‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye,’ a film with strong ties to Charlotte, wins big at the Oscars
.JPG "This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker in a scene from “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” (Searchlight Pictures via AP)")
Charlotte Oscar viewers who tuned in Sunday night may have gotten more reward for watching than expected. And no, not just witnessing Will Smith’s slap heard around the world.
Jessica Chastain won the Academy Award for best actress in a leading role for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” It was her third nomination for an Oscar. The film also picked up an Oscar for best makeup and hairstyling.
The story, which is based on true events, has strong ties to Charlotte and surrounding areas.
The film follows the rise and fall of televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, the builders of the largest religious broadcasting network (The PTL Club) of the 1970s and ‘80s.
In 1988, Jim Bakker was indicted on federal charges, including mail fraud and attempts to defraud the public. The misappropriation of ministry funds exploded in the press and the scandal worsened when it was revealed that Bakker purportedly used ministry funds to silence a former church secretary who later had accused him of manipulating her into having sex with him.
The shocking details unfolded right here in Charlotte, with the Observer playing a prominent and Pulitzer-award-winning role in the exposure of the nationwide scandal. Thus, it made perfect sense for the film to be produced in the Carolinas, especially for director Michael Showalter.
Filming ‘Tammy Faye in NC’
Although the more jaw-dropping moments from the scandal took place in South Carolina as they developed in real-time, tax incentives persuaded filmmakers to recreate them in North Carolina instead.
When asked about why he decided to bring filming to the Charlotte area, Showalter told the Observer in September that there is a “very specific look” to the architecture and landscape of the Carolinas that couldn’t be replicated anywhere else in the nation.
The grounds where the Bakker’s chose to build their empire are located just across the border in Fort Mill, South Carolina. There, they developed a religious-themed water park, hotel, and residential complex called Heritage USA.
Before chaos struck in Jim’s very own “heaven on Earth,” Heritage USA drew in nearly 5 million visitors a year. That figure made it the third most-visited theme park in the country, following Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as the top two.
Many years of abandonment took its toll on the Fort Mill property when the Bakker scandal led to the derailment of the ministry, its theme park, and its associated operations. Eventually, in 2004, the property was purchased by Heritage International Ministries (H.I.M.) and is now home to MorningStar Ministries.
MorningStar is involved in an ongoing legal battle with York County as the ministry continues to seek approval for the renovation and completion of a 21-story, PTL-era tower located on the grounds.
