'Jane' Starring Madelaine Petsch Delays Filming Due To COVID-19 Cases On Set

Startup studio and streaming service Creator Plus delayed its filming schedule for “Jane” after two COVID-19 cases were confirmed on set in New Mexico.

In a statement obtained by Variety, Creator Plus said the cases were detected “while adhering to strict safety daily testing protocols.”

“As a result, we immediately implemented a six-day shutdown, which started yesterday (as a half day) from the initial case we received. All lead actors are continuing to test negative despite exposure. We’re working closely with our SAG representatives, the CDC and the All Together New Mexico ‘COVID Safe Practices for Individuals and Employers’ while upholding SAG’s Return to Work agreement,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.

“Jane” stars Madelaine Petsch of “Riverdale” fame, who is also a producer of the movie.

Creator Plus said no other cast member tested positive for COVID-19 and that the filming halt will last for six days.

The movie is directed by Sabrina Jaglom and is her first feature project. The cast includes Melissa Leo, Chloe Bailey, Kerri Medders, Ian Owens, and Nina Bloomgarden.

Petsch stars as a high school student who suffers a series of panic attacks. The film is a psychological thriller that dives into the issues of mental health and social media anxiety.

In April, Creator Plus announced that it had raised $12 million and was set to launch a studio and a streaming platform built around digital content creators.

Creator Plus was founded by Benjamin Grubbs, former global head of top creator partnerships at YouTube, and Silicon Valley technology investor and entrepreneur Jonathan Shambroom. The latter was once the general manager of Crackle streaming service, according to a previous Variety article.

Entertainment unions in the U.S. have recently agreed to alter the Return-to-Work protocols under implementation since last fall. The new provisions allow productions to mandate vaccines for actors and other on-set workers.

The United States is witnessing a resurgence of coronavirus cases driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. It has affected major industries, including a number of productions. Hulu series “Woke” suspended its filming schedules three times after multiple cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on set.

Similarly, “House of the Dragon”, the prequel to HBO’s hit “Game of Thrones,” had also stopped shooting due to COVID-19 cases.