The 2900 block of College Avenue in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood was transformed into a mid-1980s scene on Friday night, as director Danny Boyle filmed a scene for a new Steve Jobs biopic at La Méditerranée.
Period cars from the 1980s were parked on the street, and the producers had put out a casting call for men with long hair and facial hair, and women with “natural hair colors” to match the 1980s to 1990s time period.
While scores of curious onlookers hung out on College, sightings of the film’s stars — Michael Fassbender (who plays Steve Jobs), Seth Rogen (Steve Wozniak), Jeff Daniels (John Sculley), and Kate Winslet (Joanna Hoffman), were fleeting, at best.
Berkeleyside’s Emilie Raguso was on scene and posted the following on Twitter:
The #SteveJobs movie shoot on College in #Berkeley; lots of classic cars. Definitely looking like different era. pic.twitter.com/PrvAB4zrtX
— Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) January 24, 2015
#SteveJobs movie in #Berkeley at #LaMed. Crew is doing a great job. @iSiciliana maybe saw #MichaelFassbender. pic.twitter.com/x8VePSbYxh
— Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) January 24, 2015
They don’t make Hondas like this anymore! Casting call wanted period cars. Also: Prop truck #stevejobs #Berkeley pic.twitter.com/m3olbV6hgW
— Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) January 24, 2015
Last shots of the new #steveJobs movie filming in #Berkeley #MichaelFassbender #dannyBoyle #CollegeAve pic.twitter.com/bGi1yiuF5Y
— Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) January 24, 2015
Just before 9 p.m., Shasta Smith tweeted that she caught a glimpse of several of the key actors in the film:
I spy Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen and Kate Winslet filming the new Steve Jobs movie in Berkeley! pic.twitter.com/Y8QrBQv1KR — Shasta Smith (@shasta_nicole) January 24, 2015
Read more about the movie and the Berkeley shoot.
Berkeley has been the location of numerous films over the decades, including a scene with Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate shot at Caffe Med on Telegraph Avenue. A key scene in Mrs. Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams, was shot poolside at the Claremont Hotel. In 1993, the H. Tulanian & Sons Rug Company, just down a block from La Méditerranée, was transformed into Whoopi Goldberg’s African Queen Bookstore for the movie Made in America. Ted Danson also starred in that movie.
For more on movies shot in Berkeley, catch up on our film critic John Seal’s “Locally Grown” series, which includes reviews of Officer 444, Along Came a Spider; The Fear Woman; Shadow of the Thin Man; Changes; Harold and Maude; Tear Gas and Law Enforcement; The Assassination of Richard Nixon; and The Graduate.
Related:
New Steve Jobs movie starring Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, Kate Winslet, shooting in Berkeley (01.22.15)
For more events in and around Berkeley, check out Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. And submit your own events there — the calendar is free and self-serve.
