Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and The Flash, starring Meryl Streep, hits theaters today. Aside from Streep’s performance as a rocker mom, an appearance by Numi & Co. Hair Salon—a popular Rye establishment—can be anticipated.
In October of last year, the crew and cast, which included Streep and her real-life daughter Mamie Gummer, came to the salon to film a scene in which Mamie’s character has a hair crisis.
Nuriel Abramov, senior stylist and co-owner of Numi, says that the producer and director had been looking for salons to film in Westchester for a couple of days before they stumbled upon Numi.
According to Abramov, the crew “didn’t change a thing” about the salon. “We were also playing as extra. One of my girls actually worked on Mamie’s hair.”
The film’s ending wedding scene was filmed in Yonkers, according to Rick Springfield, who plays Streep’s rock ‘n’ roll love interest.
“I’d never been to Yonkers and that was pretty incredible. A lot of people film there because of the amazing old architecture,” Springfield explained.
He is also a fan of Westchester in general. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been and I want to move there right away. So please get me the nicest house; I’m coming over,” said the actor.
This is far from the first time that Westchester has attracted a feature film, or even a Meryl Streep film. The Academy Award-winning actress starred in It’s Complicated, Doubt, The Manchurian Candidate, and the 1984 film Falling in Love, all of which were filmed partly in Westchester.
Last week, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced that the television and film industry boosted Westchester’s economy by $18 million in 2014.
Despite Astorino’s celebration of the publicity in a press release published last Friday, some of that revenue can be linked to a loss for local business owners.
Renee Drummond frequents Numi, and owns the consignment store across the street. She says that the crew of Ricki and The Flash was kind and friendly, but the filming blocked-off the street, interrupting traffic and business flow.
“They bring coffee trucks that feed all their crew and sometimes they put them right outside of a restaurant. It would be cool if they maybe used the town restaurants.”
Though Numi lost a full day of business due to the filming, Abramov says he “absolutely” plans on bringing his family and staff to see the film, and that his clients are excited too.
