The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta ties include ‘Baby Driver,’ ‘I, Tonya’
The 2018 Academy Award nominations are out, with some Atlanta ties among them.
Triple-nominated “Baby Driver” was filmed in Atlanta and set here, with area spots like Criminal Records, Bacchanalia and the historic Candler Building showing up prominently on the big screen. Even the fictitious bank knocked over in one scene has an appropriate moniker: “Perimeter Trust.” The heist was shot at a former bank branch near Perimeter Mall.
We’re in the movie, sort of, too. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s marketing folks worked with the studio to produce a mockedup AJC that appears in an early scene, and a particularly daring move was filmed at the paper’s former loading docks area at 72 Marietta St., which now houses Gallery 72 and the city of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management.
“Baby Driver” is up for three Academy Awards, in the categories of film editing, sound editing and sound mixing.
It’s a safe bet that disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, who played the conniving crime boss calling the shots with Baby (Ansel Elgort) at the wheel, won’t be attending the Oscars, but things were otherwise celebratory Tuesday morning.
“‘Baby Driver’ isn’t in a genre that often gets mentioned for awards, so to say that my amazing team and I are thrilled with our three nominations is a huge understatement,” writer-director Edgar Wright said in a Twitter post. “Am so happy the hard work by my crew has been recognized.”
Spacey has been in professional dry-dock since allegations of misconduct surfaced; he’s also been dismissed from the Netflix series “House of Cards” and
was replaced by Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty in “All the Money in the World.” Plummer’s up for best supporting actor for that role.
Other Atlanta ties among the major motion picture nominations include Marvel blockbuster “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which filmed at the Pinewood Studios facility in Fayette County. It’s up for best visual effects.
“Very stoked to have Guardians Vol. 2 nominated for an Oscar,” director James Gunn said in a Twitter post. “Many thanks to the THOUSANDS of artists from numerous vendors who helped us create this magical world.”
Golden Globe-nominated actress Margot Robbie is up for leading actress for her role as ice skater Tonya Harding in locally filmed “I, Tonya.” Allison Janney, who won the Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her role as Harding’s mother, is now up for an Oscar as well. The movie also is up for best editing.
Ice skating scenes were filmed at the Macon Coliseum last year, when the venue was transformed into a 1990s-era arena.
In her acceptance speech, Janney said the film is about “class in America” and embracing differences. She also gave a shout-out to “Little Man in Smyrna, Ga.,” a reference to the bird that Janney shared the screen with during several scenes in “I, Tonya.”