It might be named “Nebraska”, but the movie really isn’t about the state.
In fact, Director Alexander Payne didn’t want his latest film to bear the name of the home state.
“I didn’t give the screen play and, by extension, the film that title. The guy who wrote the script gave it that title,” Payne tells Kevin Thomas, host of Drive Time Lincoln on Nebraska Radio Network affiliate KLIN.
Payne says the movie “Nebraska” shouldn’t be seen as a movie about the state any more than “Goodfellas” should be about New York City.
Payne will say that “Nebraska” is the most Nebraska film ever made, because of its extensive use of local talent and the fact that it was shot in northeastern Nebraska.
Nebraska has made an impact on the movie industry beyond just the success of Payne, a native of Omaha. Payne says Hollywood boasts many Nebraskans brought together by Producer Todd Nelson, a native of Holdrege who formed the Nebraska Coast Connection in 1992.
“He points out that Nebraskans in Hollywood find one another, because they know they’re going to get honesty and straight-forwardness and a good work ethic and he has noted that people who hire Nebraskans notice the same,” according to Payne.
Kevin Thomas, KLIN, contributed to this story.