Upon completion of principal photography of filming for “The Discovery “in and around Newport over the last two months, Robert Redford has shared his thanks and gratitude with the City of Newport and its residents through an open letter.

May 6, 2016

I have had the privilege of working on two films in Newport the first time in 1974 with ‘The Great Gatsby’ and most recently on the film, ‘The Discovery’.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to become re-acquainted with the City and its people. I was pleasantly surprised that, some 40 years later, the City looks and feels almost exactly as it did when I first came here. I commend the community for the vision and care demonstrated to ensure for the preservation of its historical and culturally significant properties.

Finally, I was most appreciative of the hospitality extended to me and my colleagues during our stay in Newport. For me, the welcoming and warm spirit of the community will not soon be forgotten.

(Signed) Robert Redford

Rooney Mara and Jason Segel joined Robert Redford in Newport during the filming of “The Discovery”, filming locations included Newport Hospital, Seaview Terrace, Bellevue Avenue and Second Beach.

For both Mara and Redford, filming in Newport was something they’ve done in the past.

Redford returned to Rhode Island decades after his starring role in “The Great Gatsby” (1974), a film which went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and Best Music.  An inspiration to independent and innovative filmmakers across the globe, Robert Redford created Sundance and its many educational programs, and he has won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Director (“Ordinary People”).  The motion picture icon has also starred in such enduring classics as “Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid”, “All The President’s Men”, “The Sting”, “The Natural”, and “The Horse Whisperer”, among many others.

Rooney Mara filmed “Tanner Hall” (2009) at Seaview Terrace and throughout Newport less than a decade ago. Mara can be seen in the 1950s love story Carol opposite Cate Blanchett, for which she won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

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