I had the chance to work on the upcoming film "WE ARE...MARSHALL", starring Matthew McConaughey (Coach Lengyel), Matthew Fox (Coach Red Dawson), David Strathairn (nominated for Best Actor for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck), and Kimberly Williams (from Father of the Bride). It was directed by McG (who also did Charlie's Angels).
This movie was based on a true story. On November 14, 1970, Marshall University and the entire community of Huntington, West Virginia, experienced the greatest air tragedy in the history of collegiate athletics. Seventy-five members of the Marshall football team, coaches, university staff, community members, and crew members died in a plane crash coming back from a football game. Now, more than 35 years later, Warner Bros. and Thunder Road Pictures is producing a feature film about the crash and Marshall's struggle to field a team in the ensuing years.
The second half of filmming was done here in Atlanta, mostly on the campus of Morris Brown University. I played an Marshall fan in the stands during the Marshall vs. Xavier game, their first victory since the new team emerged. We cheered in the stands and later got a chance to rush down the field to celebrate. We got a chance to be on the field with Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox. And as we "ran from the bleachers to the field", I got to run right past Matthew Mc. as he rushed up to congratulate Straithorn. I even got to say "Congrats Coach" and shake the hand of Matthew Fox, in addition to shaking the hand of David Straithorn!! It was soooo surreal!
During one of the final scenes, Anthony Mackie pulled my friend Kimberly and I in the camera shot, and we played along with him and some other players as though we were going to go to the diner with them to celebrate. The camera was totally on us! So, hopefully, all those cloe-up shots will be in the film!
Later that night, we were invited by Anthony Mackie to hang with him and some of the other cast members at their usual post-filmming lounge bar - Bazzaar, which was right across the street from their hotel, the Georgian Terrace.
It was a ton of fun to have the 1971 wardrobe (they even gave me vintage Ferragamo shoes)! They also did our hair and make-up to represent the 70's look. We felt like such stars! So, even though we were in the sun all day in the sweltering heat and worked about 15 hours each day, it was well worth it!
"We are... Marshall" is expected to be out in October 2006. Look out for it! I am sure it will be HUGE, along the lines of the popularity of "Remember the Titans" or something of that caliber. And hey, who wouldn't want to see two awesome Matthews grace the screen?!
Visit this site for a segment from Good Morning America about this movie being filmmed in Atlanta:
http://www.marshall.edu/movie/media.html
UPDATE: I went back on the set for the last days of filmming on 6/20. It just wasn't the same without the Matthews, and the heat was UNBEARABLE! I think it was the hottest day of the year! I met two friends Carolyn and Fanny. They were sweethearts and we suffered through the heat together! We were all miserable from the heat and just sitting there watching football plays form the stands. They even lost my original dress that I was wearing so I had to wear a different brown dress. They had my Ferragamo shoes though! That made it all worth it!
This movie was based on a true story. On November 14, 1970, Marshall University and the entire community of Huntington, West Virginia, experienced the greatest air tragedy in the history of collegiate athletics. Seventy-five members of the Marshall football team, coaches, university staff, community members, and crew members died in a plane crash coming back from a football game. Now, more than 35 years later, Warner Bros. and Thunder Road Pictures is producing a feature film about the crash and Marshall's struggle to field a team in the ensuing years.
The second half of filmming was done here in Atlanta, mostly on the campus of Morris Brown University. I played an Marshall fan in the stands during the Marshall vs. Xavier game, their first victory since the new team emerged. We cheered in the stands and later got a chance to rush down the field to celebrate. We got a chance to be on the field with Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox. And as we "ran from the bleachers to the field", I got to run right past Matthew Mc. as he rushed up to congratulate Straithorn. I even got to say "Congrats Coach" and shake the hand of Matthew Fox, in addition to shaking the hand of David Straithorn!! It was soooo surreal!
During one of the final scenes, Anthony Mackie pulled my friend Kimberly and I in the camera shot, and we played along with him and some other players as though we were going to go to the diner with them to celebrate. The camera was totally on us! So, hopefully, all those cloe-up shots will be in the film!
Later that night, we were invited by Anthony Mackie to hang with him and some of the other cast members at their usual post-filmming lounge bar - Bazzaar, which was right across the street from their hotel, the Georgian Terrace.
It was a ton of fun to have the 1971 wardrobe (they even gave me vintage Ferragamo shoes)! They also did our hair and make-up to represent the 70's look. We felt like such stars! So, even though we were in the sun all day in the sweltering heat and worked about 15 hours each day, it was well worth it!
"We are... Marshall" is expected to be out in October 2006. Look out for it! I am sure it will be HUGE, along the lines of the popularity of "Remember the Titans" or something of that caliber. And hey, who wouldn't want to see two awesome Matthews grace the screen?!
Visit this site for a segment from Good Morning America about this movie being filmmed in Atlanta:
http://www.marshall.edu/movie/media.html
UPDATE: I went back on the set for the last days of filmming on 6/20. It just wasn't the same without the Matthews, and the heat was UNBEARABLE! I think it was the hottest day of the year! I met two friends Carolyn and Fanny. They were sweethearts and we suffered through the heat together! We were all miserable from the heat and just sitting there watching football plays form the stands. They even lost my original dress that I was wearing so I had to wear a different brown dress. They had my Ferragamo shoes though! That made it all worth it!