Role Mommy Movies Archives - the next chapter

April 7, 2017May 27, 2017

Tissue Alert: “Gifted” will make you laugh, cry and want to hug your cat

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet the cast of “Gifted,” which stars Chris Evans, Jenny Slate, Octavia Spencer and McKenna Grace. After attending a private screening of “Gifted,” I really enjoyed the film’s powerful message conveyed about letting a brilliant young girl enjoy her childhood. While I’m already a huge fan of Octavia Spencer and enjoyed Chris Evans and Jenny Slate’s performances in the film, I was absolutely blown away by the film’s youngest star, McKenna Grace.
“Gifted” is a story about Frank Adler (Chris Evans), a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old’s mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary’s landlady and best friend. Jenny Slate is Mary’s teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well.
Take a look…

“Gifted” has every element of a film that you will love. It’s funny. It’s smart. It’s heartbreaking. And best of all, it stars a young actress named McKenna Grace who is one of the most talented actors I have seen in a film in long time. Trust me, at the end of this film, McKenna Grace will leave you in a puddle of tears with her powerful performance as Mary – a child prodigy who just wants to be a regular kid. In fact, during the screening I attended, I could hear people sobbing in the theater.

Now here’s the best part about McKenna. After attending a junket in Los Angeles, I found out she is so genuine, so sweet and so funny. When asked how she tackled the emotional scenes in the film, McKenna shared how she sat in a quiet place and thought of really sad things that have happened to her. The fact that her tears are so real and so powerful convinced me that this little girl is an old soul who has a future ahead of her that is so incredibly bright. Take a look…

“Gifted” opens in select theaters on April 7 and will premiere nationwide on April 12. To find out more about the film, visit their website, Gifted Movie. You can follow the film on Twitter at @GiftedtheMovie and Instagram at @GiftedMovie.

January 26, 2015

PADDINGTON is in theaters NOW!

I loved the books and even had the Paddington stuffed bear when I was little. Now in theatres, from the beloved novels by Michael Bond and producer David Heyman (HARRY POTTER), PADDINGTON tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined – until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.

Visit the Official Website
#PaddingtonMovie
Check out this new exclusive video right HERE!

June 23, 2014

Earth to Echo: Meet the Cast

Earth to Echo is in theaters July 2, 2014 and our RoleMommy junior reporters sat down with the cast to find out all about filming. #EarthToEcho

Tuck, Munch and Alex are a closely bonded trio of inseparable friends, but their time together is coming to an end. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys find a cryptic signal has infected their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on and looking for one final adventure together, they set off to trace the messages to their source and discover something beyond their wildest imaginations: hiding in the darkness is a mysterious being, stranded on Earth, and wanted by the government. This launches the boys on an epic journey full of danger and wonder, one that will test the limits of their friendship and change all of their lives forever.

Click here to meet the cast… Interview with the stars of the movie!

May 25, 2014

Million Dollar Arm: Two Hours of Hope, Inspiration & Smiles

I have to say, I was really looking forward to seeing “Million Dollar Arm,” the true story of sports agent JB Bernstein who convinced an investor to launch a search for the next baseball phenom in India. Truth be told, I initially was excited to see the film because ever since I’ve become hopelessly addicted to “Mad Men,” I’ve become a huge Jon Hamm fan. But after watching the movie with my husband and son, I realized that I am a total sap and love films that inspire and provide hope.
In “Million Dollar Arm,” Bernstein (played by Hamm) travels to India where he canvases the countryside to find two star cricket players who he can bring back to America to transform into pro baseball players. He manages to find Rinku and Danesh – two powerful pitchers who can throw pitches over 80 mph, but Bernstein doesn’t realize that they’ve never played cricket before — one is a javelin thrower and the other plays field hockey.
Taking the pair away from their families for the first time in their lives, the story unfolds as Rinku and Danesh attempt to learn to play the game and at first, fail miserably. Meanwhile, the pair receive advice from Bernstein’s tenant, Brenda, a medical school intern who makes Bernstein realize that there’s a much bigger win than landing a pro baseball contract – it’s about providing hope and helping two amazing kids achieve their dreams. Take a look…

As I sat next to my husband, who is about to launch a baseball camp for kids, I couldn’t help but smile. While he’s not heading to India, he has been canvasing the streets of Southern Westchester to find children who not only love baseball, but are in need of financial assistance in order to help them attend summer camp. Thanks to the generous support of several sponsors A-Game Sports will be providing several students in Westchester County with the opportunity to train with professionals while attending baseball games too.
There is something to be said about rewarding a child who is still at an age where dreams are totally within their reach if they practice hard and believe in their abilities. Working with a child who is willing to put in the time and effort required to advance their skills, is truly a rewarding experience. Providing hope to those who may not have the funds to achieve greatness is also an incredible gift and that is why I am so excited to see my husband and his partner’s dream turn to reality beginning this July.
Visit the A-Game Sports website to find out how you can sign up for baseball camp in Westchester County or find out more about their scholarship program. And make sure you take your kids to see “Million Dollar Arm” — it’s one of those films that will become a classic for anyone who could use a dose of inspiration…and hope!
Like MILLION DOLLAR ARM on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MillionDollarArm
Follow MILLION DOLLAR ARM on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisneyPictures
Visit the Official Site: www.Disney.com/MillionDollarArm

April 7, 2014

RIO 2! In Theaters This Friday

Written by Role Mommy’s Danielle Feigenbaum

The delightful cast of RIO is back in the hilarious, fun-filled sequel, RIO 2 that will have you dancing in your seats. Whether you see it in 3-D or not, you will be swept away by the amazing scenery and be transported to the Amazon.
My husband, kids (ages 10 and 7) and I were lucky enough to see an advanced screening of the film and attend an awesome RIO 2 pool party! First, I want to tell you about the movie, then we’ll get to the party. RIO 2 finds Jewel (Anne Hathaway), Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and their three kids leaving their domesticated life in that magical city for a journey to the Amazon. They encounter a menagerie of characters who are born to be wild, voiced by Oscar nominee Andy Garcia, Oscar/Emmy/Tony-winner Rita Moreno, Grammy winner Bruno Mars, and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth.
My kids have been listening to the soundtrack from the film every single day, dancing around the house. They know every word by heart, and so do I. Take a listen to one of the fantastic tracks… “What is Love” Lyrics Video by Janelle Monáe

After the screening, we headed next door to Le Parker Meridien Hotel for the rocking pool party! Waiting on the elevator line the woman in front of us (who happened to be Natalie Morales from NBC News and is the voice of the reporter in the movie) was chatting with my kids about their favorite part of the movie. She was really sweet. Once inside the party room we felt like we were in the jungle of the amazon. I try not to get star struck but when Edie Falco is on one side of you with her kids and Jeffrey Tambor is on the other side, it’s hard not to smile from ear to ear.

We enjoyed yummy food and great music. There were Brazilian dancers with beautiful, colorful, feathery costumes! We got on the dance floor and did a little samba/salsa type of dancing. Then the kids changed into their suits and had a blast swimming (any time my kids can swim in NY when it’s not the summer, they are psyched!) The pool was filled with beach balls and pool noodles and the DJ was playing all the songs from the two RIO movies. It was paradise and we completely forgot that we were on the top floor of an NYC hotel.
There were so many fun memories from the day, but I think my daughter (who LOVES to play the piano and has been playing since she was six) meeting the crazy-talented Alicia Keys was a major highlight! She was so incredibly nice and even posed for a picture with my daughter, which is now a treasured keepsake.
Here are the kids with one of the nicest Directors around, Carlos Saldanha. Not to mention super talented! He took some time to chat with my kids about the movie. How cool is that?

We all really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should take the family to see it this weekend. It opens nationwide this Friday, April 11th! And trust me, you will want to download the soundtrack as well so you too can have nightly dance parties!
RIO 2 stars the voices of Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Will i am, Jemaine Clement, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, Rodrigo Santoro, Andy Garcia, Rita Moreno, Natalie Morales, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jamie Foxx.
Connect with RIO 2 Online – #Rio2
Visit the Official Website
Like Rio 2 on Facebook
Follow @RioMovie on Twitter
View the trailer and clips on YouTube
Follow on Google+

March 21, 2014

RIO 2! Coming to Theaters April 11th

As parents of young kids we are “forced” to see lots and lots of animated films. It’s not like we can just drop them off, right? Sometimes we sit in the theatre wanting to pull our hair out and sometimes we sit there next to our kids with HUGE smiles on our faces, laughing, crying and cheering right along with them! One of the movies that I loved seeing with my kids was RIO, so when I saw that RIO 2 was coming out, we were all super excited!
Recently I had the honor of attending a RIO 2 presentation hosted by 20th Century Fox. The director of the film, Carlos Saldanha, was there to give us a special preview of the movie and without giving anything away let me just tell you, it is going to be AMAZING! The entire cast is back from the first movie (Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Will i am, Tracy Morgan, Jamie Foxx, and more), with some new voices joining them – Bruno Mars, Kristen Chenoweth and Andy Garcia. The music plays a major role in the film and was a very important element for Carlos Saldanha, who by the way, could not have been nicer. The original track ‘What Is Love’ by Janelle Monae will make you want to get up dance – check it out HERE! The soundtrack will be available to purchase next week, March 25th.
Stay tuned, because the first week of April I will have a full review and more information on RIO 2! Make sure you check back to Role Mommy to read all about my family’s RIO 2 day, but in the meantime here is the trailer for the movie… RIO 2!

Connect with RIO 2 Online – #Rio2
Visit the Official Website
Like Rio 2 on Facebook
Follow @RioMovie on Twitter
View the trailer and clips on YouTube
Follow on Google+

February 20, 2014

Mr. Peabody & Sherman, in Theaters March 7th!

Written by Role Mommy’s Danielle Feigenbaum.

You may recall the old cartoon, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, where a brilliant dog adopts a boy and they travel through history in their time machine. The new movie, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, is based on the cartoon – but it’s oh so much more! In the movie, coming to theaters March 7th, the duo uses their time machine–the WABAC–to go on the most outrageous adventures known to man or dog. But when Sherman takes The WABAC out for a joyride to impress his friend Penny, they accidentally rip a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc on the most important events in world history. Before they forever alter the past, present and future, Mr. Peabody must come to their rescue, ultimately facing the most daunting challenge of any era: figuring out how to be a parent.
I was lucky enough to take my family to a screening of the movie and – we all LOVED it. With talent like Ty Burrell, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Patrick Warburton, Stanley Tucci, and Allison Janney lending their voices to the characters, how can it not be amazing? Max Charles who plays Sherman and Ariel Winter who plays Penny were both great. The movie is directed by Rob Minkoff, who also directed a little movie you may have heard of called, The Lion King. This movie even taught my kids a little about history (you can’t say that about kid’s movies nowadays). It was fun to have discussions with them after the movie, they had so many questions and wanted to learn more about Leonardo da Vinci, King Tut and Marie Antoinette! As you can see from this picture, they are definitely fans!
I was also fortunate to attended a press junket hosted by DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox. That is where I had the incredible opportunity to interview the stars of the film as well as the director.
Here are my questions to Ty Burrell (Mr. Peabody) and Max Charles (Sherman):
Role Mommy: I have a question for both of you guys. If you had a WAYBAC Machine, where would you go and why?
Mr. Max Charles: Either back to the old Mr. Peabody & Sherman or dinosaurs. Maybe not get too close to dinosaurs, stay in the WAYBAC.
Mr. Ty Burrell: Yes. I would first go probably to somewhere in the mid-’80s right before I cut my hair into a mullet and just try to warn myself of the impending doom.
I would like to not necessarily even meet but just see Buster Keaton. I’m a big Buster Keaton fan, and just see how he did what he did because I still find it a complete mystery how a house that falls on him and that kind of crazy comedy that I find it impossible. So, I’d like to see how that’s done.
Role Mommy: I know in animation it’s hard because it looks like you’re all together acting. But, you’re actually probably doing different things. I don’t know if you’re hanging out with Mel Brooks or the different people. But, was it fun being with your TV daughter doing the movie? Did you get to interact with her at all? (Ariel Winter who plays Ty’s daughter on “Modern Family”, is the voice of Penny in the film)
Mr. Ty Burrell: Well, the odd part of this process is that you’re actually alone. It’s very disconcerting actually because the nature of the business is reacting. I mean, that’s kind of really what it is, like seeing what the other person does and trying to react off of it.
So, Ariel [Winter, the voice of Penny] and I never saw each other at this job, not once. In the makeup trailer getting ready for our job–I wear makeup for my job. We would kind of chat about the process a little bit. But, it’s an unusual thing. It takes some getting used to it. And you know, you’re really putting your faith into a whole group of people, which also makes the reveal that much more thrilling when you finally see the result. And I genuinely love the movie. It was thrilling. It was really cool because you just have no idea what it’s going to be.
Mr. Max Charles: But, then we got to do one day together. And it was the first time we met each other. And right away, we went in to record. And our first scene was we had to scream at each other. And we’re just yelling. And then right when they said, “Cut,” it’s like, “Hey, nice to meet you.”
Mr. Ty Burrell: Yes, basically, I met the nicest kid in the world and then screamed in his face.
Here we are with Ty Burrell and Max Charles…

We also interviewed the director, Rob Minkoff and here is my favorite part of that interview:
Blogger: So, 20 years ago, you directed The Lion King, which had a really pivotal father-son scene. And now, 20 years later, you’re doing Mr. Peabody that also has a really–to me, sung out in the fatherhood kind of emotional bonding with the adopted child.
Mr. Rob Minkoff: Yes.
Blogger: Can you just talk about the roles of fatherhood in your movie?
Mr. Rob Minkoff: Sure. Well, I had a father. So, for me, it was an important relationship. I suppose I can draw it from personal experiences. I do remember on The Lion King, when we were making that movie, the very first line is Scar says, “Life’s not fair.” And I do remember my dad saying that to me when I was a kid because I was standing on the front yard, and my dad and my older brother came back from getting ice cream, and they both had an ice cream cone. And I said, “Did you bring me one?” They said, “No.” And I said, “That’s not fair.” My dad said, “Life’s not fair.” And boy, it really, really floored me. Life’s not fair. Is that right? Is that true? Wow. It’s kind of heavy. So, it showed up in that. I’m not sure, since my father wasn’t a dog, that there was quite as much direct–but fathers are teachers I suppose. Parents are teachers. And I guess Mr. Peabody, who is a teacher in a way has that quality. And I’m a new parent. I am a new father. I have a 1.5-year-old.
Blogger: Congratulations.
Mr. Rob Minkoff: Thank you very much. So, I’m learning many new lessons. But, I’ve been making movies for kids and for families for my whole career. But now, it’s taken on a slightly different meaning for me because I always saw myself as a kid. And now that I’m a parent I sort of see it from the other side.
Here we are with Director, Rob Minkoff…

I had a fantastic time at the screening and press junket for Mr. Peabody & Sherman. The movie will be in theaters nationwide Friday March 7th, and you should all go see it!
Connect with Mr. Peabody Online!

Visit the official website
Like Mr. Peabody & Sherman on Facebook
Follow @DWAnimation on Twitter
#MrPeabody
Please click HERE to enjoy a preview of the movie.

November 19, 2013

The Book Thief

Written by Role Mommy Contributor, Kristin Flannery

The Book Thief, based on the beloved bestselling novel, is a deeply , moving movie which tells the inspiring story of a spirited and courageous young girl named Liesel, who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany. Rolemommy sat down with Director Brian Percival (best known for directing PBS’ Downton Abbey) and Author Markus Zusak to discuss taking a novel to film.
The story and its characters sprang from the imagination of author Markus Zusak
whose novel The Book Thief was published in his native Australia in 2005 and throughout the rest of the world in 2006. The book has sold eight million copies worldwide, held a place on The New York Times best-seller list for almost seven years and has been translated into over 30 languages. Rolemommy correspondent, Kristin Flannery, was actually introduced to the novel by her niece when she read it in high school on her reading list. So we were wondering, how does an author write such an incredible book and how does he channel the character of death?
Markus opened up to us about how listening to his parents’ stories helped him create such rich characters, “I don’t know to tell you the truth. I don’t know anything anymore. I think a different version of me wrote that book. I couldn’t write it again now. To me, it all started with my childhood, growing up in Sydney, beautiful sunshine. And then, you come in and it’s like a piece of Europe came into our house, and my parents told their stories, and they’re amazing stories about cities that were burning, kids who were giving bread to prisoners on their way to camps and getting whipped for it and so on. I grew up hearing these stories over and over again.”
Being a parent means that you take a different look at your own parents’ history and how they lived. Markus believes, “Just, don’t be afraid to tell the stories again and again and again, because I’ve realized now that my mom is 76-years-old and she still cleans people’s houses for a living. My dad was a housepainter and he still paints. He painted my house. He didn’t do a very good job the last time. His eyes are getting a bit shot. But that’s funny, a housepainter, a housecleaner, and there they were telling me their stories of growing up and I realized they weren’t only telling me about their lives. They were teaching me how to write. Talk about you would never imagine that people in those professions would give you a career in literature, but that’s exactly how I grew up.”
Being a Director on a film based off of a novel has it’s challenges, what do you keep in and what gets cut? Director Brian Percival took us through the process, “Well, you know, a lot of decisions had been done already by the time I got this because the screenplay had been in existence for about six to seven years before the time was right to make it because it was done quite early on. For the producers it was a labor of love. It really was. It was a very important project to them, and they were emotionally attached to it. And so, the time was right for them to make it and fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time. I read the screenplay, and I’d never ever read anything like it. I wasn’t–shamefully I wasn’t aware of the book. I stayed up really late. I was shooting something else, and I stayed up really late one night and then finished at 1:30 in the morning and just e-mailed off to Los Angeles and said, “You know, if I don’t do anything else in my life, I’ve got make this film.” So a lot of those decisions had been made. When it actually comes to make the film, obviously I get pictures in my head of how I want it to look, but we’ve got a 580 page guidebook on how to make the film. We never really wanted to come away from Markus’ vision and his message. We just wanted it to reach a wide variety and to be in a different medium.”
There’s some really beautiful contrasts in the movie. Like, there’s that scene where–the choir scene–and they all look so angelic and they’re so proud. Then they start sort of the second verses, and they’re horrible. Was there a scene anytime in the shooting where you kind of felt this is it, this is the most surreal?
Brian reflected, “No. I mean, not particular. See, the film is full of contrast. That was always my intention. But you see the innocence of those children. They’re singing something so proudly that they think is so beautiful. And then, you see–we’re given the brutality of the truth of what actually happened. But there’s contrast right the way through. When you see Rudy in a Nazi uniform, part of you is saying, “Oh, what a cute kid,” and the other part’s going, “Oh, he’s–but he’s becoming a Nazi.” In a lot of films Nazis are always being portrayed as generally I think one dimensional. They’re evil guys with the blonde hair and the chiseled jaw or whatever. And we get the teacher that comes to take Rudy to the camp for elite training. He looks incredibly tough, but he’s actually a bit stupid. There were always things in there that I tried to create contrasts and that was the important thing to me. I had to work on more than one level so that we would see something and then we would actually question it.”
You know that a novel is amazing when you are sad at the end because you want to know more. Did the story end for you at the end of book or do you know what happened to all the characters after? Do you know how Liesel finds growing up and what Max did for a living?
Turns out that we are not the only ones who want to know what happens beyond the pages. Markus has fans all over the world, “Someone came up to me. A few people have said, “I really wanted to know what happened between them. I feel like I just cut to the end of her life.” I’m like, “How long did you want the book to be?” It’s like 500 pages. Just make me write another 3,000 pages while we’re at it. So, I always imagine that Max goes his way and Liesel goes her way, but they have this kindred relationship their whole lives, but that is just me. Everyone else has their own take, but I have several reasons why.”
Even Director Brian Percival has his thoughts on the ending, “That’s part of the beauty of it for me is that we leave the reader or the audience to make up their own mind and that’s ultimately satisfying.”
Book Thief can be seen currently in theaters but to see more clips and information, log on to www.thebookthief.com

July 29, 2013

Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters

20th Century Fox ‘s Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters comes to theaters on August 7th . Based on the publishing phenomenon, PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS continues the young demigod’s epic journey to fulfill his destiny. To save their world, Percy and his friends must find the fabled and powerfully magic Golden Fleece. Embarking on a treacherous odyssey into the uncharted waters of the Sea of Monsters (known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle), they battle terrifying creatures, an army of zombies, and the ultimate Evil. Starring Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Douglas Smith, Stanley Tucci. Rolemommy sat down with Director Thor Freudenthal and the stars of the movie Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson and Leven Rambin to find out what is in store for the second installment of everyone’s favorite book series.
Rolemommy: Since this is the second movie, we were wondering if you were signed up for the series or if the first film was so successful that they made the second one.
Alexandra Daddario (Clarisse) filled us in, “Well, I think speaking for me, Logan [Lerman] and Brandon [T. Jackson], we’re locked in for three movies. And I think there’s something really cool about that, because you know that you’re joining something that could potentially be around for a long time.”
Rolemommy: Is it more difficult to do an original film where you already have fans or sequel of the book where you have diehard fans?
Director Thor Freudenthal, “Well, I did do the first part of another book series. And doing the first part of something is kind of hard, because you’re navigating the tone and the feel of a movie. You’re casting it from the ground up, in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, it feels like it took forever to find the Wimpy Kid and establish how much comedy, how much emotion you do.”
“Chris Columbus kind of had already done that to an extent. So, he had done a lot of the footwork of explaining the world and introducing the main character to the world. Since he had already done it, it gives you a level of freedom just kind of using it as a jumping off point and having, in a way, more freedom to explore the world further and expand it and play with the tone a little bit. I felt that the book series, to me, was very irreverent and funny, kind of like tongue in cheek. And we wanted to bring a little bit more of that into this movie. So, that was fun for me to do.”
Rolemommy: Seeing as these kids have very prominent mythological parents (these teens are known as half-bloods) what would you say would be the underlying message with this particular film?
Thor Freudenthal believes “The underlying message is we have a bunch of young people who have parents who are larger than life and mostly inaccessible to them. The kids kind of doubt themselves for the most part. So, the central message in this movie, looking at Percy and how he starts out at the beginning of the movie not trusting himself, his abilities and so forth, and throughout the movie, and you’ve only seen a half hour of it. But, in the movie, through himself and his friends, he gains the confidence that he needs to succeed on his quest. And that’s what you can do in life. ”
Rolemommy: For the characters, you have so many children that look up to you. So, what’s some advice that you have for the children that adore you and adore your characters?
Logan Lerman (Percy) shared a personal story, “My father works at a children’s hospital, and he works with a lot of kids that are going through tough times. And they’re really excited about the fact that his son is Percy Jackson, and, now, every patient now brings their book. The movie makes them happy. And that goes for a lot of kids. So, it’s really cool, and that’s got to be one of the biggest benefits of doing a movie like this is. It’s a big movie and it’s a fun one to make. It is mainly for the kids, right? And it makes them happy, so it’s cool to be a part of a project like this in that way.”
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters comes to theaters on August 7th and Rolemommy will be bringing you more of our interviews with the stars this week.

Photo credit: Elise Derby

January 23, 2013

Behind the Scenes at “Safe Haven”

Last summer Rolemommy had the chance to fly to North Carolina to meet Nicholas Sparks and tour the set of his new movie SAFE HAVEN in theaters February 14, 2013. When I flew in to North Carolina, I was met by a local towncar driver who whisked me away (well, I was running late) and we started on the hour journey to get to the parade scene in the movie.
On our way I learned all about Southport, North Carolina’s history (in 2010 when it was announced that billionaire hedge fund manager, Louis Moore Bacon, bought this huge mansion called Orton Plantation), the other films that have shot in NC (Hunger Games, Iron Man 3 and soon to be released We’re The Millers) and his divorce and kids (what can I say, people tell me everything!). We already knew why Southport, NC was the perfect spot to film SAFE HAVEN but taking a walking tour with Nicholas Sparks was something we did not want to miss….
Mr. Nicholas Sparks: The really interesting thing about North Carolina, it’s one of the reasons why I set the stories here and why this particular place is perfect is that it’s a very unique state in that, unlike virtually every other state, the big cities are off the coast because of the hurricanes.
The entire eastern part of the state is dotted with small towns. Biggest town is Wilmington, about 150,000. And that’s huge. I mean, you know, Southport has a population of 1,500.
So here is something very typical of outdoor dining in these small towns. And it’s a great place where someone like Katie could wander in and, you know, there’s never going to be anyone from Boston that you’d ever happen to bump into here.
Mr. Nicholas Sparks: You’re at the mouth of the Cape Fear River here. Over there is Oak Island, where they were filming the parachuting scenes for Iron Man 3.
People here are watching fireworks and people diving from the sky over there. Poor little Southport, right? Southport is interesting. Wilmington was the last open port in the, as they say here, the war for Southern Independence.
Charleston had closed, and everything else had closed, New Orleans had closed. Southport was really the last place that everything came in. And this was the south port, hence the name that they change it to in about 1887. It was originally called Smithville. There’s your North Carolina history lesson.
Most people don’t know, but the last major battle of the Civil War was fought in North Carolina, it was fought after Robert E. Lee surrendered.
This is true, the Battle of Bentonville, which was fought by Joe Johnson because Robert E. Lee, he was just in charge of the armies of Northern Virginia, which was the main army, but you still had the North Carolina regimens–.
Rolemommy: I think this such an amazing experience -it’s fun to see the actual place your filming, and then to see it on the big screen, I know it will look so different.
Nicholas Sparks: yes, it always looks different when you frame things. That’s called movie magic.
We walked down the street to the set of “Ryan’s Port Market” which was fully built from scratch. *Plot spoiler alert* Unfortunately, the very cool-looking market did not stay there in keeping with the plot of Nicholas Sparks’ book they burnt it down.
Nicholas Sparks: The one side of the store is here. This is where they entered. Now it’s burned down, people were sad that it was gone. One of the great things about North Carolina are these live oaks. I love these trees, they are very interesting because they don’t shed like regular oak trees. They stay green year round, they shed three times per year.
And so, they’re always as beautiful as this. It’ll be this green throughout winter, these little leaves just fall all the time.
Normally when they grow let’s say, in Virginia, they don’t look like this because it’s not quite as wet and humid. It’s the moisture in the air that causes these trunks to twist and to spread out.
So if you buy a live oak in a nursery they won’t look the same. The sad thing they do now is they kind of force them to grow straight and spread.
Nicholas Sparks: So, the best way to get a live oak for your yard — that’ll look like this — if you live outside of North Carolina – is to go out to the forest, find someone with some forest land, and you dig up one that’s already kind of growing like this.
And then in about 60 years when you’re dead, you’ll have a fabulous tombstone there. And people say, “Man, that is a great tree.”
I mean, I think this is one of the most beautiful towns. Ten years ago, I was here for the filming of “A Walk to Remember.” I remember walking down here and I said, “I have to find a book for this place one day.”
So get ready for Nicholas Spark’s SAFE HAVEN in Theaters February 14, 2013
In the meantime, click here to see the trailer and the beauty of North Carolina….