Ohio has long played a behind-the-scenes role in American filmmaking, offering everything from historic city streets and iconic government buildings to small-town Americana. Two of its major cities, Cleveland and Cincinnati, are frequently used as stand-ins for towns like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., thanks to their familiar architecture, film-friendly locals, and Ohio Film Tax Credit. When it comes to movies made in Ohio, the first film that springs to mind is the powerful prison drama turned meditation on friendship, hope, and endurance, “The Shawshank Redemption,” starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins.

Ohio has also produced several famous actors, including Paul Newman from “Cool Hand Luke” (1967) and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), Halle Berry, and Steven Yeun, of “The Walking Dead” fame. One of Hollywood’s most influential directors was also born in Cincinnati: Steven Spielberg, whose credentials include “Jaws” (1975), “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982), and “Schindler’s List” (1993).