Mark Ruffalo appears for a ‘pivotal’ hearing at the Delco courthouse

The Delaware County Government Center and Courthouse campus in Media was abuzz with activity on Monday, but it wasn’t the usual commotion of officials, lawyers, and visitors. The crew of HBO’s miniseries Task, starring Mark Ruffalo, had taken over and transformed Courtroom 15.

The crew shot a “pivotal scene” inside the courthouse, and outside at the sunset, per a Facebook post from Delaware County Council.

Miniseries creator Brad Ingelsby and director Jeremiah Zagar are from the Philadelphia area and since early March, the duo has been filming the series in Coatesville, Montgomery County, Delaware County, Chichester, and South Philadelphia.

While the sets were cordoned off to non-crew members, several county employees managed to meet Ruffalo. He even took selfies with several of them in the Delaware County courtroom office, the Facebook post said.

A Media spokesperson said the actor’s positive nature was appreciated by the staff. In limited time, the spokesperson added, his generosity enlivened the courtroom workspace and gave fans of the actor a memorable interaction they’ll cherish.

The team from HBO planned extensively for the shoot, the spokesperson said, as they repurposed the courtroom for the miniseries, which follows, as Ruffalo told Variety last year, “a task force of law enforcement officers and the criminals they are trying to apprehend.” The Task crew and the courthouse prepared for months and the production’s redesign of the courtroom took several days, the spokesperson said.

With Task, Ingelsby is looking to follow up the success of his HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown, set in the Philly suburbs and starring Kate Winslet. The show concluded in early 2021 and may be coming back for a second season.