"Bucket-list places": Cast from new Netflix series gushes about time in Alberta
People are buzzing about Netflix’s Alberta-shot My Life with the Walter Boys, and the stars are showing some serious love for the province.
The Netflix original coming-of-age series is based on the 2014 novel by the same name from author Ali Novak, with the 10-episode order filmed in Calgary and surrounding areas in 2022.
The series follows 15-year-old Manhattanite Jackie Howard, who has to learn to adapt to a new life in rural Colorado with her guardian and 10 very rowdy kids, following the loss of her family in a tragic accident.
Daily Hive sat down with some of the cast members while shooting last summer to talk about the series, and they couldn’t stop heaping praise on the province.
Alberta has a fan in one of the series’ directors
Jason Priestly, who directed some of the series episodes, said he has visited the province numerous times thanks to shooting four movies in Alberta throughout his career, adding that he loves the crews here.
“Alberta is an incredibly beautiful province and just being able to shoot the beauty of the scenery here… it’s a wonderful opportunity for a director like myself,” Priestley said.
“It’s one of the great gifts that you get here in Alberta, this place is like nowhere else. You look east you got this unbelievable prairie landscape, and you look west and you got the Rocky Mountains. It’s really a pretty magical place.”
One star of the Netflix series really checked out Alberta’s scenery
“I was really excited to come to Calgary,” said Marc Blucas, who plays George Walter in the series.
“Banff, all these places are bucket-list places for me and the rest of the world, too, so the idea of coming here was so attractive and I have fallen in love with it. It is just such a beautiful part of the world.”
Blucas added he stopped in some iconic Alberta locations during some off time, checking out Drumheller, Banff, the Icefields Parkway, and Jasper.
“I spent a lot of time up in the mountains because I love that area so much. I have had a nice time getting to know the area.”
He added they spent tons of time in Banff, giving a shout-out to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
“That back patio, it’s just amazing. It looks like a painting, it’s kind of unreal.”
Taking a scroll on Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel’s Instagram, we can seriously see why Blucas was dazzled by it!
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A trip to the Calgary Stampede was a must for some of the cast
Some of the cast members even got to check out the legendary Calgary Stampede while they were in the province, with series lead Nikki Rodriguez, who portrays Jackie Howard in the project, Ashby Gentry, who portrays Alex Walter, and Noah LaLonde, who portrays Cole Walter, all getting the chance to experience “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”
“It was interesting, it was super fun. I loved the rollercoasters,” LaLonde said, with Rodriguez getting in on that sentiment.
“I am a huge fan of carnival rides, I got the wristband,” she said. “We got the early deal. Stampede was great.”
Its wild food options were also mentioned, with LaLonde adding that a bison burger was “as adventurous” as he went with the Stampede food selection. Rodriguez piped in that she grabbed some foot-long fries.
My Life with the Walter Boys will be available on Netflix on December 7, with a Calgary premiere at Cineplex Odeon Eau Claire Market Cinemas at 7 pm on Wednesday, December 6.
If you are interested in viewing the series a little early, you can snag free tickets to the premiere here using the code “dailyhivexwalterbo
Rodriguez, Blucas, LaLonde, and Gentry will be on hand for a Q&A after the showing.
Will you be tuning in to this Alberta-shot Netflix series? Let us know in the comments below.
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