'So beautiful': Florence Pugh on pōwhiri welcome for East of Eden shoot
Actor Florence Pugh praises the pōwhiri ceremony that welcomed the cast and crew of the Netflix series 'East of Eden' to New Zealand. The production utilized heritage sites in Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula to recreate early 20th-century California.
Why it matters
It showcases the intersection of international film production and indigenous cultural practices, highlighting New Zealand's role as a filming location.
Hollywood star Florence Pugh says a pōwhiri welcoming cast and crew to New Zealand was a highlight of making Netflix's East of Eden, which was filmed at heritage sites in Auckland and Coromandel. The British actor told Late Night with Seth Meyers that experiencing the Māori tradition was "so beautiful". "We started the shooting schedule with this incredible ceremony," the Little Women actress said. "You're immediately full of this power and love. It was a very special way to shoot." The series, based on John Steinbeck's 1952 novel, is set in California's Salinas Valley.
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