Crowe movie filming to begin this week

Russell Crowe, Ed Harris and Rita Ryack will jet across the country in the next few days as the Hollywood heavyweights, who attended the Oscars ceremony last night in Los Angeles, head to Princeton to begin shooting "A Beautiful Mind" later this week.

The crew for the movie plans to film on campus tomorrow through Friday in Henry Hall courtyard, Blair Arch, Holder Hall and Jones Hall, according to Visitors and Conference Services Director Eric Hamblin. Filming was set to begin today but was delayed because many key players in the movie attended the 73rd Academy Awards last night.

Crowe, who plays the film's protagonist, the mathematical genius John Forbes Nash GS '50, won Best Actor for "Gladiator," and Harris, who plays Parcher, the haunting figure of Nash's mind, was also nominated in that category. Costume designer Rita Ryack failed to grab an award for her work in "Dr. Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas."

"A Beautiful Mind" — about Nash's battle with academia and schizophrenia — will be filmed on campus this week and then after Commencement in June. When the crew is not on campus, they will film in New York.

Casting director Bill Dance said scenes filmed this week will portray Nash's graduate years at Princeton during the late 1940s. Dance added that University students will be used as extras in the movie but because of the period restrictions, he will only use men this week.

Dance said he had difficulty contacting extras because of the University's Spring Break and that he will call them within the next few days to find out their availability.

"There are so many variables and we are just beginning to shoot," he explained. "What is hard is we're using people sometimes for multiple days and sometimes students aren't available for three to four days. I don't want to jeopardize their work."

Hamblin said he could not disclose how much the University was receiving for the film because of terms of the contract. Though areas will be blocked while the crew is filming, Hamblin added that the University has planned alternate access to dormitories and classrooms.

"We're only in the dorm areas and common areas so we plan everything to go real smoothly," Hamblin said. "We don't anticipate any interruptions."

Meanwhile, the University and Universal Pictures have hired students to perform tasks necessary for the film's shooting. Such tasks include preparing rooms for sets, according to Hamblin.

"I am going to help out whenever they need me when they are filming on campus," said Victoria Paige '01, who will be a production assistant and also worked on the casting call. "Right now I am helping the location coordinators."