- Netflix’s new film, “Ruth & Boaz,” is set in Pegram, Tennessee, but was not filmed there.
- The cast consistently mispronounces the town’s name, sparking a wave of reactions from local viewers.
- The correct pronunciation is PEE-gram, but the film’s actors say PEG-gram.
- Despite the error, some residents and the town’s mayor acknowledge the newfound recognition.
Netflix Faces Backlash Over Small-Town Mistake
The latest Netflix release, “Ruth & Boaz,” a modern retelling of the biblical story produced by DeVon Franklin and Tyler Perry, is generating buzz for an unexpected reason. While the film is set in the small town of Pegram, Tennessee, viewers and locals were quick to point out a glaring error that has soured the experience for some.
The Pronunciation Problem Everyone’s Talking About
The primary issue stems from the cast’s mispronunciation of the town’s name. Throughout the film, characters refer to the location as “PEG-gram,” while the correct local pronunciation is “PEE-gram.” Longtime resident Amber Dorton Covington noted the mistake, stating, “I don’t have an issue with it. I just wish they had gotten it correct.”
This wasn’t the only inaccuracy. Covington also found humor in seeing a taxicab with “Pegram, Tennessee” on it, a service unheard of in the small town of just over 2,000 people.
Local Officials Weigh In
The movie, starring Serayah McNeill and Tyler Lepley, was filmed in other parts of Tennessee and Georgia, never actually visiting its supposed backdrop. Pegram Mayor Charles Morehead confirmed this, saying, “From what I’m understanding and hearing from other people, it just has the name of Pegram, Tennessee in it, it doesn’t really show anything that’s in Pegram, Tennessee.”
While the mayor plans to watch the film to form his own opinion, he acknowledged the town is buzzing. “I guess it gives us a little recognition,” he said, expressing curiosity about how the film ultimately portrays their community.
Image Referance: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2025/10/03/netflix-ruth-and-boaz-movie-middle-tennessee-bible-story/86441948007/
