Hudson Valley Connections in Oscar Winners
Last night’s Academy Awards had a number of Hudson Valley connections, including the winner for Best Picture.
This year, the actual Academy Award was produced by the Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in Rock Tavern. The Orange County based company used scans of the original 1929 Oscar and the 2015 award to blend together the 2016 Oscar.
“Spotlight” was the upset winner for Best Picture. The films lead actor, Mark Ruffalo, has a home in Sullivan County. Ruffalo was at the Catskill Brewery this past summer to promote clean energy. Last month he used social media to help track down his missing phone and wallet during a snowstorm.
Liev Schreiber was a co-star in this year's Best Picture. The "Ray Donovan" lead actor has Dutchess County roots.
Adam McKay and Charles Randolph won for Best Adapted Screenplay for "The Big Short." Randolph has ties to the local area. After winning the award Adam McKay thanked "all the good people of Hudson, Tivoli, and Millerton, NY," on scroll featured on the bottom of the screen.
"What Happened, Miss Simone?" was up for Best Documentary Feature. The Netflix documentary lost to "Amy." According to Laurent Rejto, director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission, OliveBridge, Willow, and Woodstock served as film sites. This director Liz Garbus has family in Woodstock.
Here is a list of past Oscar winners from the Hudson Valley according to the Hudson Valley Film Commission:
In 2015, Columbia County Director/Producer Dana Perry won Best Documentary Short for "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
Actor Melissa Leo won the 2010 Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for "The Fighter ."
Producer James Schamus, who has a house in Columbia County, was the executive producer of the 2000 Best Foreign Picture "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
Director Leon Gast, who has a house in Woodstock, won the 1996 Best Documentary Oscar for "When We Were Kings."
Composer Elmer Bernstein, who had a house in Woodstock, won an in 1967 for "Modern Millie."
Woodstock resident, Lee Marvin, won Best actor in 1965 for "Cat Ballou."