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Rhode Island

In R.I. to film a movie, Jamie Lee Curtis tells California: ‘This is how you do it’ – The Boston Globe

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In R.I. to film a movie, Jamie Lee Curtis tells California: ‘This is how you do it’ – The Boston Globe


“We are here because there weren’t a lot of opportunities around the country and particularly in California,” she said. “So for my friends in California, and California government: This is how you do it.”

The Rhode Island Film & Television Office uses motion picture production film tax credits to try to bring film crews to Rhode Island, and state officials said the “Ella McCay” production will create jobs, bolster tourism, and shine a big spotlight on the smallest state.

“If you don’t want us to leave and go to places like Rhode Island, then you have to create tax incentives for the people in California, or we are going to come here, every time,” Curtis said.

Steven Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, said filming will begin Monday, taking part mostly in Providence but in other parts of the state as well. Film crews will be here through March or April, he said.

Steven Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, spoke at an event at the State House regarding a film being shot in Rhode Island titled “Ella McCay.”David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

The production will result in an estimated 300 full-time jobs and 500 part-time jobs, and the production will result in “spending million of dollars on the ground in Rhode Island,” Feinberg said.

The film credit is for 30 percent of state-certified production costs that can be directly attributed to activity within the state. The film or television production needs to be shot primarily in Rhode Island, meaning that 51 percent of principal photography must take place in the state. A minimum of $100,000 needs to be spent on the ground in Rhode Island.

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In 2022, the Rhode Island Office of Revenue Analysis issued a report saying the state’s tax credit program fails to break even, its goals are “vague,” and data reporting requirements “lead to inconsistent and unreliable data on program performance.”

But Feinberg has strongly disagreed, saying the report contained “miscalculations” and “omissions.” He noted Industrial Economics, a company based in Cambridge, Mass., produced a report in 2022 saying every $1 in film tax credits generated $5.44 in economic activity, and that the benefit extended to nearly every city and town in the state.

During Thursday’s event in the State Room, Governor Daniel J. McKee emphasized the economic impact of the film.

“The whole strategy for us is putting people to work in good-paying jobs,” he said. “In this case, a number of the trades are going to be working on this project with you, and I think you will see second to none. I think you are going to be really, really pleased with what workers will be able to do.”

McKee, a Democrat who previously served as the state’s lieutenant governor, noted “Ella McCay” is a film about a lieutenant governor who becomes a governor.

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The 20th Century Studios production tells the story of an “idealistic young politician” named Ella McCay, who will be played Mackey (known for her rolls in “Barbie” and “Death on the Nile.”) The title character juggles family issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over for her mentor, California’s long-time governor, who will be played by Albert Brooks (known for “Broadcast News” and “Lost in America.”)

“This is a movie about ideas — politics, politicians, government,” Curtis said. “America is about ideas, and this is a movie about big ideas and people dreaming for the betterment for other people.”

Curtis said she’d given the cast and crew mugs emblazoned with a quote from the movie: “Government works best when citizens stay interested because, as has been said, if you don’t know what you want, you will probably get what someone else wants. Let’s get started.”

Brooks — the director, writer and producer whose credits include “Taxi,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “The Simpsons” — also spoke in the State Room, saying, “What I need is for this film to represent America in sort of the best sense possible. We looked at a lot of places, and I’m so glad we are here. We feel it every day. Everybody who goes out and is in this city just appreciates the graciousness of it and how much we’ve been welcomed.”

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, noted Rhode Island has also hosted film crews in Newport for the HBO series “The Gilded Age” and in Lincoln and Providence for the film “Hocus Pocus 2.” And he said he has backed the Rhode Island Film & Television Office and the film tax credits since he became speaker three years ago.

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“Because it’s not just showing off our great state,” Shekarchi said. “The film industry is a revenue generator, and also people want to visit our state when they see the great locations on the big screen. It brings in more tourism dollars to our state.”

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, also spoke, with Feinberg introducing him as “Taxi’s own Lou DiPalma.” DiPalma joked that he believes he is the tallest Lou DiPalma, surpassing Danny DeVito’s taxi dipatcher character, “Louie DiPalma.”

“This is a great day for Rhode Island,” DiPalma said. The film tax credit program has provided a clear “return on investment” over the years, he said, and it has helped to “put Rhode Island on the map.”


Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.

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Rhode Island

GETTING SUPPORT AT THE FORT – Jamestown Press

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GETTING SUPPORT AT THE FORT – Jamestown Press


Connie Slick, right, chats with Deanne Wright at the Rhode Island Direct Primary Care booth Tuesday at the senior center’s “Aging in Place” resource fair under the pavilion at Fort Getty. Photos by Andrea von Hohenleiten

Annie Murphy, from left, Joe Colon and Lea Verta at the Alzheimer’s Association booth.

Annie Murphy, from left, Joe Colon and Lea Verta at the Alzheimer’s Association booth.

Florence Iwuc learns about the warning signs of a stroke.

Florence Iwuc learns about the warning signs of a stroke.

Donna Mignella, right, talks to members of the Community Outreach and Support Team, Mary Meagher, from left, Becky Minus and Dave Pritchard.

Donna Mignella, right, talks to members of the Community Outreach and Support Team, Mary Meagher, from left, Becky Minus and Dave Pritchard.

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Susan Conant, left, and Andrea Maroto.

Susan Conant, left, and Andrea Maroto.

Vincent Ng, Barbara Cunha and John Andrews at the AARP booth.

Vincent Ng, Barbara Cunha and John Andrews at the AARP booth.



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More complaints against former RI private school coach accused of exploiting underage girl – The Boston Globe

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More complaints against former RI private school coach accused of exploiting underage girl – The Boston Globe


The girl told the state police and Barrington police that Cassidy, who’d been her coach, became fixated on her since the summer of 2025 and won her trust. She told police that Cassidy had given her lingerie and alcohol and requested explicit photos of her under the guise of training her for a “secret section of the FBI” to help children who are sex trafficked.

The small private Christian school fired Cassidy after his arrest on June 1. State police said they expected to bring more charges and asked for other witnesses to come forward.

Since then, Barrington Police Chief Michael E. Correia said, four more students from Barrington Christian Academy and a young woman who encountered Cassidy at the Pawtucket YMCA have made complaints.

“All of their stories are clearly inappropriate behavior from a teacher-coach,” Correia said on Wednesday. “However, we don’t believe [the allegations] at this time amounts to a criminal offense.”

Correia declined to describe the specific accusations. The new reports have been referred to the State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is leading the investigation. State Police Major Kenneth Moriarty did not respond to questions on Wednesday.

A 19-year-old woman who attended Barrington Christian Academy in the 2020-2021 school year was the first to come forward. She spoke to Barrington police on June 3, shortly after the state police announced Cassidy’s arrest, and described “inappropriate behavior,” Correia said.

Then, a 12-year-old girl and 15-year-old girl, both of whom are student-athletes at the school, spoke with Barrington police on June 8. A mother brought her 12-year-old daughter, who is also a student, to speak with police on June 9.

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A 23-year-old woman contacted the Barrington police on June 17 about Cassidy. She said she encountered him at the Pawtucket YMCA when she was about 14 years old, and she also complained about “inappropriate behavior,” Correia said.

Kate Messier, the vice president of development at the Pawtucket YMCA, confirmed on Wednesday that Cassidy was employed there until 2018. She did not comment on his role at the YMCA or answer questions about whether the organization had received any complaints about Cassidy at the time.

“Child protection is foundational to how the YMCA of Pawtucket operates, and we maintain extensive safeguards that are reviewed and reinforced on an ongoing basis,” Messier said in the statement. “Those safeguards include thorough staff screening and background checks, mandatory child abuse prevention training, program environments structured to maintain supervision and eliminate unsupervised one-on-one situations, and clear procedures for reporting any concern.”

The 14-year-old girl whose allegations led the state police to arrest Cassidy said that she learned that he had allowed juveniles from unstable homes live in his house in Pawtucket while he was working at the YMCA, according to court documents. The girl also told investigators that Cassidy had housed foreign exchange students associated with Barrington Christian Academy.

Correia said that the private school has been “very cooperative” with the Barrington police. The head of school, Michael Skazinski, did not respond to questions from the Globe on Wednesday.

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Cassidy’s lawyer, Melissa Larsen, declined comment on Wednesday.

The state police have searched Cassidy’s home in Pawtucket, his pickup truck, and his office at the school, and have seized numerous electronic devices, including iPads, tablets, and thumb drives, according to court records. The affidavits accompanying the search warrants detailed the allegations that the 14-year-old girl made against Cassidy.

He had been coaching her in different sports at the school, and their families became close. She told the state police that she grew to trust Cassidy and would spend time with him and his family at their home. Then, she said, he began telling her stories about how he was special — and so was she.

She said Cassidy told her he was working for a “secret section of the FBI.” She said he claimed that he had “special DNA,” so the FBI and state troopers had him assist in raids to save children from being sex trafficked. She said that Cassidy told her that there were “off-worlders” or aliens that posed as humans on earth, and some of those children being sex trafficked were actually aliens.

She said that Cassidy assigned various “challenges” or “missions” to make her comfortable in uncomfortable situations, according to the affidavits.

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“She was also advised to learn to get comfortable with wearing less clothing and ultimately nudity because it would be required later on for ‘missions,’” the affidavits said. “Cassidy claimed that aliens did not believe in the ‘construct of clothes.’”

She said Cassidy emailed her from his personal Gmail account, calling himself “Casper,” the affidavits said. She said he also claimed that two other girls were using his email to talk to her about the “special” training, and she was told to email with a person named “Kevin” on another email address who would talk to her about her feelings, the affidavits said.

She said she was instructed to take explicit photographs of herself and send them to his private email. She came to realize that all of the personas were actually Cassidy.

On May 28, the girl received an email from Cassidy’s personal Gmail account offering her three “flirt options,” all of which involved her taking off her clothes in front of him. She believed she needed to follow through; she told police that Cassidy said “bad things” could happen to her if she failed.

That night, her parents discovered what was going on, and they contacted the Barrington police, who called in the state police.

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The State Police are continuing to investigate and ask anyone with information about Cassidy or potential victims to contact the task force at 401-921-1170, or the Barrington Police Department at 401-437-3935.


Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her @AmandaMilkovits.





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Rhode Island

‘Condom Hut’ Movie Adds Another Big Name

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‘Condom Hut’ Movie Adds Another Big Name


Another famous face is joining the cast of “Rubber Hut” filming throughout Rhode Island.

As we previously reported, Grace Van Patten is starring in the feature film debut for director Hannah Gray Organschi about the infamous “condom hut” business from the early 90s.

Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images
Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images

The short-lived Fotomat kiosk turned drive-thru condom store garnered local notoriety as well as national attention in 1992 and is now the subject of a movie with several A-list stars attached.

READ MORE: Michael Imperioli, Emmy Rossum Join RI ‘Condom Hut’ Film

Scenes were filmed for several days at a custom-made “condom hut” on West Shore Road in Warwick. On Thursday, June 11, Beach Avenue was closed down to shoot a parade scene. Now, film crews have moved to Meshanticut Valley Parkway in Cranston for scenes along a residential street.

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Who Was Behind the Original Condom Hut?

The home is believed to represent the residence of Emanuella DelVecchio, the former flight attendant who had the brilliant idea to open a condom kiosk in response to the AIDS epidemic.

Nancy Hall/Townsquare Media
Nancy Hall/Townsquare Media
Nancy Hall/Townsquare Media

Instead of support, however, DelVecchio received the condemnation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and was plagued with vandalism before shuttering her business within a year.

READ MORE: New Bedford’s Gone But Not Forgotten Closed-Down Bars

Who Has Joined the ‘Condom Hut’ Movie Cast So Far

Photos of parade scenes for the film show Michael Imperioli portraying a priest in the movie and now Deadline has reported that stage actor, Will Harrison, is attached to the project as DelVecchio’s husband. Other actors’ specific roles remain unknown.

Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images
Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images
Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images

Filming is expected to continue in Rhode Island until the end of June with a theatrical release likely in 2027.

See the Stars Who Own Homes in Rhode Island

There are plenty of celebrities who once called Rhode Island home, but how many still do? Here’s the list of stars who own homes across the Ocean State.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall

20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.

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Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall

All The Famous Faces That Have Been to Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Home

Here are all the celebrities we know have made an appearance at Holiday House over the years.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall





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