STARS HIT NANTUCKET FOR FILM FEST
The buzz has been building, but the time has finally come: The Nantucket Film Festival kicked off yesterday, and it's seeing stars. The Track clued you in on a few familiar faces — including part-time Nantucket resident and funny guy Ben Stiller — who were already set to show up. But now, there are more names on the roster for us to dish.
Olivia Benson of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” — arguably the best of the “Law & Order” bunch — will be on the island. And by that, we mean the Emmy- and Golden Globe- winning actress who's been playing Benson for the past 18 seasons of the show, Mariska Hargitay.
Hargitay isn't the only famous television actress who'll be paddling to Nantucket. Gabourey Sidibe, who first made waves with her Academy Award- nominated performance in the movie “Precious,” will be there. Since her big-screen debut back in 2009, Sidibe has stuck to TV. She's played Queenie on “American Horror Story: Coven” and “American Horror Story: Hotel,” as well as Regina Ross on “American Horror Story: Freak Show.” She's also been starring in the hit Fox show “Empire” as Becky Williams.
As far as locally grown celebs go, Milton's own Jenny Slate is expected to saunter over there. The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member is most recognizable from her role as Donna Stern in “Obvious Child,” but she's also appeared in “Parks and Recreation,” “Bob's Burgers” and “Girls.”
The big question is whether Slate will bring friend (and maybe something more?) Jon Hamm. Rumors have recently been swirling about Slate and Hamm possibly being an item after they've been spotted chilling together, including their latest movie theater rendezvous. Who knows.
Lastly, what's a Nantucket shindig without a Kennedy? Fortunately, the film festival has that covered: Rory Kennedy, the documentary filmmaker behind pieces like the Academy Award-nominated film “Last Days in Vietnam,” will make an appearance. P.S. If you can't figure out the Kennedy connection, she's the youngest daughter of Bobby and Ethel Kennedy.
We tip our straw hats to them.