Sienna Miller’s American Woman house had to be thoroughly disinfected

The family home used by Sienna Miller’s character in American Woman had to be completely disinfected before filming because the real-life property was filthy.
Director Jake Scott wanted to use real people’s houses while on location in Boston, Massachusetts to ensure authenticity for the drama, about a single mother tasked with raising her grandson after her daughter disappears.
“Authenticity is paramount in telling a story like this, so we shot primarily in real locations, often with non-actors walking around in them,” he explained.
“All the furnishings were bought at local stores. These weren’t props from Hollywood, and they weren’t built by the art department. Everything, including the fabrics and carpets, came from local suppliers.”
However, production designer Happy Massee really wasn’t happy with the property Jake settled on to double as the home of Miller’s character Debra Callahan, because simply transforming it into a livable space required a lot of hard work – and super-strength cleaning supplies.
“I fought tooth and nail to stay away from the house that we ultimately chose for Deb’s home because of the rough condition it was in when we first arrived,” Massee tells WENN.
“The problem was that you just couldn’t breathe in it. The guy who lived there had dogs and cats, and he probably hadn’t cleaned the place in about 10 years. So we had to empty it out and bring in cleaners. Then a hazmat team arrived and disinfected the entire house. But by the time we finished, the place looked amazing.”
The crew’s efforts were truly appreciated by Scott and his cast, because it helped actress Miller fully embrace her role in the emotional movie.
“When you’re shooting in a real location and not on a soundstage, you gain a sense of reality,” she shared. “It makes everything feel authentic, which inevitably makes it easier to connect with the story.
“Of course, there are also some cons, logistically speaking. Shooting in Deb’s cramped bedroom on the first day was extremely intense. Although we acclimated to the space, there was an entire crew with camera equipment in one tiny room, all of us crammed in like sardines. Somehow we got used to it.”
Co-star Christina Hendricks, who plays Debra’s sister and neighbour Katherine, also enjoyed stepping back in time for the film, which is actually set in small-town Pennsylvania in 2003.
“The home that I mostly shot in reminded me very much of my grandmother’s house, and a lot of the houses of people I grew up with,” she said. “So I automatically felt like I knew where everything was as soon as I walked in, which made it quite easy for me to feel like I belonged there.”
American Woman, which also features Aaron Paul and Sky Ferreira, is in theatres now.