Celebrity super-couple, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise were spotted sight-seeing around Louisiana! Cruise, who is here filming new movie "Oblivion" took a break to spend time with Katie, daughter Suri, and son Connor this past week. They enjoyed tours in Baton Rouge, a ride on the streetcar, and some shopping at J.Crew- all while dodging the many cameras! For more pics of this famous family, visit POPSUGAR. 

    Hollywood icon, Tom Cruise is making his way down to New Orleans to film a new sci-fi thriller this spring. Joining the cast will be local actress Melissa Leo, who was made famous by the HBO series “TREME” portraying the character, Toni Bernette. Before landing the role with Cruise, Leo was predominantly a television star having appeared in “Criminal Minds” and “Law and Order”. The actress is excited to join the cast for “Oblivion” which will be filmed mainly in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. The cast for this picture includes actors Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko. Local actress, Lindsay Clift, will also be appearing in the picture playing the part of “young mother”. Clift is an active performer in New Orleans, and also is an acting coach at the John Robert Powers Performing Arts Academy. Joseph Kosinski is directing the film. Kosinski is best known for the
"TRON: Legacy", which features similar themes and aesthetics to the
much anticipated “Oblivion”.

For more on this story, visit NOLA.com.

   New movie, “The Hunger Games” is taking the nation by storm following its release on March 23rd. Thousands have flocked to the theatres this weekend for this much anticipated movie. But for one local actor the draw was much closer to home. Judd Lormand first became involved with “The Hunger Games” during an audition for an unnamed character. Following that audition, the casting directors offered the Baton Rouge actor the role of Peacekeeper No. 3 in the film. This role, which is featured in some of the most iconic scenes in the picture, required wearing a 30 lb costume in the 100 degree heat during filming. Despite the extreme circumstances, Lormand adopted the role with true professionalism.

The Louisiana resident is no stranger to the entertainment industry. He can previously be seen in “Memphis Beat”, “Wild Card”, and “Joyful Noise” before appearing in “The Hunger Games”.  Lormand studied Mass Communications at Louisiana State University before moving to Baton Rouge with his family. He began seriously pursuing acting in the 2000’s, but attributes his true beginnings back in high school. He participated in drama club, and the Forensic Leagues where he competed at various speech and debate tournaments. The success of “The Hunger Games” is certain to catapult his career, making him just another one of the celebrities here in the Hollywood South.

Hollywood heart-throb, Tom Cruise, is heading down to Louisiana to film his next major motion picture. This new Sci-Fi thriller (which is yet to be named) is reportedly based on the comic book series “Oblivion”.  The website, screen rant claims that the movie is toying with the title “Horizons”, but for right now is just calling it “Untitled”. Even without a name, this movie is getting a lot of attention- and also stars! Along with the famed Cruise, actresses Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko have also signed on to this project. You may know Riseborough from the 2008 film “Happy-Go-Lucky”, and you’ll recognize Kurylenko as the bond-girl in “Quantum of Solace”.

 
 This isn’t Tom Cruise’s first time working on a film here in New Orleans. He starred in the movie “Interview with the Vampire” alongside Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst in 1994. This new movie will be filming both in Baton Rouge and New Orleans starting this month. So keep your eyes peeled for one of the most recognized faces in Hollywood- and if you see him, snap a picture and let us know!

1sureveille.com wrote a detailed article about this new movie, as well as all the exciting projects happening here in Hollywood South!

Between filming all three movies in the “Twilight Saga”, actor Robert Pattinson began to get a little lonely. Which may be why he decided to get his very own “man’s best friend” at a Baton Rouge shelter! While filming, “Breaking Dawn” Pattinson visited a small shelter just outside of the Louisiana capital and found a pet, whose days were numbered.

The star told Regis and Kelly that it was one of those shelters “that doesn’t keep the animals very long” and that his dog was on “day 6 of 7” when he decided to adopt him. Pattinson named the dog Bear, and has treated the dog to all types of luxury to make up for his troubled past. From being on the set of one of this year’s biggest movies, to flying in a private jet to Los Angeles, this pup’s luck has definitely turned around. As for Pattinson? He’s just happy to have a faithful travel buddy as he jets off around the globe promoting his latest film. His cast-mates don’t seem to mind the company either, and Kristen Stewart has been seen walking Bear in New York’s East Village.

You can watch the interview with Robert Pattinson, where he talks more about his newly found friend on youtube.

Baton Rouge designer and "Project Runway" contestant, Anthony Ryan Auld was in New Orleans Thursday night. But on TV, he was out. Auld was watching local 13-year-old cancer patient Lamika Downs model the outfit he designed at the "One Haute Night" Fashion Week New Orleans at Canal Place.

On the Lifetime network series, filmed over the summer in New York, Auld and his fellow contestants were instructed to create an outfit inspired by the "sophisticated '70s".

The designs by AUld and Josh McKinley, from Sunnyside, N.Y. were singled out by the judges as the worst of the bunch.

So, in the words of Heidi Klum: "Auf wiedersehen, Anthony Ryan." (That's a classy way of saying goodbye in German.)


Continue Reading at:  NOLA.com

Baton Rouge is pleased to host the Third Street Film Festival, giving everyone who is interested in film making a chance to have their work seen by the general public and other film makers.

The Third Street Film Festival, which is premiering on December 30, 2011, is now accepting submissions. Being a Louisiana based film festival, they are asking for films only produced and filmed in Louisiana. If you are trying to get into the film industry. This is definitely a way to start.



Additional information can be found at LAFilmSpot.com

It appears the NBA lockout has cost Oklahoma City a date with Hollywood. The bulk of filming for the feature-length Warner Bros. film that Thunder forward Kevin Durant has agreed to star in will be filmed in Baton Rouge, La. rather than OKC.

The entire project couldn’t be shot in Oklahoma City because of a snag with state incentives for film production. The state of Oklahoma offers a 37 percent rebate for companies filming in the state, but the Oklahoma Film & Music Office had already run out of funding for this fiscal year. The state of Louisiana does not have a cap on tax credits.


Continue reading at newsok.com

Active Entertainment recently added substantial production space when it moved into Raleigh Studios at Celtic Media Centre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Emerging into the Louisiana market four  years ago, Active has since completed 12 feature films. Its latest features have had great success around the world, delivering some of the highest television ratings in its history. In addition, Acitve has expanded its contracts for international sales to include three more films in 2011. 


Patrick Mulhearn, Director of Studio Operations for Celtic Media Centre, said, "We are extremely pleased to welcome Active Entertainment as a true anchor tenant to Celtic Media Centre. Their seasoned management team, proven track record and volume of work currently in production and in development make this an exceptionally big win for Raleigh Studios and the Baton Rouge area."


The extraordinary facilities at Raleigh Studios, couple with Active's team of production and post-production talent, which is led by COO Daniel Lewis, will give producers around the world a great opportunity to enable their projects to be financed, filmed, and delivered with amazing quality and lower cost. 

Continue reading more about Active Entertainment here