A few weeks before the Dec. 18 release of locally filmed “Anchorman 2,” we asked actor Paul Rudd when he’d be back in Atlanta. Not only does he star as ladies’ man-reporter Brian Fantana in the upcoming sequel starring Will Ferrell, but he also starred along with Jennifer Aniston as a dispirited Manhattanite searching for rural rejuvenation in last year’s “Wanderlust,” which filmed in North Georgia.
“I have no idea,” Rudd said. “Hopefully soon. I miss Antico pizza.”
The next day, we interviewed part-time Atlantan Shaquille O’Neal about his favorite local spots.
“I’ve been eating at some fabulous restaurants,” he said. “Ten Degrees South. Cheesecake Factory. Davio’s.”
And during an October interview with Jim Carrey, who was in town filming the “Dumb and Dumber” sequel, he revealed some of his favorite new Atlanta finds. Among them: Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead. Filmmakers Bobby and Peter Farrelly talked him into it over dinner at nearby Hal’s on Old Ivy.
Where else do stars like to dine when they’re in town working on film and television projects?
- Watershed, 1820 Peachtree Road in south Buckhead. "We have some celebrity connections with Emily," chef Joe Truex told us during a past interview, referring to owner Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls. "Jane Fonda came in pretty early on and she was a fan. She came in and loved it and came back with her ex Ted (Turner), who's got a store down the street. Someone knew Jennifer Lawrence, and the next thing you know, she comes in and tells all her friends." Other stars spotted there: Reese Witherspoon, Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Jake Gyllenhaal.
- Chops Lobster Bar, 70 W. Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead. "They have a private club in back that's very cool," Maria Bello told us during an interview earlier this year to discuss locally shot "Prisoners," which was released in September. We believe she was referring to the Club at Chops, where past visitors have included Conan O'Brien, John Travolta and Robert De Niro, but of course we wouldn't know for sure. We're told there's a waiting list to get on the Club waiting list, and membership criteria is a closely guarded secret. The Vatican picks a new pope with less mystery.
- BBQ-1, 4944 Lower Roswell Road in east Cobb and 3600 Dallas Highway, Suite 130, in west Cobb. A location scout for "Jayne Mansfield's Car," which filmed in metro Atlanta and beyond in 2011, stopped by Sam Huff's barbecue joint looking for props. After the scene wrapped, actor-director Billy Bob Thornton and his co-stars Kevin Bacon, John Hurt, Robert Patrick, Ron White and Robert Duvall dug in. Afterward the movie crew and Huff became fast friends, and when they had a hankering for more barbecue, Huff got the call. "Give him my best," Thornton said during an interview to discuss the movie.
- No. 246, 129 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. in Decatur. Although he didn't actually dine there, actor Adam Scott spent plenty of time at the restaurant, which served as a filming location for a key part of "A.C.O.D.," also starring Amy Poehler, Jane Lynch, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jessica Alba. "I never actually ate there," Scott told us during an interview. "I hear it's delicious. I loved working at the restaurant. It was just a great spot. It was a great little neighborhood."
- Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E. in Midtown. Stevie Wonder and his family celebrated a vegan-friendly Easter there this year. More recently, the local gem got a social media shout-out from Jessica Alba, who is back in Atlanta. This time, she's filming "Barely Lethal" with Samuel L. Jackson, along with Toby Sebastian, Hailee Steinfeld, Sophie Turner, Thomas Mann, Emma Holzer and Thom Bishops. She has been chronicling her stay with a blizzard of selfies, including a photo of the sign in front of Mary Mac's. "When in Atlanta you must eat at Mary Mac's," her Instagram feed declared, adding the hashtag #soulfood.
- Scoops, 1131 Church St. S.E. in Covington. The popular CW drama "The Vampire Diaries" is set in fictional Mystic Falls, Va., but films in metro Atlanta in locations including the picturesque Newton County seat. "Covington is beautiful and charming. We love Scoops ice cream," star Candice Accola told us during a recent interview.
