Lights! Camera! Action! - Georgia Community Magazines

Lights! Camera! Action!
L
ocals aren’t the only ones aware of
the “take action” type of community we
have here. Recent guests to appreciate
the appeal of Troup County and dine in
downtown LaGrange were renowned actors
Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton and Kevin
Bacon. Bringing a taste of Hollywood to our
hometown, the trio was here shooting scenes
for an independent film, “Jayne Mansfield’s
Car,” co-written by Thornton and starring
Duvall, Bacon and Thornton. Filming took
about a week and occurred at a restored
plantation home in southwest Troup County.
Troup County was the site of another
movie filming when Shia LeBoeuf and crew
landed in north Troup County’s Liberty Hill
community to shoot moonshine still scenes
for the movie, “The Wettest County.”
Fans tried to get a glimpse at stars of the
popular “Hunger Games” franchise when
filming took place at a local industrial site.
The local brush with Hollywood has only
just begun with Troup County. It is viewed
by the state of Georgia as a “camera ready
community,” a designation used to offer film
and television production companies easy
and fast access to local resources. Filming
here means increased revenue for local
businesses and added economic impact if a
movie is successful.
“If the film is popular, tourists will visit where
it was shot,” said Troup County Tourism
Director Laura Jennings. “We will reap the
economic benefits long after the movie is
wrapped.”
Georgia’s film and television industry is
ranked No. 1 in the Southeast and among
the top five in the nation. More than 700 film
and television projects have been completed
LaGrange native Elijah Kelley with the cast of The Butler.
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in Georgia since 1972, and Georgia
owns one of the most-experienced crew
bases in the country with more than 5000
professionals. The industry’s economic
impact in the state in fiscal 2012 was
estimated at $3.1 billion.
Add to that impact the fact that LaGrange
is the hometown of rising Hollywood star
Elijah Kelly, a Troup High School graduate
who appeared alongside John Travolta and
Queen Latifah in the movie, “Hairspray.”
Kelly appeared with Cuba Gooding Jr. in
the George Lucas film, “Red Tails,” about
the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of AfricanAmerican combat pilots during World War
II. In addition, he appeared in the acclaimed
“The Butler” with Forrest Whitaker and Oprah
Winfrey.
Robert
Duvall
Kevin Bacon
Billy Bob Thornton
Actor Robert Duvall visits Hills & Dales Estate.
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Graced with four galleries, classrooms, and more!
112 Lafayette Parkway LaGrange, GA 30240
T 706.882.3267 F 706.882.2878
We spotlight performing artists,
give voice to our children, enrich
our cultural lives.
Please Join Us!
P.O. Box 1448
210-214 Bull Street
LaGrange, GA 30241
706.882.9909
www.lspaarts.com
Email: lafayettesociety@bellsouth.net
We are a non-profit volunteer organization
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