By David Cifarelli | masslive.com | March 10, 2024
Actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph is officially an Oscar winner, thanks to her performance in a film that was entirely shot in Massachusetts.
Randolph beat out fellow nominees Emily Blunt in “Oppenheimer,” Danielle Brooks in “The Color Purple,” America Ferrera in “Barbie” and Jodie Foster in “Nyad.”
Randolph has won numerous awards for her performance, including a Critics’ Choice Awards, Golden Globe, Satellite Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. This was her first Oscar nomination and win.
“I didn’t think I was supposed to be doing this as a career. I started out as a singer,” Randolph said with a tear-soaked face during her acceptance speech. “My mother said to me, ‘go across that street to that theater department, there’s something for you there.’ And I thank my mother for doing that.”
Randolph went on to thank all the people who helped pave the way for her and helped guide her in her career.
“For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different. And now I realize, I just need to be myself. And I thank you for seeing me,” Randolph continued.
“The Holdovers” is a comedy-drama set in the 1970s that takes place at a fictional boarding school called Barton Academy. In the film, Paul Giamatti plays a history teacher who has to supervise Angus Tully, an angsty teenage student, over Christmas break because Tully unexpectedly has no place to go.
The film was shot at Deerfield Academy, with the film crew utilizing the front lawn and outside of the building.In addition to being filmed at Deerfield Academy, “The Holdovers” was shot on location at four more Massachusetts schools, according to Town & Country Magazine.
The film crew shot at the chapel inside the Groton School in Groton, used the outside of Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, the dining hall, gymnasium and headmaster’s office at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, as well as the study hall and auditorium at Fairhaven High School in Fairhaven.
The film crew also shot at the Somerville Theatre, Brattle Book Shop in Downtown Boston, the Orpheum Theatre and other spots around the Boston Common, according to WBUR.
Scenes were also filmed behind Boston City Hall Plaza and in Worcester where the production put up a large Christmas tree outside of Worcester’s City Hall during the winter of 2022, WCVB reported. Filming for “The Holdovers” started in the state on Jan. 27, 2022 and wrapped in late March, according to Boston.com.
In addition to Best Actress in a Supporting Role, “The Holdovers” received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor for Giamatti, Original Screenplay and Best Editing. A full list of winners can be found here.