Rewind just a few days, and you’ll see that we just reported on how a Louisiana actor landed a role in “The Hunger Games”. Well now we’re happy to announce that a “Hunger Games” actor has landed a role in Louisiana! Leading actor, Liam Hemsworth will be taking on a part in the new movie “Empire State” which will be filming throughout the state over this spring. The young actor can previously be seen in the movie “The Last Song” where he played the love interest of real-life girlfriend, Miley Cyrus. “Empire State” is starring Dwayne Johnson, who was recently here in New Orleans working on the newest G.I. Joe flick. According to sources at NOLA.com, “the film is about two childhood friends who plan to rob an armored car depository, and the NYPD officer who stands in their way". The project will be shot mostly in New Orleans, but also some of the surrounding cities such as Mandeville. Filming begins on April 30th and executives plan to wrap after just 3 weeks! Everything in Hollywood moves so fast- even here in the Hollywood South!

    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.

_ The promotional materials are OUT for two, new local films! The Paperboy, starring Zac Effron, Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack and Nicole Kidman was filmed here in Louisiana late this summer. We previously gossiped on this film back in August. We’re happy to report that the first poster from this movie has just be released featuring this all star cast! Among these big names is that of local actress, Nicole Barre’. Nicole can currently be seen in the HBO series, “TREME”,
and is also an instructor at the John Robert Powers Performing Arts Academy.

Another film, The Baytown Disco, was shot earlier last year in Slidell. This movie picture, featuring stars Billy Bob Thorton and Eva Longoria, has also hit the streets to help promote the film’s 2012 release. You can read more about these upcoming films on imdb.com, or just wait for their releases in a theatre near you!