With South by Southwest (SXSW) in full swing, Austinites are keeping an eye out for celebrity sightings around the city. Last week’s Texas Film Awards offered an opportunity to see several celebs gathered in one place. Honoring legends of the Texas film industry, the annual fundraising event inducted new members into the Texas Film Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Austin Film Society (AFS), the milestone year for the Texas Film Hall of Fame welcomed new members Michelle Rodriguez, Tim and Karrie League, and Noah Hawley. Before the event, CultureMap caught up with AFS founder and film director Richard Linklater about the anniversary.

Richard LinklaterPhoto by David Brendan Hall

“It’s very cool,” he said, “Forty years is wild. You can’t help but reflect back to year one. We grew with Austin: as Austin has grown, so have we.”

Sharing the impact of AFS grants on stage during the event, Linklater elaborated further on this symbiotic growth.

“The rising tide of Austin lifted our boat, and we grew when we needed to [without] losing our fundamental film freakiness,” Linklater said. “Forty years in, I know two things to be true: community is everything. Watching movies together connects us and builds that community. And, the love and appreciation of cinema knows no bounds: if you nurture it, it feeds you back ten fold.”Linklater is on a recent awards streak, having been honored with a Texas Medal of Arts Award in late February.

Presenting to Killeen-born and San Antonio-raised Michelle Rodriguez, director Robert Rodriguez spoke about the actress’s “unshakeable swagger” and how he wrote the character of Luz with her in mind after seeing Girl Fight.

Robert Rodriguez and Michelle RodriguezPhoto by Lauren Slusher

He also introduced a surprise guest to the event, Vin Diesel, who co-starred with Rodriguez in the Fast and Furious franchise. Sauntering onto the stage in a black cowboy hat, Diesel shared that he recently discovered his Texan roots and that their Texan identity was one of many things that bind him to Rodriguez as his ride-or-die.

Vin DieselDavid Brendan Hall

Actor and one-time Austinite Elijah Wood presented the award to Tim and Karrie League, founders of the Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest.

Elijah Wood, Tim and Karrie LeaguePhoto by Lauren Slusher

Wood praised the Leagues for their impact not just on the Austin film industry but the wider film community by redefining what a theater could be, “a place that embraces both first-run studio films, independent and international gems, and the most obscure oddities dug from the archives; a place where you can pair dinner with a movie; where themed screenings create memories beyond the film itself.”

On the red carpet before the event, Wood told CultureMap what he most misses about Austin:

“I don’t live here anymore, but it still feels like home,” he shared. “I miss the food, tons of restaurants I love like Emmer & Rye, Loro, pizza from Via 313, Olamaie, Clark’s, Fresa’s.”

For the final award of the night, Atlanta actress Zazie Beetz and Fargo actor David Rysdahl presented the award to writer and producer Noah Hawley, who is currently working on Fargo and Alien: Earth.

David Rysdahl, Noah Hawley, and Zazie BeetzPhoto by Lauren Slusher

AUSTIN – A new study shows how much a person in Austin needs to make in order to be considered middle-class.

The annual study from SmartAsset calculated the middle-class income ranges for 100 major U.S. cities and all 50 states.

Middle-class in Texas

By the numbers:

In order to be considered middle-class in Texas, you need to make between $50,515 and $151,560, according to the study.

The same study last year found the range to be considered middle-class in Texas to be from $48,185 to $144,568.

SmartAsset’s study considers middle-class to be two-thirds to double the median household income.

Texas finished in the middle of the pack in the rankings.

The median household income in the state is $75,780.

That put the Lone Star State as the 23rd highest of the 50 states.

What is considered middle-class in North Texas

By the numbers:

The study also looked at what is considered to be middle-class in 100 cities around the country.

Austin’s median household income was $91,501, the 18th highest on the list.

That means, in order to be considered middle-class in Austin, you need to make between $60,995 and $183,002.

Other Texas cities to make the list include Plano (7), Irving (43), Fort Worth (46), Garland (55), Dallas (59), Arlington (61) Corpus Christi (73), Houston (75), San Antonio (78), Laredo (82), El Paso (86) and Lubbock (92).

Middle-class for each U.S. state

1. Massachusetts, $66,565-$199,716
2. New Jersey, $66,514-$199,562
3. Maryland, $65,779-$197,356
4. New Hampshire, $64,552-$193,676
5. California, $63,674-$191,042
6. Hawaii, $63,542-$190,644
7. Washington, $63,064-$189,210
8. Utah, $62,274-$186,842
9. Colorado, $61,934-$185,822
10. Connecticut, $61,104-$183,330
11. Virginia, $59,948-$179,862
12. Alaska, $57,748-$173,262
13. Minnesota, $56,718-$170,172
14. Rhode Island, $56,642-$169,944
15. New York, $54,725-$164,190
16. Delaware, $54,235-$162,722
17. Vermont, $54,135-$162,422
18. Illinois, $53,532-$160,612
19. Oregon, $53,435-$160,320
20. Arizona, $51,538-$154,630
21. North Dakota, $51,012-$153,050
22. Nevada, $50,904-$152,728
23. Texas, $50,515-$151,560
24. Idaho, $49,956-$149,884
25. Georgia, $49,750-$149,264
26. Wisconsin, $49,749-$149,262
27. Nebraska, $49,722-$149,180
28. Pennsylvania, $49,211-$147,648
29. Maine, $49,150-$147,466
30. Florida, $48,869-$146,622
31. Wyoming, $48,272-$144,830
32. South Dakota, $47,869-$143,620
33. Iowa, $47,617-$142,866
34. Montana, $47,198-$141,608
35. North Carolina, $47,198-$141,608
36. Kansas, $46,884-$140,666
37. Indiana, $46,313-$138,954
38. Michigan, $46,117-$138,366
39. Missouri, $45,692-$137,090
40. South Carolina, $45,198-$135,608
41. Ohio, $45,175-$135,538
42. Tennessee, $45,083-$135,262
43. New Mexico, $41,508-$124,536
44. Alabama, $41,471-$124,424
45. Oklahoma, $41,421-$124,276
46. Kentucky, $40,741-$122,236
47. Arkansas, $39,129-$117,400
48. Louisiana, $38,815-$116,458
49. West Virginia, $37,295-$111,896
50. Mississippi, $36,132-$108,406

What is considered middle-class in U.S. cities

1. Arlington, Virginia, $93,470-$280,438
2. San Jose, California, $90,810-$272,458
3. Irvine, California, $85,317-$255,978
4. San Francisco, California, $84,478-$253,460
5. Gilbert, Arizona, $81,622-$244,890
6. Seattle, Washington, $80,397-$241,216
7. Plano, Texas, $72,389-$217,188
8. Washington, District of Columbia, $72,133-$216,420
9. Chula Vista, California, $71,075-$213,246
10. Scottsdale, Arizona, $70,698-$212,116
11. San Diego, California, $70,513-$211,560
12. Chandler, Arizona, $70,255-$210,786
13. Boston, Massachusetts, $64,614-$193,862
14. Oakland, California, $64,546-$193,656
15. Anchorage, Alaska, $62,952-$188,874
16. Denver, Colorado, $62,765-$188,314
17. Chesapeake, Virginia, $61,749-$185,266
18. Austin, Texas, $60,995-$183,002
19. Jersey City, New Jersey, $60,851-$182,572
20. Enterprise, Nevada, $60,811-$182,450
21. Virginia Beach, Virginia, $60,755-$182,282
22. Aurora, Colorado, $59,527-$178,600
23. Riverside, California, $58,777-$176,350
24. Raleigh, North Carolina, $57,534-$172,618
25. Portland, Oregon, $57,366-$172,114
26. Sacramento, California, $57,280-$171,856
27. Santa Ana, California, $57,270-$171,828
28. Atlanta, Georgia, $57,248-$171,760
29. Honolulu, Hawaii, $56,599-$169,814
30. Anaheim, California, $56,576-$169,744
31. Colorado Springs, Colorado, $55,471-$166,430
32. Henderson, Nevada, $54,979-$164,952
33. Long Beach, California, $54,399-$163,212
34. Minneapolis, Minnesota, $53,995-$162,002
35. Charlotte, North Carolina, $53,715-$161,162
36. Reno, Nevada, $53,571-$160,730
37. Nashville, Tennessee, $53,473-$160,434
38. Durham, North Carolina, $53,371-$160,128
39. Boise City, Idaho, $53,313-$159,954
40. Los Angeles, California, $53,129-$159,402
41. Phoenix, Arizona, $53,104-$159,328
42. Bakersfield, California, $52,898-$158,710
43. Irving, Texas, $52,885-$158,670
44. Mesa, Arizona, $52,758-$158,290
45. North Las Vegas, Nevada, $52,627-$157,898
46. Fort Worth, Texas, $51,383-$154,164
47. New York, New York, $51,046-$153,154
48. Stockton, California, $50,789-$152,382
49. Port St. Lucie, Florida, $49,947-$149,856
50. Chicago, Illinois, $49,644-$148,948
51. St. Paul, Minnesota, $49,312-$147,950
52. Las Vegas, Nevada, $49,184-$147,568
53. Tampa, Florida, $48,562-$145,702
54. St. Petersburg, Florida, $47,824-$143,486
55. Garland, Texas, $47,815-$143,458
56. Omaha, Nebraska, $47,487-$142,476
57. Glendale, Arizona, $47,062-$141,200
58. Madison, Wisconsin, $46,985-$140,968
59. Dallas, Texas, $46,743-$140,242
60. Orlando, Florida, $46,271-$138,828
61. Arlington, Texas, $46,134-$138,416
62. Miami, Florida, $45,752-$137,270
63. Jacksonville, Florida, $45,375-$136,138
64. Lincoln, Nebraska, $45,362-$136,100
65. Albuquerque, New Mexico, $45,267-$135,814
66. Fresno, California, $45,064-$135,206
67. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, $44,672-$134,030
68. Indianapolis, Indiana, $44,415-$133,258
69. Lexington, Kentucky, $44,257-$132,784
70. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, $44,142-$132,438
71. Richmond, Virginia, $43,762-$131,300
72. Kansas City, Missouri, $43,479-$130,450
73. Corpus Christi, Texas, $43,421-$130,276
74. Spokane, Washington, $43,340-$130,032
75. Houston, Texas, $41,754-$125,274
76. Norfolk, Virginia, $41,584-$124,764
77. Columbus, Ohio, $41,563-$124,700
78. San Antonio, Texas, $41,544-$124,644
79. Greensboro, North Carolina, $41,161-$123,494
80. Louisville, Kentucky, $40,988-$122,976
81. Wichita, Kansas, $40,850-$122,562
82. Laredo, Texas, $40,476-$121,440
83. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, $40,197-$120,604
84. Baltimore, Maryland, $39,715-$119,158
85. Winston-Salem, North Carolina, $39,455-$118,378
86. El Paso, Texas, $38,208-$114,634
87. Fort Wayne, Indiana, $38,088-$114,276
88. Tulsa, Oklahoma, $37,877-$113,642
89. St. Louis, Missouri, $37,493-$112,490
90. Tucson, Arizona, $37,135-$111,416
91. New Orleans, Louisiana, $37,050-$111,160
92. Lubbock, Texas, $36,297-$108,902
93. Cincinnati, Ohio, $36,206-$108,628
94. Newark, New Jersey, $35,875-$107,636
95. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, $35,324-$105,984
96. Memphis, Tennessee, $34,263-$102,798
97. Buffalo, New York, $30,969-$92,916
98. Toledo, Ohio, $30,865-$92,604
99. Cleveland, Ohio, $26,025-$78,082
100. Detroit, Michigan, $25,384-$76,160