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BRONXVILLE, N.Y. Actress Tina Fey caused ripples of excitement up and down Pondfield Road in Bronxville Wednesday when she came to town for the day to film in area businesses for her new movie Admission that will also feature local residents.
Residents, especially middle and high school students in the afternoon, gathered around and across from Value Drugs pharmacy at 80 Pondfield Road to catch a glimpse of the star as she quickly darted in and out of her vehicle in-between shots inside the store.
Weve known about this as there has been a lot of talk about it for days so we came to see her, said Fallon Raviol, an eighth-grader at Bronxville Middle School, as she waited with four schoolmates. Im a big fan of hers, so it was exciting to get a glimpse of her.
Eight-month-old twins Brooke and Brian Doherty of Bronxville got much closer to Fey as they were cast in the movie and were held by her during the scenes shot inside the store, their mother Jennifer Doherty said. The twins have been featured in commercials and print advertising and were hired along with other children as featured background actors.
It was a fun day. She was so unbelievably nice, Jennifer Doherty said. They fed us well and overall it was a relaxed day.
Sixth-graders Fina Maldonado, Evelyn Kluemper and Kelsey Ravesloot waited for more than 30 minutes outside the store before chasing Fey down the block as she left in her SUV on a break. They caught up with her as she exited to walk to her trailer at the next corner and grabbed her attention long enough for each to get an autograph.
She was so nice, Kluemper said moments later as she showed off her prize to others in the crowd waiting for a glimpse of the star.
While the pharmacy was closed to shoppers during the filming, passers-by were allowed free access to get by on the sidewalk in front of it. Police officers, especially in the afternoon, assisted the crew in ensuring those watching remained on either end of the stores façade and away from production equipment piled on street parking spots blocked to facilitate the shoot.
Occasionally, a crew member would repeatedly yell, Were rolling now, guys. Quiet on the street. He followed up at times explaining to gawkers closest to the stores windows that filming was taking place close to the entrance of the store and ambient noise would be heard inside.
Eugene McTahern, 86, walked slowly past the store leaning on his cane seemingly unaware of the goings-on at the store as he headed to an appointment with his optometrist on Pondfield Road.
There are a lot of things blocking the sidewalk and for me it is a problem because I have problem walking, said McTahern, who has lived in the village for more than 60 years. Its more a nuisance than a help for the town.
Jared Sturner, who grew up in Bronxville and attended local schools, was on the set working as a grip, responsible for setting up lighting for the shoot and providing other technical support. Now living in New Rochelle with a business based in Mamaroneck, Sturner said he was thrilled when he heard the movie would kick off its first day of filming in Bronxville.
The crew began working early in the morning at the Reformed Church of Bronxville and after filming most of the afternoon in the pharmacy was scheduled to finish with some scenes shot inside Womrath Bookstore next door. While Fey was the only big name star filming in Bronxville, Paul Rudd is rumored to be her co-star.
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