Local spaces and faces used for the making of A Star is Born

A Star is Born is in its third American remake. This most recent version features some spots that turned into movie sets in 2017 for the making of the film.

One of those, the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio. In 2017, the Coachella Music and Arts Festival stages hosted the cast and crew of the film for the concert scenes. They shot in April between the weeks Lady Gaga performed at the festival.

If you look closely, you may also see some local faces. Hundreds of people living in the Coachella Valley played extras in those concert scenes. Betty Ann Jeres and her friends celebrated their birthdays by signing up to be extras. Jeres walked away with VIP tickets to the Coachella Festival and a t-shirt she won in a drawing at the filming.

“Lady Gaga blew me away. I was so impressed with her performance,” said Jeres.

“It was unreal. It was just something to see a movie crew do it with all the zoom lenses and all that,” said Jeres’ friend, Robert Garcia.

Jeres and her friends say they were surprised by Cooper’s talents as a musician. They also enjoyed the intimate moments between the lead actors and listening to Cooper give direction.

“Chemistry between them was really exciting to see,” said Jeres.

The cast and crew of A Star is Born were also spotted in North Palm Springs, but that’s a secret only a Coachella Valley local would know. In the film, the characters say they’re in Arizona, but the familiar windmills in the background are a dead giveaway.

“One of the scenes that they filmed of the gas station is the Jalisco Tires store, which is just north of the freeway off Indian Canyon in North Palm Springs,” said Director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, Mary Jo Ginther.

Ginther said the Palm Springs Convention Center also became apart of the film. Cooper’s character can be seen in the movie walking through the lobby and performing at what’s supposed to be a pharmaceutical convention.

“There’s been several other major films or first feature films, but this is definitely the largest,” said Ginther.