Louisiana is often called the “Hollywood of the South”. In the past 15 years, over 400 movies have had scenes shot within our diverse state. This is in part due to the up to 40% Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program for qualified in-state production costs. From blockbuster titles to B horror films, this opportunity has led Louisiana to set the stage for many a cinema moment and St. Landry Parish is no different. This incentive is not the only reason directors have decided to film here. Before there was a tax credit enabling more and more shows to find their way to our borders, there was the natural beauty of Louisiana nearly prehistoric in its appearance, as well as the sometimes unfortunate Hollywood perceptions of our residents.

Nevada Smith, set in the 1890s American West and released in 1966, features a half white and Native American protagonist, Max Sand, set on revenge. Max tracks down one of his parents’ killers to Louisiana, where he tricks the perpetrator into escaping a prison camp only to exact his revenge later in a swamp. The jail and swamp scene were filmed in Krotz Springs.

One of the more famous scenes filmed in Krotz Springs is the final moments of Easy Rider, the landmark film illustrating the social tensions of the 1960s and ushering in the New Hollywood era of filmmaking. At the end of the film when Wyatt, played by Peter Fonda, and Billy, played by Dennis Hopper, are shot, they are traveling along the distinctive levee following Highway 105. Krotz Springs residents, Johnny David and D.C. Billodeau, are featured in the scene. For those die-hard fans out there, you can visit the exact location here. If you want to learn more about the Johnny and D.C.’s involvement, check out this Daily World article about the filming.

Casey’s Shadow, starring Walter Matthau of The Odd Couple and Grumpy Old Men, was released in 1978. This drama centered around a family’s love of horses features lots of outdoor shots in Opelousas’ countryside.

Passion Fish, a movie straight out of the 90s, has a scene in the now closed Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki dance hall. With John Delafose singing and a young Geno on drums, this scene highlights the upbeat fun of zydeco culture. The movie follows a recently paralyzed soap-opera actress who moves back home to butt heads with her equally strong-willed companion Chantelle, played by Alfre Woodard, who we see in the Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki scene. Slim’s had been open for nearly 70 years, and the snapshot of the intense energy of the zydeco dancehall scene is immortalized in this Oscar-nominated movie.

Just on the edge of the 90s and 00s is the movie Out of Sight released in 1998. This comedic crime comedy features larger than life actors George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez acting alongside each other. Clooney’s character, Jack Foley, is a career bank robber and after breaking out of a Miami prison ropes U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco, played by Lopez, into diamond heist hijinks. Scenes from this movie were filmed in Krotz Springs.

From the era of movie tax credits in Louisiana comes the influx of the B horror genre taking advantage of our primordial swamps and eerie prisons. The 2009 movie, Zombie Farm, and the 2014 TV mini-series, Requiems, are two such examples that filmed in Opelousas and Krotz Springs, respectively.

Some movies align more naturally with St. Landry’s culture including the HBO series Tremé that features the Pine Leaf Boys and prominent scenes of the Courir de Mardi Gras. Annie Talarico, played by violinist Lucia Micarelli, strays away from the New Orleans French Quarter, where she plays the violin for tips with her brother to experience a different kind of Mardi Gras near Eunice. The series is a drama that follows the effects of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans residents.

Many Acadiana residents remember the excitement that built up over the filming of Secretariat, lining up to be extras in the Evangeline Downs Racetrack in Carencro that now lies unused behind the new FedEx Ground complex. Certain scenes from that heartwarming Disney film were also shot in Opelousas.

In 2015, filming for the movie Free State of Jones with Mathew McConaughey took place at Chicot State Park in Ville Platte. During this time, there was also a scene shot in Washington’s historic Historic St. John’s Episcopal Church. In the scene, Newton stages a retaliatory ambush after the hanging of 3 young boys. The interior of the church, where Newton strangles a Confederate soldier to death, shows the stark, whitewashed walls with original pews from 1874.

In 2011 and 2018, Anthony Bourdain also found his way to the culinary wonders of our slice of Louisiana. His show, No Reservations season 7 finale heavily featured Cajun Country. The travel writer found himself at a boucherie at Lakeview Park & Beach in Eunice. Right before his death, he filmed Parts Unknown season 11, episode 7, ‘Cajun Mardi Gras’, where he experienced Courir de Mardi Gras and ate with St. Landry Parish Tourism’s own executive director, Herman Fuselier.

Apart from the locations filmed in here, there are also a number of St. Landry Parish natives who have made their appearances on television. Danneel Ackles, who was born in Lafayette but raised in Eunice, claims the city as her own. She has a recurring role in One Tree Hill and Supernatural. Teri Wyble has graced the big and small screens with speaking roles in Abaham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), The Walking Dead (2014), and Terminator: Genisys (2015). You can see a list of her appearances on Wikipedia. Another St. Landry native with an impressive resumé is Shellita Frank Boxie. This Plaisance High graduate is a stunt performer and double who has appeared in box office hits like Captain America: Civil War, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1 and 2, and Baby Driver. Her TV career extends to well-known series like The Walking Dead and NCIS: New Orleans. For her full list of appearances, check out her IMDb page.

Here are some St. Landry Parish big screen honorable mentions:

• Glenn Robin, Opelousas – Dear Theodosia (2009), The American Trap (2008), and K-Ville (2007).
• Voorheis J. Ardoin – Mike Hammer (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), and M Squad (1957)
• Reather Hardeman – The Blood of Jesus (1941)
• Layne Herpin, Opelousas – Looking for Alaska (2019), Hot Date (2017), and Tell Me Your Secrets (2019)
• Lauren Mackenzie Heiken, Opelousas – former gymnast turned stunt performer and actress who works out of Los Angeles
• Travis Fontenot, Opelousas – The American Standards (2008), Barracuda (2013), and False Hope (2007)

Photos from IMDb.com.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Although this is Chef Jason Huguet of the Steamboat Restaurant’s seafood stuffed eggplant recipe, the seafood here can easily be replaced by a protein of your choice. Don’t hesitate to experiment and make the recipe yours.

Palmetto Mix:

1 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 ounces smoked tasso, minced
1/2 cup Italian seasoning
1/2 quart heavy whipping cream

Seafood Stuffed Eggplants:

Parmesan for garnish as needed

In a medium pan, heat up 1 cup of olive oil and sauté diced onion, bell pepper, and smoked tasso with Italian seasoning.

In your Magnalite pot, melt 2 sticks of real butter and sauté diced onion, bell pepper, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. While that cooks, take your eggplants and cut them in half. Remove the inside and dice them. Put the empty eggplants onto a cooking sheet. Add diced eggplants to the Magnalite and cook them down. Once cooked, add 1 lb. fresh Louisiana crawfish tails, ½ lb. 70/90 count shrimp, and ½ lb. crabmeat. Season to taste. Add about ½ cup of breadcrumbs and mix. Take mixture and put into hollowed eggplants. Top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Place boats in oven at 325 degrees.

While eggplants are in oven, drain palmetto mix of excess olive oil. And on low heat in a medium pan, bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Then add a teaspoon of palmetto mix stirring the sauce together. Take eggplants out of oven and pour sauce over the boats. Add Parmesan as needed.

If you don’t feel like cooking, head over to the Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant in Washington to experience how the pros do it. Watch Bayou Courtableau laze on by as you chow down on an excellent meal.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

St. Landry Parish is often called the Prairie Home Cooking Region and for good reason. We have farmers markets, butchers, and seafood markets spanning the parish, supplying local restaurants with homegrown cooking ingredients as well as fresh proteins. But what may come as a surprise to the local food traveler is the amount of food products that are produced right here in the heart of Louisiana.

One of the most famous, internationally-recognized brands of these is Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. Tony, the “Ole master” himself, forged his signature style in the Atchafalaya Swamp near Opelousas at his hunting and fishing camp on Bayou Big Alabama. It was here were he perfected the tastes that would make him an international sensation. Though the legendary chef has been departed for over two decades, his influence is still as strong as ever. The Tony Chachere’s distribution center, located in Opelousas, will be offering tours in the near future. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay up to date on when their tours and gift shop will become available. In the meantime, the familiar green can of seasoning can be found in nearly any supermarket.

What began as Bellard’s Poultry in 1964 Opelousas has expanded into a family of food-based entrepreneurs that spans several restaurants and food products with a global reach. Targil’s Butcher Supplies and Seasonings CEO Ted Bellard opened the seasoning distributor over 25 years ago. Spices by the thousands of pounds arrive at the Opelousas-based warehouse. Here, they are mixed and distributed as Slap Ya Mama, J.D.’s Barbecue Seasoning and Dry Rub, and plenty of other seasoning blends on any local grocer’s shelves. At Targil, you can even bottle your own blend of seasoning. In addition to their seasonings, you can tour the center or even take cooking classes.

Tim Bellard, brother to Ted, now runs Bellard’s Poultry, as well as Zydeco Chop Chop. If you want to add more flavor to your cooking quickly, Zydeco Chop Chop is what you need. These dehydrated ingredients give you instant Louisiana cooking with the Holy Trinity of vegetables-bell peppers, onions, and celery with green onion, parsley and garlic added in for good measure.

In 2008, Tim was inspired in the kitchen to create this product for the ease of his own home cooking. But it wouldn’t be until 2014 that he would unveil his creation to the masses. Tim and Ted’s sisters, Connie Stelly and Arlene Fisher, also own a Mama’s Fried Chicken location, each thus completing the Bellard food legacy.

The Bellards are not the only family of food entrepreneurs in St. Landry Parish. Any local can tell you about Savoie’s Sausage and Food Products, founded by Ms. Eula Savoie. Their business began as a family-owned grocery store in 1949 Opelousas. The original location of the store remains their base of operations, and the smell of roasting meats fills the air surrounding the grocery turned multimillion-dollar company. Savoie’s iconic Cajun food products are available in national and local grocery chains.

From spicy to bitter, there is also, within St. Landry Parish, a coffee roaster. Art’s Coffee Roasters in Arnaudville, brings freshly-roasted and ground coffee to the waiting hands of caffeine aficionados throughout the parish.

Heading back to Opelousas is the bottling factory of LouAna-Ventura Foods. In business for over 120 years, this factory is located in the heart of Opelousas, bringing canola oil to kitchens across America. It’s not Louisiana cooking if something isn’t fried.

St. Landry Parish, being an agricultural community, also sees many different crops rotated along winding highways and byways, including soybeans, corn, and sugarcane. One crop, however, stands as a necessary ingredient in each of Louisiana’s iconic dishes. From étouffée to gumbo, it’s not Creole or Cajun if it doesn’t have rice. Prairie Ronde Rice, owned by Beth James, has been an independent farmer of this classic culinary crop for over 35 years. They produce Louisiana long-grain, non-gmo rice with their own quality control testing facility at their mill right outside Opelousas.

No Louisiana meal would be complete without a cold one to wash it down. To finish off this Made in St. Landry Culinary tour, we head back to Arnaudville, right across from Art’s Coffee Roasters is Bayou Teche Brewery. Here resides the region’s own craft brewery, headed by Byron Knott, the head brewer, Dorsey Knott, the taproom manager, and Karlos Knott, their president. One fateful St. Patrick’s Day in 2009 led the Knott brothers to making their own craft brewery, making use of an old rail car. This local brewery is famous for its LA 31 iconography, the name of the highway that runs past it following Bayou Fuselier. With 25 beers available in their taproom, wood-fire pizza, and a certifiable sci-fi flair, these unique craft brewers bring a certain panache to their brews not found anywhere else.

St. Landry Parish is a haven for food junkies, whether you’re cooking the meal yourself or dining at one of our many delicious restaurants. Come to the heart of Prairie Home Cooking Region for a taste of why St. Landry Parish is Gumbo For Your Soul.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.