CLEVELAND, Ohio —Action film star Liam Neeson was filming a scene with a co-star along West 67th and Bridge Street in Cleveland.
- Cleveland has become a hot spot for movie-making
- Currently, a Liam Neeson movie is being filmed in and around the city
- The movies “Cherry” and “Judas and the Black Messiah” will be filming in the Cleveland area this fall
This was just one of the many locations being used to film The Minuteman.
For actors like Ming Wang, it was the thrill of a lifetime.
“It was so much fun, just the fact that Liam Neeson was here. I wanted to be here, so even as an extra, that was fun,” said Wang.
Ming Wang is one of the many extras and stand-ins in The Minuteman.
The film is about a retired Vietnam vet protecting a young boy who is being hunted by a drug cartel.
Ohio’s motion picture tax credit was passed a decade ago and extended this summer, and an increasing number of movies and commercials are being produced here in the Buckeye State.
Local actors say they are excited about the opportunities coming their way.
“It’s been great,” said Wang. “I’ve been very fortunate to have three small speaking roles so far. There’s been a lot going on the last four years and I’ve just been doing it here and there, and I think there’s a lot out there for everyone else.”
“It’s much better than two years ago,” said Amelia Candelaria, actor. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance a movie comes here or a TV show. Now, with them pushing for the bill for funding for them, it’s definitely getting higher… more movies and productions are coming out here and providing way more jobs.”
And more acting jobs are on the way in Cleveland.
The movies “Cherry”and “Judas and the Black Messiah” will be filming in the area this fall.