By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Johnny Mercer’s classic lyrics to “Hooray for Hollywood” mention a small Ohio community as a symbolic hometown for those who travel to Tinseltown with a dream of making it in the movie industry.
More than likely Mercer didn’t know about Bucyrus in the 1930s when he penned, “They come from Chillicothes and Padukahs . . .” Then again he didn’t know Trent Rowland in 2014.
Rowland didn’t have to travel across the country to Hollywood to get into pictures. He only had to go downstate to Cincinnati to get a role in a movie whose director’s filmography includes Academy Award nominations.
He also shares a scene with an actress who has won two Oscars and three Golden Globes.
“Yes, I can’t say where or how, but we do a scene together,” Rowland said about being on camera with Cate Blanchett. “It was very nice.”
Rowland actually had an uncredited part in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in 2014 and starred in the 2013 short film, “The Race.” His current project with Blanchett is “Carol,” based on “The Price of Salt,” a 1952 book by Patricia Highsmith.
Rowland just completed his junior year at The Ohio State University where he is studying theater. The 2011 Wynford graduate just starred in a leading role in the 2013 Ohio State fall musical called “Zombie Prom.”
Rowland played football and baseball at Wynford, but also got a taste of the stage there with the role of Emile De Bacque in the musical, “South Pacific,” during his senior year.
Rowland now lives in Columbus and has signed with a talent agency. That agency arranged a tryout in Cincinnati.
“I went and read for different roles. I had to go four times total,” Rowland said. “The last time I read for the director.”
Obviously, Todd Haynes saw something in the young actor he liked and offered the part of Jack Taft to Rowland.
Rowland’s character is the best friend to one of the leading female roles played by Rooney Mara. Mara has been in the remake of “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Social Network,” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Her grandfather is William Mara, co-owner of the New York Giants, and her great-uncle is Steelers’ Chairman Dan Rooney.
But Blanchett is the headliner of the cast. She previously worked with Haynes in the 2007 Bob Dylan inspired movie “I’m Not Here,” along with Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Heath Ledger. For her role in that film Blanchett won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and earned an Academy Award nomination in the same category.
Blanchett has won two Oscars including the 2013 Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Blue Jasmine.” She has also won a total of three Golden Globe Awards. One of Blanchett’s more recent films is “The Monuments Men” which was released this year.
Another Haynes-directed film, “Far from Heaven” in 2002, garnered four Academy Award nominations. It starred Dennis Quaid and Julianne Moore.
“I kind of had an idea of how things would be,” Rowland said about his first experience of having a prominent role in a feature-length film. “It was very professional.”
The young actor noted his profession of choice is an occupation.
“It really is about the work. It’s very quick. You come in and you do your work,” Rowland said. “That’s what was different about the theater. It was fantastic. I loved every minute of it.”
Next up for Rowland is a trip to London to study acting there for a month and then back to Ohio State for his senior year.
“I want to be a professional actor, that’s my goal,” Rowland said about his career aspirations. “I do enjoy doing both (stage and movies). I think my path right now would be film. I’m really gravitating towards film.”
“Carol” was shot in and around Cincinnati and is expected to be released to theaters sometime in 2015 by the Weinstein Company. It produced by Killer Films.