Recently, Rhode Island has been recognized as a great place to film and quite a few celebrities have stepped foot in the Ocean State because of it. While everyone knows Rhode Island has had a few past big screen appearances in movies like The Great Gatsby, There’s Something About Mary, Meet Joe Black, and Moonrise Kingdom, here’s a list of some very recent works that you probably never realized were filming right in your own backyard.
The Discovery (2017)
Ok, so this one you may have heard of because it has been in the local news a lot recently. However, you may not have realized it was filming until Robert Redford wrote that nice thank-you note to the town of Newport. The Discovery is not the first film to bring the actor to Rhode Island, he also starred in the classic film The Great Gatsby back in 1974, which utilized the Rosecliff and Marble House mansions also in Newport. Along with Redford, this sci-fi film stars Riley Keough, Rooney Mara, and Jason Segel.
The Purge: Election Year (2016)
Filming for The Purge: Election Year began in 2015 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The cast includes familiar faces such as, Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War) and Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost).
Measure of a Man (2016)
Measure of a Man filmed last fall and brought Donald Sutherland, Judy Greer, and Luke Wilson to the southern part of the state. According to an article by Rhode Island Monthly, Wilson and Greer were spotted together at a Starbucks in North Kingstown in October. The film is based on the YA book One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte which tells the tale of Bobby Marks, an overweight teenager who takes a summer job as a landscaper for an old Doctor while trying to overcome the summer heat, insecurities about his weight, and bullies.
Irrational Man (2015)
Irrattional Man is a film directed by Woody Allen, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey, and Jamie Blackley. This film made its way to many different places throughout the state, including Newport, Cranston, Pawtucket, Richmond, and the French restaurant in Providence, Chez Pascal.
Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)
Infinitely Polar Bear starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana, is set in Boston but filming actually began in Providence, RI. In the trailer, you can spot the West Broadway Elementary School before it was re-opened as a Middle School in 2014.
The Affair (2014)
Showtime’s hit show The Affair filmed one of their steamy episodes on Block Island during the first season. This episode titled, “Escape to Block Island,” follows main characters Noah (Dominic West) and Alison (Ruth Wilson) on a day trip to the Island for a romantic getaway.
Photo courtesy Showtime Networks, Inc.
R.I.P.D. (2013)
Most New Englanders will recognize the Boston landmarks in this action-comedy, but some of the scenes were also filmed right in Rhode Island. The cast boasts famous actors such as, Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, and Victoria’s Secret Model, Marisa Miller.
Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
Celeste & Jesse Forever is an Indie film starring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg, also including appearances from Elijah Wood and Emma Roberts. According to Wikipedia, “Portions of the 2012 romantic drama Celeste and Jesse Forever were filmed in several locations throughout the state, notably on Middletown‘s Sachuest Bay shoreline off Tuckerman Avenue.”
Hall Pass (2011)
Hall Pass was directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, so it’s really no surprise that some of the film features Rhode Island. While the movie, which stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, & Christina Applegate, was not filmed entirely in the state, it is set in Providence and the opening scene of the trailer shows a stunning view of Downtown Providence.
