Steamy Showtime drama ‘The Affair’ is filming in SLO County

Showtime’s steamy drama “The Affair” is planning a Morro Bay getaway.

The scenic Central Coast city will serve as the backdrop for an outdoor shoot Thursday and Friday that includes footage of Morro Rock, Morro Rock Beach and the Embarcadero, according to Greg Lazzaro, location manager for “The Affair.”

“What we’re shooting is very simple stuff. It’s basically exposition showing Morro Bay to make a story point,” Lazarro explained.

It’s the first time the hit Showtime series has filmed in San Luis Obispo County, he said.

The winner of three Golden Globe Awards, “The Affair” focuses on the emotional fallout from the extramartial relationship between Noah (Dominic West), a struggling New York City novelist, and Alison (Ruth Wilson), a waitress from Long Island. Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson play their respective spouses, Helen and Cole.

While the show’s first three seasons featured various New York locations, Season 4 of “The Affair,” which premieres June 17, shifts much of the action to California.

Amy Irving guest stars as a sculptor from Morro Bay with a mysterious connection to Cole’s father, while Phoebe Tonkin plays her protegé, TVLine.com reported in December.

Although Lazzaro can’t divulge details of the plot, he confirmed that the story finds Cole digging into his family roots.

Production for “The Affair” was originally slated to take place in Morro Bay in Monday and Tuesday, but was postponed due to recent rain storms.

Cast and crew members now plan to arrive midday Thursday and leave Friday afternoon. They’ll spend Thursday night at the Inn at Morro Bay, said Jennifer Little, tourism manager for the city of Morro Bay.

At least one of “The Affair’s” main stars, Jackson, will be on hand for the shoot.

A casting call by Actor’s Edge in San Luis Obispo sought “paid body doubles/stand-ins” for the former “Dawson’s Creek” hearthrob as well as Tonkin, David Douglas, Mitch Eakins and Tobias Jelnick. Also sought were background extras such as 20-something “surfer dudes” and a “man driving boat trailer with boat.”

According to Lazzaro, members of the public are free to watch the filming process live. Or they can wait to see the local city onscreen in mid-July, when the episode featuring footage shot in Morro Bay is likely to air.

San Luis Obispo County had hosted 95 productions, including movies, television shows, web series and commercials, as of early December 2017, according to Film SLO CAL, the film commission branch of countywide tourism bureau Visit SLO CAL.

Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder were spotted in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo while shooting a movie in August. Singer Nick Jonas shot a music video at the Oceano Dunes in August, and pop star Rihanna and TV personality Jay Leno filmed there in November.

SLO CAL film commission liaison Kylee Corliss said Film SLO CAL and its partners are working with DIY Network, Netflix and the Travel Channel, as well as car manufacturer GMC, on upcoming filming opportunities.

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Steamy Showtime drama ‘The Affair’ is filming in SLO County."