Red carpet at 81st Annual Academy Awards in Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles in 2009 | Photo by Greg in Hollywood (Greg Hernandez) Wikimedia License
TRENTON, NJ—A Complete Unknown, a Bob Dylan biopic filmed almost entirely in New Jersey and using the Film Tax Credit Program, has received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) applauded the announcement.
NJEDA said that since the revival of the tax credit program, production has been booming in the Garden State, unlocking opportunities for thousands of businesses, residents, and filming locations across New Jersey.
A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning, received eight Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. The picture was filmed for over 60 days in New Jersey, spent $81 million in the state, and hired over 4,700 crew members for the production.
NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan said the film is “a prime example to filmmakers that between our robust tax credit program, regional talent, and diverse locations, New Jersey cannot be beat.” Sullivan added, “As more productions and studios choose New Jersey, the film industry will help strengthen our economy by creating family-sustaining jobs and supporting local small businesses across the state.”
A Complete Unknown, which was also nominated for three Golden Globes, was filmed in 17 municipalities across New Jersey, with notable scenes filmed in Hoboken, Jersey City, Paterson, and Cape May. In the film, New Jersey doubles as New York City, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., and Northern California.
Buildings such as the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth doubled as Carnegie Hall, and the Newark Symphony Hall doubled as a San Francisco concert venue. Other notable filming locations include Paterson City Hall, White Mana Diner, William J. Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City, Columbus Park in Hoboken, Rutt’s Hut in Clifton, and the former Essex County Isolation Hospital in Belleville. All the film’s stage work was done at Palisade Stages in Kearny.
“From bustling city streets to quaint beachside towns, A Complete Unknown reflects New Jersey’s unique ability to transform into any desired location,” said Jon M. Crowley, Executive Director of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. “Our unbeatable tax credit incentives will allow us to continue raising the bar on the scale and quality of productions for years to come.”
It’s not only A Complete Unknown that got nominated but also Anora, which received six Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Director, directed by Sean Banker, from Summit, New Jersey.
Anora, directed by Sean Baker, a Summit native, received six Oscar nominations. New Jersey is heavily represented at the 2025 Oscars:
- Zoe Saldaña, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Perez, was born in Passaic.
- Jesse Eisenberg, from East Brunswick, is nominated for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for A Real Pain.
- Sebastian Stan, who was nominated for Best Actor for his role in The Apprentice, studied acting at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.
- Mike Marino, nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for A Different Man, currently resides in New Jersey.
According to the Film Tax Activity Report, A Complete Unknown, over 190 productions have been recently attracted to New Jersey by the state’s Film Tax Credit Program. The program offers eligible production companies up to a 35 percent transferrable tax credit on qualified film production expenses, plus an additional 2 percent or 4 percent diversity bonus for qualified productions.
Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscars, marking the comedian and talk show host’s first time hosting the show. The ceremony will be held on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and air live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. It will also stream live on Hulu beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
The films battling for the coveted Best Picture Oscar include Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked.
