Hollywood Stars Arrive in Rhode Island for ‘Ghostwriter’

Hollywood has returned to Rhode Island!

“On Monday, August 18th, I spent almost an hour speaking with Hollywood superstar Glen Powell’s parents, Glen Sr. and Cyndy Powell, both from Austin, Texas,” East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva said.

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are making their way back to the Ocean State for another feature film. This time, it’s the latest from J.J. Abrams, titled Ghostwriter.

READ MORE: New J.J. Abrams Movie Ghostwriter Brings A-List Cast to Providence

Few details about the film have come out. The plot centers around characters from a sci-fi book coming to life. We also know some of the cast.

According to IMDB, Samuel L Jackson, Jenna Ortega, Emma Mackey, Christopher Moore and Glen Powell are all signed on to the project.

READ MORE: Rochester Native Making Big Name For Himself in Hollywood

J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell Spotted in RI

While the film has many famous faces tied to it, only Powell has been spotted in the area so far –in East Providence, to be exact.

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East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva shared a run-in with Abrams and Powell on his Facebook page.

“Through my brief conversation with him (Glen), he was incredibly friendly and very approachable and just a genuine down-to-earth dude,” DaSilva posted.

“I also learned that besides acting, he’s got his hands in several other businesses which, according to his mom and dad, keeps him working 20 hours a day, he’s a workaholic,” he wrote.

He met the actor and the A-list filmmaker along Narragansett Bay on the East Bay Bike Path.

Mayor DaSilva’s Take on Hollywood Hotshots

We spoke with Mayor DaSilva about the interaction including meeting Powell’s parents.

“They were the most humble and friendly people that I have ever met. They were just the type of people who are genuine and kind,” DaSilva said.

“I learned through conversation that they follow Glen to all of his productions and Glen incorporates his parents in some form or another into cameo appearances throughout all of his movies,” he said. “You could tell just by listening to his mother and father, the kind of good people they are and that their guidance is what makes Glen Powell an authentically good person both on the big screen and in person.”

Ghostwriter director J.J. Abrams also made quite the impression on the mayor.

“Mr. Abrams was just as humble of an individual, he came over to us, said hello and explained that they were in town for a brief period to do some on-site filming for an upcoming movie,” DaSilva said.

“It really was an honor to meet somebody who has been involved in some of the biggest cinematic films, which have had a major impact in American culture and to see just how down to earth he was,” he said.

More Movies Filmed in Rhode Island

• The Great Gatsby (1974)
• Dumb & Dumber (1994)
• American Buffalo (1996)
• Amistad (1997)
• There’s Something About Mary (1998)
• Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
• Dan in Real Life (2007)
• 27 Dresses (2008)
• Hall Pass (2011)
• Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
• Irrational Man (2015)
• Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
• Ella McCay (2025)