The red carpet rolls out today for the 85th Annual Academy Awards, a celebration of film and acting on the big screen.
ClevelandCountyand surrounding areas have quite a history with film — including several ties to the Oscars.
But more Hollywood history is in the making. Since 2011’s “The Hunger Games,” location scouts have had their eye on the county.
Last week, country star Naomi Judd filmed scenes for a movie in Kings Mountain. And television shows like Cinemax’s “Banshee” and Showtime’s “Homeland” have recently relied on Cleveland County backdrops.
Cleveland County Director of Travel and Tourism Jackie Sibley equates the filming to dollar signs. In addition to filling hotels and restaurants, the shoots also attract fans. Sibley reported nearly
30 tours to Cleveland County “Hunger Games” film locations in 2012 alone.
‘Dirty Dancing’
“Dirty Dancing” won an Academy Award for Best Music and Original Song for “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”
The 1987 movie was filmed in Lake Lure, in neighboring Rutherford County, as well as Asheville and Pembroke, Va. This summer, the fourth annual Dirty Dancing Festival will be held in Lake Lure from Aug. 16-18. The festival includes dance lessons and a screening of the film.
‘Last of the Mohicans’
The 1992 movie was filmed at Chimney Rock in Rutherford County, as well as nearby Burke and Buncombe counties.
While “Mohicans” won an Academy Award for Best Sound, the star of the movie, Daniel Day-Lewis, is up for an Oscar this year.
Day-Lewis is nominated for a Best Actor Award for his role as Abraham Lincoln in the film “Lincoln.”
“Lincoln” is nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Picture.
Jennifer Lawrence
Scenes of District 12 in “The Hunger Games” were filmed in Shelby in 2011. Though the movie was not nominated for any Academy Awards, its leading actress, Jennifer Lawrence, is up for an Oscar this year. Lawrence was among the cast and crew that traveled to Shelby for filming.
Lawrence is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for “Silver Linings Playbook.” Lawrence already won a Golden Globe for her performance in the film.
Earl Scruggs
Music by the late Earl Scruggs, winner of four Grammy awards, was featured in the 1967 movie “Bonnie and Clyde,” starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.
Scruggs’ songs included “Foggie Mountain Breakdown,” “My Cabin in Caroline” and “Bouquet in Heaven.”
“Bonnie and Clyde” won two Academy Awards for Estelle Parsons as Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Cinematography. The film was nominated for 10 awards.
‘The Abyss’
Director James Cameron has six Academy Awards for his work in “Titanic” (1997) and “Avatar” (2009).
Earlier in his career, Cameron directed “The Abyss,” which was partially filmed at the Earl Owensby Studios in Shelby and the Cherokee Nuclear Plant in Gaffney, S.C., according to the Internet Movie Database website.
“The Abyss” won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.