In Dennis Lehane’s all-new Apple TV series Smoke, viewers may be wondering how the harrowing fire shots are so intensely realistic. The answer is simple and complicated all at once; the crew used all real fire for the scenes.
“I feel like the world has gone a little crazy, so I wanted to make a show that reflected that,” Lehane said at the show’s world premiere at Tribeca Festival. “That felt as chaotic, and potentially ‘on fire,’ as the world we’re living in right now. And this seems like the perfect story to do it through.”
The story itself, which follows an arson investigator who begrudgingly teams up with a police detective as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions, is inspired by a real-life story, found on truth. Media’s acclaimed “Firebug” podcast.
The premiere marked a fiery kickoff to Tribeca Festival’s slate of prestige television. Fans and industry insiders gathered for a first look at the gritty new crime drama, which brings together acclaimed novelist-turned-showrunner Lehane and actor Taron Egerton for their second collaboration, following 2022’s Emmy-nominated Black Bird.
Visually, the show is relentless, with amber hues, smoke-choked alleyways, and real fire used throughout the production heightening the realism and danger. Directors Kari Skogland and Joe Chappelle lean into a slow-burn aesthetic, punctuated by sudden bursts of chaos.
Egerton’s performance is stunning from start to finish, in every way imaginable. His character, arson investigator Dave Gudsen, takes the audience on a relentless series of twists and turns throughout the duration of the story. “I think that’s why people watch these stories,” he said. “People want to delve into the dark side of what it means to be a person.”
Lehane and Egerton were joined by fellow cast members, including Jurnee Smollett, Rafe Spall, Greg Kinnear, Anna Chlumsky, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine. Also in attendance were executive producers Richard Plepler, Bradley Thomas, Marc Smerling, and Joe Chappelle, along with director Kari Skogland and members of the behind-the-scenes creative team.
Hear more about Smoke here!