By Julia LaFreniere / A&E Reporter
The landscape of film production, long considered to be centered around Los Angeles’ district of Hollywood, is starting to see radical changes as actor and producer Nicole Kidman works to bring the industry south to Nashville, Tenn, bringing Hollywood to Nashville.
Producing films in Hollywood has become less popular due to rising taxes and the immense production expenses incurred from filming in L.A., so producers are looking to other cities as launching pads for more affordable productions. Nashville, especially, has stood out to Australian-American actress and producer Kidman for both its practical and creative advantages.
“[M]y family lives here, and I also knew that there was a lot of talent and new talent… I feel like it’s a very music-centric town, but I feel it’s a very artistic town as well,” said Kidman.
After attending the Nashville Film Festival in 2025, primarily held in the Green Hills and Belcourt Theaters, Kidman saw even more potential for her home city. She is especially excited to begin her second season of “Scarpetta,” a thriller television series starring Kidman, Simon Baker, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Canaval and Ariana DeBose. The show began filming in Nashville in October 2024 and wrapped its first season in early September 2025, and season two of the thrilling series is set to be filmed from March 2026 through Aug. 2026.
Kidman is not alone in her belief that Hollywood filming will start moving south. “A lot of productions are moving to the south because of tax incentives now, and Hollywood is probably far less plausible or possible for filming because of those taxes. We’re also all looking to expand the film industry so that it’s all across America,” said Kidman.
Hollywood producers, actors and actresses like Kidman want to see productions move all across the country, and southern states like Tennessee have significantly lower operating costs than those in L.A.
What makes this radical change in the film industry so exciting for Kidman is her ability to remain closer to home with her family.
“Filming more in Nashville means I can give people work and bring money to the state and city I love, and I can be a part of the expansion of this city. This city has been so good to me and my family and being able to give back is really important,” said Kidman.
After almost 40 years of acting, Kidman wishes to continue pursuing her career, but at her own pace, in order to stay closer to her family and her beloved hometown.
“Ever since I was three years old, I wanted to be an actress, a dancer, a singer, etc. and [acting] has saved my life at times. It’s given me a passion and a pursuit of excellence, and it’s been a golden road for me.”
However, Kidman can see the challenge of moving from what historically has been the biggest city for film and TV to her hometown. “It’s convincing people to travel here because a lot of the people in California would have a long commute to Nashville. I’m working with Jamie Lee Curtis right now [“Scarpetta”], and so what we do is give her periods of time off so she can go to LA and see her family,” said Kidman.
Yet Nashville is already experiencing prodigious change. This year, Nashville will see some tremendous growth in the film industry as productions like “9-1-1: Nashville” and “Scarpetta” are set to film.
With this shift in the film world from Hollywood to Nashville, the south will see a new realm of talent enter the film industry. To Kidman, Nashville will soon become the new city for production and film, possibly surpassing the once popular and infamous Hollywood.
