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The Don CeSar will be hosting Hollywood A-listers
A major movie production is coming to Pinellas County, and the Don CeSar will have a starring role. FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia gives us the details.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Actor Paul Rudd is set to star in a new movie filming in St. Pete Beach — and you might recognize some of the movie extras as your neighbors.
On Thursday, around 175 locals traded in their modern threads for a blast from the past, trying on their 1980s costumes for the very first time.
"I'm doing a fitting for some swimsuits," St. Pete resident Caroline Markowitz said. "I know I'm like a pool-beach-goer."
The backstory:
The upcoming film — titled The Statement — is a period drama and dark comedy directed by Academy Award winner Tom McCarthy (Spotlight, Stillwater). Alongside Rudd, the cast includes Golden Globe winner Evan Peters and Oscar nominees Amy Ryan and Paul Giamatti.
Based on Nathaniel Rich’s book Losing Earth, the movie is centered on a real 1980 conference held at the Don CeSar, where government officials, scientists and activists clashed over climate change.
"Back then, their goal was to leave that conference with a unified statement," Jonathan Schwartz, one of the film’s producers, said. "And I'm not going to give away what happens in the movie. But you’ll see."
Dig deeper:
Bringing 1980 back to life required some movie magic. The Don CeSar underwent extensive interior renovations after the 2024 hurricanes brought a significant amount of sand to the resort’s ground floor, damaging several amenities. The Don CeSar welcomed its first overnight guests months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
"They did a really beautiful renovation, but it's not 1980 in there anymore," Schwartz said.
To solve the issue, producers filmed the indoor ballroom and conference scenes in New Orleans and will shoot all outdoor scenes at the Don CeSar and St. Pete Beach.
What they're saying:
Hollywood producers hope this film showcases how easy it is to work in the Bay Area, largely thanking the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission for their support.
"We've been telling other colleagues around the industry, 'You should really take a look at St. Pete,' because you guys have [a] great crew, the weather is good, the locations are diverse, the people are great, and you have a commission that's supportive," Schwartz said. "And if you have those ingredients, you should really want to bring a movie here."
"I think film tourism is a big piece that could come out of this as well," Dave Caputo, film commissioner for the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission, said. "When you see icons like [the Don CeSar] on the screen, you start to wonder, 'Where is that? Can I go there? Can I get a reservation?' That drives a lot of impact for the community."
So who knows? Maybe there could be more future chances for locals to rub elbows with the stars.
"I hope I get to meet Paul Rudd," Markowitz said, laughing.
What's next:
The Statement does not have an official release date yet.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from interviews with the film commissioner for the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission, a producer for the film The Statement and a St. Pete resident.