HBO Series ‘Time Traveler’s Wife’ Filming in Chicago This Week

“A romance for the ages.” That’s a bold claim but one HBO is making with confidence as it forges ahead through filming its new seriesThe Time Traveler’s Wife en route to a worldwide premiere on HBO and HBO Max. And one of the final stops on the trail is Chicago, where the HBO team has been filming external scenes for the past week, wrapping up this evening, after filming most of the series in New York. But there are two other key Chicagoland connections in this series.

Adapted by Steven Moffat from the beloved novel of the same name, The Time Traveler’s Wife follows the intricate and magical love story between Clare (Rose Leslie of HBO’s Game of Thrones), and Henry (Theo James of Divergent), and a marriage with a problem… time travel.

And as for that beloved novel, the best selling book was written by Evanston resident and Michigan/Illinois native Audrey Niffenegger. Born in South Haven, Michigan, Niffenegger and her family moved to Evanston, Illinois and she has since spent a majority of her life in Chicago. Niffenegger started writing books when she was six years old. Niffenegger completed her undergraduate degree at the Art Institute of Chicago where she worked on becoming a visual artist. After completing her undergraduate degree, she got her M.F.A at Northwestern University. Niffenegger is currently a professor in the Department of Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago, where she co-founded the Columbia College Chicago Center for the Book and Paper Arts.

Niffenegger’s novel was first adapted into a studio movie, led by Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. Here’s a quick trip back to 2009 to revisit the trailer for this one…

Chicagoan Desmin Borges Joins the Cast

Back to the TV series currently in production… Joining Rose Leslie and Theo James in the cast of The Time Traveler’s Wife are Natasha Lopez, Caitlin Shorey, Everleigh McDonell (Good Girls), Michael Park (Stranger Things), Jaime Ray Newman (Little Fires Everywhere), Taylor Richardson (Rise), Peter Graham (Will & Grace), Brian Altemus (Grand Army), Jason David (NOS4A2), Kate Siegel (The Haunting of Hill House), Josh Stamberg, (WandaVision), Chelsea Frei (The Moodys), Marcia DeBonis (Almost Family) Will Brill (The OA) and Spencer House (Teenage Bounty Hunters).

But the most notable addition to this cast for Chicago TV fans is Desmin Borges. Desmin is best known for playing Edgar Quintero on the FX/FXX comedy-drama You’re the Worst. Borges grew up in Chicago, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater at DePaul University, and cut his teeth in the esteemed Chicago theatre scene, most notably in the smash hit World Premiere of the Pulitzer Prize nominated The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, which went on to a run in New York, where Desmin currently resides.

Doctor Who’s Moffat at the Helm

The HBO and Warner Bros. production is executive produced by Steven Moffat (Doctor Who, Sherlock), Sue Vertue (Sherlock, Coupling), and Brian Minchin (Doctor Who, Torchwood), Joseph E. Iberti (HBO’s Watchmen and Boardwalk Empire) and David Nutter (HBO’s Game of Thrones and The Sopranos). Nutter will also direct Season 1.

“This is a story of loss but it’s not a tragedy. It’s about a time traveler but it’s not science fiction. Despite Clare and Henry’s time scrambled relationship, this is the tale of a grand, ordinary love – but not necessarily in that order. This is a dream project for me. I have always loved Audrey Niffenegger’s extraordinary, moving novel and it has inspired me many times, so to be adapting it for television is the thrill of a lifetime. Working with David Nutter is a joy and an honor already, and with Rose Leslie and Theo James as Clare and Henry, and Natasha Lopez and Desmin Borges as Charisse and Gomez, this is going to be the love story we need right now,” Moffat said.

Check back here at SCREEN Magazine for updates as The Time Traveler’s Wife forges ahead toward its series premiere in the months ahead.