us down on Mother’s Day weekend, but they worked around that,” he said.
Several tons of black mulch and numerous old-time props were hauled in during the weekend to line Mercer Street and match the film’s historical aesthetic.
The movie is directed by Mark Waters, who is known for films such as “Mean Girls,” “He’s All That” and “Freaky Friday.”
It stars Finn Wittrock of “American Horror Story” and Alexandra Daddario of “The White Lotus,” and is expected to be released next year.
