Cast of Netflix's 'Below' credit Newfoundland community for show's charm

By Kate Skelly

TORONTO, Oct 5 (Reuters) - There's something in the water in Netflix's thriller miniseries "Below," which opens with a political conflict in a Canadian coastal town that becomes overshadowed by mysterious events lurking near the harbor.

Actor Josh Hartnett, who stars as a fisherman forced to harvest ice from icebergs due to a depleting fish supply, said the show being set and filmed in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador was the "most thrilling" part of the project.

"If that weren't at the foreground, (Below) could just very well be another show, but I think that was the thing that really hooked me," Hartnett told Reuters.

The six-part limited series debuting globally this week takes place during Come Home Year, a real-life tradition in which Newfoundlanders who moved away for work visit home for the summer. But the folksy family reunion quickly becomes the target of a sea creature terrorizing the community.

The show blends eerie suspense, heartfelt humor and climate change — something actor Mackenzie Davis, who plays a marine researcher helping tackle what’s going on in the water, said would be "absurd and insane" to leave out.

"There's lots of stuff going on in this show, and a huge part of it is talking about climate change. But they're all balanced in this really nice way where it doesn't feel didactic or punishing to watch," she said.

Created by Canadian screenwriter Jesse McKeown, "Below" features local cast members whom other actors credit for helping them grasp the distinct Newfoundland accent.

"If I didn't know how to say something, I would check. I'd be like, is this OK? Are we doing an OK job? They were so supportive," said Charlie Heaton, who also stars in Netflix's hit sci-fi series "Stranger Things."

"Below" streams globally on Netflix October 8.