Have you found the Bellingham connections in Netflix’s new space-themed TV series ’Away?’
A new Netflix television series about a difficult trip to Mars has several Whatcom County ties local residents might spot.
The series “Away” made its debut on Friday, Sept. 4, starring Hilary Swank. Swank, who spent part of her childhood in Bellingham, including going to Sehome High School, has won two Academy Awards for her work in the movie industry. In “Away,” Swank plays the character Emma Green, who is leading a three-year space trip to Mars.
Spotting the second Whatcom County connection will mean closely watching what Swank’s character is wearing. The space-themed socks worn on the show come from ModSocks, which has a retail store in downtown Bellingham. One pair is the constellation socks, which is the company’s best-seller, while the other design shows planets going around the sun.
Owner and sock designer Urania Shaklee said about a year ago she received some release forms from the studio giving them permission to show the socks in the television series, but she didn’t know if the socks would make the final cut until she saw the series. She noted that Swank’s character wears funny socks as she floats around the shuttle so there are numerous opportunities to catch a glimpse of the company’s designs.
One of the themes of “Away” includes missing friends and loved ones while on such a long trip, something Shaklee said is particularly relevant during this COVID-19 pandemic. The ModSocks retail store at 1323 Cornwall Ave. has been closed for much of the pandemic. She’s been able to keep the business running without laying off any employees because the company’s online sales have gone well.
“It has been tough,” said ModSocks employee Andrea Farrell. “We miss our customers and we know they are missing the human connection and the experience of buying socks in person.”
Shaklee said they’ve been doing some remodeling of the retail store and plan to reopen on Saturday, Sept. 26, with limited hours.
