DAYTON’S CONNECTIONS TO THIS YEAR’S OSCARS

Local connections are riddled through year’s award-worthy films.

It’s almost time for Hollywood’s biggest night, the 89th Academy Awards.

Dayton very well may represent, as four films up for Oscar gold tonight have local connections. It’s time to brush up on your Dayton Oscar connections.

FILM: MOONLIGHT LOCAL CONNECT: Hanna Beachler

NOMINATED FOR: Several awards, including Best Picture

Beachler, a Centerville graduate and product of Wright State University’s film and production design program, was the production designer on the Barry Jenkins-directed film “Moonlight.”

FILM: HIDDEN FIGURES

LOCAL CONNECTION: Dorothy Vaughan, who is portrayed by Octavia Spencer NOMINATED FOR: Several awards, including Best picture and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer)

Vaughan, a 1929 graduate of Wilberforce University, is among three African-American woman portrayed in the new film “Hidden Figures.”

The film tells the story of Vaughan and fellow mathematicians Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) and Mary Jackson ( Janelle Monáe).

Their calculations helped Ohio native John Glenn become the first American astronaut to make a complete orbit of Earth, a major step for America during the nation’s space race with the Soviet Union. FILM: La La Land LOCAL CONNECTION: John Legend NOMINATED FOR: Several awards, including Best Picture

Legend, already an Oscar-winning singer/songwriter, plays a

LIONSGATE/TNS DALE ROBINETTE/ NASA AND VAUGHN FAMILY John Legend as Keith and Ryan Gosling as Sebastian in a scene from the movie “La La Land,” directed by Damien Chazelle. A portrait of Dorothy Vaughan, who was both a respected mathematician and NASA’s first African-American manager. She graduated from...