Rhody Spotlight: The Latest Celebrity Sightings and Filming News in Rhode Island

Bowen’s Wharf featured in A Very Newport Christmas. Photo courtesy of Credit: ©2025 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Robert Clark

Editor’s note: Got a tip? Feel free to send info and photos to our Digital Editor, Kait Murray, at kmurray@rimonthly.com.

On Set 

Ghostwriter filming news

• J.J. Abrams’ latest drama, Ghostwriter, is slated to film in Providence. The film stars Glen Powell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jenna Ortega and Emma Mackey, and follows “a young newlywed couple struggles to survive against a supernatural entity,” according to IMDB.
  • In early August, Providence’s College Hill temporarily transformed into a film set while Powell filmed a few bike-riding scenes. He also reportedly greeted fans in between takes.
  • On August 19,  The Time Capsule in Cranston was transformed into “Graffiti Graphics” for the film.
  • On August 20, film crews set up production along Lilly Street and Atwells Avenue in Providence. Powell was spotted filming.
  • On August 24, the Point Street Bridge in Providence was closed to traffie for twenty-four hours to accommodate filming needs.

Remain filming news

• News broke this past spring that M.Night Shyamalan is set to direct a supernatural romantic thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor in the Ocean State, and the cameras are finally starting to roll. The film is slated for an October 2026 release according to IMDB, and of now is titled Remain.
  • Gyllenhaal was (allegedly) spotted in Providence on June 18, and filming location rumors sent locals flocking to Rhody Roots in Warren to catch another glimpse. The Coffee Depot nearby also shut down for a “private event” (a.k.a. filming).
  • Shyamalan shared a snap from day one of filming on June 19.
  • On June 20, a crew was spotted filming at the old abandoned Gray’s General Store in Little Compton. Gyllenhaal was spotted on set in the seaside town by locals (see the Facebook post here).
  • On June 25, filming reportedly took over Washington Square in Newport.
  • On June 26, Brown and Hopkins in Chepachet posted an IG Reel thanking the cast and crew for rolling through town (and apparently filming a few scenes at Tavern on Main). Catch a glimpse of both Gyllenhaal and Shyamalan on the store’s Instagram.
  • On June 27, Gyllenhaal and co. were rumored to film at the supposedly haunted Tavern On Main in Chepachet.

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RHORI filming news

• It’s official: “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island“ is a reality! Filming with local businesswomen, influencers and personalities (this IG account claims to know the official cast) is reportedly underway as of June 18. And apparently there’s already a bit of drama as some local establishments have allegedly declined filming permissions.
  • Former Channel 10 morning anchor Rosie Woods was spotted filming for the new reality series outside the Diamond Bar in Providence on Wednesday, June 26.
  • Four cast members were seen filming in fancy attire at Goddard Park in Warwick on June 28.
  • Rumored cast member Alicia Carmody was spotted filming with two other women at Seven Stars’ new location on Broad Street in Cranston in early July. See more sneak peeks from The Rhode Island Girl on Instagram.
  • In somewhat of a twist, it appears as though Bachelor-nation-alum-turned-married-local-coffee-shop-owners, Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon, might make an appearance on the show. (Or perhaps even be regulars?)

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Call Sheet

• In a crossover no one could have predicted, Comedian and TikTok Star turned Rhody resident Matt Rife recently bought Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home and Occult Museum. Rife will also be the legal guardian of the museum’s haunted collection, which includes the infamous Annabelle doll for the next five years. Like previous owners, he plans to open the house up to paid overnight stays and museum tours. Rife also has his sights set on the “Conjuring House” in Burrilville. In fact, the famously haunted house will be up for auction starting at 11 a.m. October 31.
• Rhode Island Comic Con returns to the AMP and the the Rhode Island Convention Center from Friday, November 7, to Sunday November 9, and is already promising an impressive array of celebrity guests, including “The Boys'” Anthony Starr, National Lampoon‘s Chevy Chase, Beetlejuice‘s Geena Davis, “Stranger Things'” Jamie Campbell Bower, “Two and a Half Men’s” Jon Cryer, Clerks‘ Kevin Smith, Pretty in Pink‘s Molly Ringwald, “The Office’s” Rainn Wilson, “Ahsoka’s” Rosario Dawson, Thelma and Louise’s Susan Sarandon, and many more. Find the current guest list here and buy tickets here.
• Emmy Award-winner/Academy Award-nominee Richard Jenkins will direct this year’s A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep with his wife, choreographer Sharon Jenkins. Stay tuned for schedule and ticket information.

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On Screen 

Scenes of guests dining at the palace of the Duke of Buckingham were filmed in Ochre Court’s state dining room at Salve Regina University. Photo by Karolina Wojtasik/HBO

• After a successful nation-wide theatrical run, “Secret Mall Apartment” — the documentary which shed light on how six artists transformed a hidden, unused space in the Providence Place Mall into a functioning dwelling — is now available on digital platforms.
• Season three of the Emmy award-winning “The Gilded Age“ (which is based on real Rhode Island socialites and often uses the Newport mansions as scene backdrops) premiered Sunday, June 22, on HBO. New episodes air Sunday nights at 9 p.m.
  • Episode five, which aired on Sunday, July 20, features locations and extras from Salve Regina University. Eagle-eyed viewers will recognize Ochre Court’s (situated in the heart of the university’s campus) ballroom, great hall and state dining room, as well as a few exterior shots. Meanwhile, students and faculty including cultural and historical preservation majors Cassidy Bashada (’28) and Michael Becker (’26), creative writing and publishing major Olivia Mahler (’25) and professor Dr. Dean de la Motte, can be seen in period-appropriate makeup and costumes in the background of various scenes throughout the episode.

• Catch former “The Bachelor” contestant and Scituate-native Jill Chin on the latest season of “Bachelor in Paradise,” now streaming on Hulu.
• Rhody-based singer songwriter Mary McAvoy recently competed for Team Snoop Dogg on season 26 of “The Voice.” You can catch up with the series on Hulu.
• Rhode Island native Gigi Grace is showcased in the limited series “The Better Sister,” which premiered May 29 on Prime Video. The psychological thriller stars Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks as sisters Chloe and Nicky, with Grace appearing as young Nicky.
• Local actor, musician and podcaster Shahjehan Khan landed his first speaking role in the #1 Netflix movie Aftermath, as well as a recurring role in the upcoming Hulu series “Deli Boys.”

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Coming Soon to a Screen Near You

Bowen’s Wharf featured in Hallmark’s A Newport Christmas.
Photo courtesy of ©2025 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Robert Clark

• Newport — and more specifically, Bowen’s Wharf — will take center stage in the Hallmark Channel’s holiday special, A Newport Christmas, which is set to premiere on November 2.
• Providence native Angelo Rosa will compete on season 21 of “Project Runway,” premiering Thursday, July 31, on Disney+, Hulu and Freeform.
• A number of upcoming Lifetime movies were filmed in Rhode Island over the past few years thanks to local producers Chad A. Verdi and Paul Luba. Learn more here.
• Ella McCay, which was partially filmed in Providence and stars the likes of Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis and Woody Harrelson, is slated to hit theaters on December 12.
• Bad News on the Doorstep, a coming-of-age drama directed by Cranston native Tom DeNucci and starring Mischa Barton, is rumored to have been largely filmed in Providence. The film is currently in post production.
• Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way production company has teamed up with RI-based Verdi Productions “for the authorized documentary on the life of Rod Serling, most known as the creator, host, narrator and primary writer of The Twilight Zone … Principal photography wrapped in Rhode Island, taking place in East Greenwich, Providence and Wakefield.” A release date has not yet been revealed.

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Between Takes 

• Kumail Nanjiani, the Oscar-nominated writer/Emmy-nominated and SAG Award winning actor, performed at the Vets on Saturday, September 27.
• The King of Queens, a.k.a. Kevin James, brought his one-hour comedy special to the Vets on Thursday, September 25.
• Eight-time James Beard Foundation Award winner Chef Samuelsson hosted and whipped up a signature first course for the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival‘s Vinter Dinner on September 19. Foodies know Samuelsson from the Food Network’s “Chopped,” Peacock’s “Top Chef: Family Style” and Netflix’s “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend.” The chef also took part in the “In Conversations with Chef Marcus Samuelsson” panel the next day, September 20, at Rosecliff.
• Several big names, including Paula Abdul, were in attendance at Judge Frank Caprio‘s — “the nicest judge in the world” — funeral in late August.
• Serena Williams made a surprise appearance at Maria Sharapova‘s Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
• Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski cut the ribbon at the re-opening of the McDonald’s at 923 Cranston Street in Cranston.
• SNL’s Colin Jost is took his comedic chops to the Vets’ stage on Friday, August 8.
• The Newport Folk Fest returned for its sixty seventh year at Fort Adams from Friday, July 25, to Sunday, July 27. Some lineup highlights included: Alex G, Big Freedia, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jack Antonoff and Bleachers on Friday; I’m With Her, Iron and Wine, Remi Wolf and Luke Combs on Saturday; and Jensen McRae, Mt. Joy, Tom O’Dell and Marren Morris on Sunday.
• Early aughts heartthrob Drake Bell (first made famous by “The Amanda Show” and “Drake and Josh,” both on Nickelodeon) performed with his band at the Ocean Mist in Matunuck on Tuesday, July 22.
• Ethan Slater of Wicked fame appeared as a special guest at the Rhode to Broadway’s Beach Bash Gala on Thursday, July 10, at Kinney Bungalow in Narragansett.  Students from Slater’s acting masterclass earlier that day joined him on stage for a one-night-only performance.
• Actor Sam Waterston of “The Great Gatsby” (1974 version) and “Law & Order” kicked off the Preservation Society’s Summer Lecture Series at Rosecliff in Newport on Wednesday, July 9. During the panel, Waterston revisited his role as the 1974 film’s narrator, Nick Carraway.
• Actresses Tina Fey and Kelli O’Hara were each honored with a Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at Trinity Rep‘s 2025 Pell Awards Gala on June 23. (On the local side, Mixed Magic Theatre‘s Bernadet V. Pitts-Wiley and the Tomaquag Museum‘s Lorén M. Spears also received recognition with the Rhode Island Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts and the Pell Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts, respectively.
• Jay Leno swung by the Cluck House in Newport for a chicken sando according to a post from July 7.
• Whats Going On in Rhode Island bumped into “The Sopranos” actor Steve Schirripa at Longo Ristorante in Westerly on July 3. Apparently he’s a big fan of the meatballs
• In a now-deleted TikTok, The Nitro Bar owner shared that Jake Gyllenhaal stopped by for a cup o’ Joe on June 18.
• Part-time Cranston resident and former Miss Universe winner Olivia Culpo recently hosted her Parisian-themed baby shower at Castle Hill Inn in Newport.
• Sarah Jessica Parker, whose son graduated from Brown University this past May, was a featured guest during Fashion@Brown‘s 2025 Speaker Series.

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Rumor Mill

• Several outlets have reported that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — who got engaged this past summer — are considering tying the knot in the Ocean State. Even Governor McKee has weighed in on the possibility.

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No Place Like Home

• Comedian and TikTok star, Matt Rife, purchased an eighty-acre estate in northern Rhode Island last year.
• Taylor Swift still regularly throws Fourth of July bashes at her Watch Hill mansion (which, fun fact, has its very own song on her eighth studio album, Folklore) and reportedly added a few major upgrades to the structure this past winter.
• Conan O’Brien also owns a vacation home in Westerly. We’re assuming this made it easier for him and his friends to headline the Newport Folk Festival last summer.
• Speaking of, James Taylor has a house in Jamestown and rumor has it took a quick boat trip across the harbor to fill in for Noah Kahan when the pop star backed out of the festival last minute in 2023.
• Former late night host Jay Leno (who coincidentally played a large part in Providence-born Paul Mecurio’s career) owns a Gilded Age mansion on Ocean Drive in Newport.
• Judge Judy Sheindlin also has property in Newport and last year she received special permission from the General Assembly to preside over her grandson’s wedding at the Weekapaug Inn in Westerly.
• James Woods still calls the Ocean State home with his compound in Exeter.
• Actor Christopher Walken has had a vacation home on Block Island since 1999.
• Pop star Elle King runs a farm — complete with goats and donkeys — in Little Rhody.
• Academy award nominee Richard Jenkins, who initially came to the state in the nineties to work at Trinity Rep, resides in Providence.
• Olivia Culpo, the North-Kingstown-native-turned-Miss-Universe-2012, owns a home in Cranston. Her family is also responsible for Back40 in North Kingstown.
• “Bachelor” nation alums Jared Haibon (who is originally from Warwick) and Ashley Iaconetti married in Newport, put down roots in Rhode Island and now own-and-operate the popular Audrey’s Coffee House and Lounge in South Kingstown.