By Evan Anstey, News 4 Digital Producer Published: June 17, 2016, 6:59 am
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Kate Hudson is getting ready to start filming her part in the upcoming “Marshall” movie being shot in Buffalo.
The Oscar-nominated actress was seen taking pictures and Snapchat videos in Niagara Falls while viewing the local sights and riding the Maid of the Mist.
Later on, a new video appeared with Hudson in the hair-and-makeup chair getting ready to go on set. The caption on the video read “First Day on Marshall.”
In the movie about Thurgood Marshall, the U.S. Supreme Court’s first African-American justice, Hudson plays wealthy socialite Eleanor Strubing.
The movie will be released later this year.
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June 24, 2016
AMHERST, N.Y. – Filming in the Buffalo Niagara region for “Marshall,” a legal thriller starring Chadwick Boseman as a young Thurgood Marshall, a future Supreme Court justice, was recently on location at Daemen College’s presidential residence, where scenes were shot for the new movie.
“We are thrilled and honored to have Daemen House selected as a location for a major motion picture that will bring national attention to the Western New York region,” said President Gary A. Olson. “To be a part of a production of this magnitude was a unique opportunity to showcase the college.”
Cast and crew members from “Marshall” were at Daemen House in Amherst in June to film scenes for the residence of wealthy socialite Eleanor Strubing, being played by star Kate Hudson. Furniture and other early 1940s era modifications were temporarily made to the first and second floors for interior scenes filmed with Hudson and Sterling K. Brown, who recently starred in the series “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
The movie was inspired by a notorious trial early in the career of Thurgood Marshall. As a brilliant young attorney for the NAACP, Marshall traveled across the nation defending black men unjustly accused of crimes. In 1940 on the eve of World War II, Marshall partnered with Sam Friedman, a Jewish lawyer from Bridgeport, Conn., to defend Joseph Spell, a black chauffeur accused of sexually assaulting his employer, socialite Eleanor Strubing. Marshall later became the first African American justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Daemen House was chosen as the Strubing residence for its historical look and feel that reflects the film’s period, explained Tim Clark, film commissioner of the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission.
“The beautiful architecture and other details in Daemen House bring a historical authenticity to the scenes that were filmed there,” said Clark. “When production designer Richard Hoover first saw the residence, he was very impressed with it and knew the location would fit perfectly with the period continuity needed in the movie.”
While most filming was done inside the residence, the home’s exterior was also captured in an important scene of the film. Crews are expected to be in the Buffalo area through July.
“Vintage elements are critical to a period movie like this so having access to Daemen House was helpful to enhancing the film’s historical setting,” said Clark.
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on July 1, 2016 – 12:01 AM
I was in a movie!
Of course, so were at least 100 other people who were hired as extras or background actors in the filming of “Marshall.” The film is being shot here in Western New York this summer and tells of the trial that launched the career of the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Like the other background actors, I submitted my headshot and bio to the film company and three days later I got a call to report for a wardrobe fitting.
Over the years, I have been involved as an actor in community theater and have been involved in broadcasting, but making a movie – this was something new and exciting.
At the wardrobe fitting, I met some delightful people who took their time finding just the right costumes for the two scenes I was to be in. They took pictures of me in costume to use as a reference on the day of the actual shoot.
About a week later, I received a call to report to the set at 9 a.m. When I arrived, I was met by a crew member who made sure that I had the necessary paperwork filled out.
This film is a period piece and takes place in the early ’40s. We were taken to the makeup and hair styling studios, where I was given a haircut reminiscent of that era. When they finished, I was awestruck. The actors, both male and female, around me looked as if they had just stepped out of some time machine. We were from the ’40s.
Background actors are an integral part of making any film. They are the canvas on which the primary actors work their magic. The background actors’ job is to react to what is playing out in front of them without being obvious.
We were escorted to the set and given our instructions by the associate director. A movie set is sometimes organized chaos as all of the elements of making the film must come together precisely.
After a few run-throughs using doubles (the second team), the principal actors (the first team) came on the set and did their thing. A scene that will last about two minutes on the screen takes hours to film. The action is recorded using different camera angles and can take hours to get just right.
We all were part of this major film. The associate director silenced the set as he shouted, “Rolling … camera … action!” Wow, we’re making a movie and I’m really in it.
I thought that perhaps we background actors would be treated as peons during the filming because we were not professional movie actors. I couldn’t be more wrong. The film crew treated us all with great respect. We were made to feel special.
A school friend from years ago wrote to me to say that she had taught ninth-grade English to Josh Gad, one of the stars of the movie, and she asked if I could say hello for her. He was delighted and asked if I would pose for a picture with him to send to his former teacher. Gad is a very down-to-earth guy.
I came away from my days making a movie with a tremendous amount of respect for the men and women of the film industry who work very hard to bring their collective efforts to the screen.
So, as I say farewell to my two days in the movie biz, I say thanks, and I’ll see you in the movies!
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By Nick Canedo | [email protected] on July 05, 2016 at 11:19 AM
(Screengrab from WGRZ)
The July 4 weekend marked the end of filming for the movie “Marshall” in the Buffalo and Western New York area.
The movie is a biopic of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice. The cast features Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson in “42.”
Filming began May 23 in Western New York at the LaSalle Branch of the Niagara Falls Public Library on Buffalo Avenue. The last day of filming was Friday, July 1. The cast and crew came together to share their experiences in Western New York and discussed some of their favorite things about the area.
Buffalo wings
While the cast and crew enjoyed many of the area’s restaurants, actor Josh Gad, known for voicing Olaf in “Frozen,” particularly loved the buffalo wings. “The movie takes place over about five days,” Gad said. “And because of your chicken wings, my character puts on an average of five pounds a day.”
Niagara Falls
Oscar nominated-actress Kate Hudson traveled to Niagara Falls in June, making the most of her visit by riding the Maid of the Mist and visiting the Cave of the Winds.
Canalside
Hudson said she enjoyed bike riding on Canalside during her day off.
The architecture
Why did the filmmakers chose Buffalo as their filming location? According to Hudlin, it was the architecture and the city’s commitment to preserving historic buildings.
The lack of traffic
“The no-traffic thing is amazing,” Kate Hudson said.
The 4 a.m. closing time
People also spotted some of the cast at bars on Allen street, WIVB reports. Actor Sterling K. Brown said that he’s not used to restaurants and bars being open until 4 a.m. “You kick it real hard,” Brown said of Buffalo locals. It probably helped that Buffalo is home to one of the top 10 cocktail bars in America.
The people
Director Reginald Hudlin called Buffalo an amazing place full of wonderful people, nothing “the incredible, friendly, open-armed spirit of every single person we’ve met here in Buffalo.”
“Everybody loves Buffalolove,” Hudson said.
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