But "Carol's" not the only local Golden Globe nominee: Dayton-raised star Rob Lowe is up for best actor in a television series for his role on FOX's "The Grinder."
Lowe has previously earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his role on “The West Wing.” He has received Screen Actors Guild awards as part of the ensemble cast for “The West Wing.” This year, Lowe is also up for a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actor in a New TV Series for his work on “The Grinder.”
ABOUT “CAROL”
"Carol," the 1950s romance starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, was nominated for five Golden Globe awards, the most of any movie so far. The awards include Best Motion Picture Drama, and Mara and Blanchett were each nominated for best actress in a drama film. Director Todd Haynes was nominated in the Best Director — Motion Picture category, and composer Carter Burwell is up for Best Original Score for his work on "Carol."
Southwestern Ohio shooting locations included areas of Hamilton, Lebanon and Cincinnati, which were scouted by the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission.
In April 2014, Kostas Restaurant on Hamilton's Court Street was transformed into the Liberty Bell Diner in 1950s Philadelphia. Dozens of Hamiltonians thronged the film set to catch a glimpse of actress Blanchett, who has already earned three Golden Globe awards, along with two Academy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR REGION
Karri O’Reilly, a Film Dayton board member who served as Unit Production Manager for “Carol,” said it was “exciting for Ohio and the area to be recognized on the international stage.”
“Historically, we’ve always had movies in the region, though we had a bit of a dry spell while Ohio didn’t have a film incentive,” she said Thursday. “Carol was instrumental in being among the first big-name movies, that solidified the crew base and the acting pool in the region.”
She added that “Carol’” filming locally helped trigger a domino effect for more Hollywood-level filmmakers to check out the region, including “Goat,” co-produced by Cincinnati film company Killer Films and actor James Franco’s production company Rabbit Bandini, as well as “The Long Home,” which starred and was directed and produced by Franco.
Steve Colwell, a production executive for Film Hamilton who wasn't involved with "Carol," has worked on several Hollywood films in the City of Sculpture since, including the James Franco film "The Long Home," which shot in Hamilton and Butler, Warren and Preble Counties this past summer, and "Tiger," which recently shot in Hamilton and stars Mickey Rourke.
“It certainly didn’t hurt to have ‘Carol’ filmed here,” he said Thursday. “The crews co-mingled, and a lot of the people who worked on ‘Carol’ worked on later films in the area.”
“Aside from the cool factor, it shows what we can do in this part of the country,” he continued. “You don’t have to go to Hollywood to see a motion picture filmed, and it shows the quality of the crews here.”
LOCAL EXTRAS SHARE ‘MAGICAL’ EXPERIENCE
Fans of the NEON Movie theater in Dayton may recognize manager Jonathan McNeal in several scenes and a quick shot in the preview, who described the experience as "magical."
“I saw so many people I have admired over the years — both in front of and behind the cameras,” he said Thursday. “It was a trifecta of amazing talent from the start, based on a novelist’s work I love (Patricia Highsmith), starring an actress I adore, directed by one of my favorite directors. Several extras were on board just to be a part of a big project… but they had no idea that the costume designer (Sandy Powell) was an Oscar winner and has dressed so many incredibly talented people in the business or that the director of photography (Edward Lachmann) had shot so many films that they have seen over the years.”
McNeal, who has already seen an early screening of the film, said "in a word, it is exquisite," and cited "Carol" as one of his eight must-see films this season.
Dayton resident Jason Antonick was an extra on the film, and said that two of his scenes made the final edit.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” he said Thursday. “I had never done anything like this before. Director Todd Haynes came in and explained the whole scene to us, and it was so important and amazing to me that he did that.”
Antonick, who serves as president of the Huffman Historic Neighborhood Association, even invited the celebrated director to his home; little did he know Haynes would be a Golden Globe Best Director contender.
But along with all the glitz and glamour, O'Reilly reminds that "at the end of the day, (film-making) is an economic development program." Since Ohio's Film Tax Credit Program began in late 2009, millions of dollars have been spent on moviemaking.
“It’s interesting to point out that in addition to being exciting, it’s pumped millions and millions of jobs and earnings into Ohio. We’re thankful for the work as filmmakers, but we know that it extends beyond our circles.”
GOLDEN GLOBES, MORE AWARDS
"Carol's" leading women were also recognized for the 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: Blanchett was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role; Mara, for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
"Carol" isn't the only movie filmed in Ohio that has been making early waves on the award circuit: Three movies filmed in the Buckeye State were selected to premier at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival: "Goat," filmed in Cincinnati; "The Land," shot in Cleveland, and "The Fits," also filmed in Cincinnati.
Also surging in the Golden Globe nominations was Adam McKay's finance farce "The Big Short," which earned four nominations, including best picture, comedy and nods for Steve Carell and Christian Bale.
Also with four nods is “The Revenant,” which was nominated for best picture, drama, and best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. Tied with four is the Aaron Sorkin-scripted “Steve Jobs,” though it failed to join the best picture nominees. Along with “Carol” and “The Revenant,” they are: “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Room” and “Spotlight.”
HOW TO WATCH
The Golden Globe Awards will air Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. on NBC. The Screen Actors Guild Awards will air Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. on TNT and TBS.
The Journal-News staff and the Associated Press also contributed to this report.
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