In the News

Film & TV star visits Arlington

THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) - Teenagers in your house will probably recognize up-and-comer Arielle Kebbel. She's got a long list of television credits such as the Gilmore Girls, and she's been in a lot of movies including "John Tucker Must Die."  

She's used to the likes of Hollywood, but Kebbel says she likes walking down the streets of Arlington just fine. "I love it! I'm a small town gal," she says. She and her mom, Sheri Kebbel who owns a production company called Off the Cuff took a tour of the town Thursday.

"We're doing a historical walk to see a lot of the homes, then we're having some meetings in town about bringing future films to the community," says the actress.

Their local tour guides hope their charming town is idyllic enough to fit the bill. "You just can't build a location like this in Hollywood or Orlando. You've got to really experience it and be a part of it and the ambiance and the people and it really just lends itself to the real experience," says Sheri Kebbel.

That's what local developers are banking on. Early County 2055 is a 50 year plan formed 2 years ago to revitalize Early County. Lisa Collins, director of economic development for Early County 2055, says "When we first started we identified 10 potential economic drivers." One of those was bringing the film industry to southwest Georgia, and so far they've been successful.

At the same time, a studio was built in neighboring Miller county.  It already put out the successful Lena Baker Story, and just recently finished a second movie. "The money for each film is being left in the county. That is why it is becoming an economic driver. For a low budget film, over $75,000 was dropped in 6 weeks here in Early county," said Collins.

Events like Kebbel's visit show this could be a continuing trend. "I think a lot of actors prefer getting out of hollywood and experiencing, meeting, getting to know personally small towns and the people and the environment and the history," Kebbel says. Plus she says, there's nothing like that southern hospitality!

Kebbel just wrapped filming on a college comedy called "Mardi Gras." She'll be in six movies scheduled to come out soon.