The Westies Creators Reveal How They Rebuilt 1980s New York | Michael Panes & Chris Brancato @heyuguys

Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

Creators Michael Panes and Chris Brancato sit down with HeyUGuys to discuss the making of **The Westies Season 1**, revealing how their own experiences growing up around New York helped shape the hit crime drama.

The pair explain their love of classic gangster films, discuss the influence of *The Godfather*, the Coen Brothers and other cinematic masterpieces, and reveal why they wanted *The Westies* to feel like a feature film.

They also share one of the production's biggest achievements: building a 240-foot recreation of 1980s Hell's Kitchen in Toronto after real locations couldn't capture the authentic look of New York during the era.

What's your favourite gangster film or TV series? Let us know in the comments below!

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#TheWesties #ChrisBrancato #MichaelPanes #GangsterSeries #CrimeDrama #HellsKitchen #NewYork #TVInterview #HeyUGuys

00:00 Intro
00:20 Growing up around New York
01:15 The real Hell's Kitchen in the 1980s
01:55 Crime movie inspirations
02:45 Making The Westies feel cinematic
03:10 Recreating 1980s New York
03:50 Final thoughts

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The Westies Creators Reveal How They Rebuilt 1980s New York | Michael Panes & Chris Brancato

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