William Baldwin filmed homelessness movie in Sacramento. Here’s what he thinks of the city
Actor William “Billy” Baldwin has been spending some time in and around Sacramento for his role in the upcoming film “No Address,” a movie about a “group of individuals who fall into homelessness unexpectedly.”
The full-length feature film was shot in locations across the area, including Land Park and Woodlake, and stars Ashanti, Beverly D’Angelo and Xander Berkeley. The film is produced by Robert Craig Films, based in Rocklin.
During an interview at The Sacramento Bee on Thursday morning, Baldwin said he hopes the movie “will raise awareness and some compassion” about the homelessness crisis.
The company is also producing a documentary called “Americans with No Address,” narrated by Baldwin, and a book, too.
Here’s what Baldwin said about the movie, homelessness and his time in the capital city:
An interview with William ‘Billy’ Baldwin
Who does William Baldwin play in “No Address?”
Baldwin’s character, Robert, is “a troublemaker,” he said.
Robert is married, with a child, home and job in real estate. He’s tasked to insensitively remove a homeless encampment so that the company he works for can build a multipurpose facility. After many failed attempts to move the encampment, Robert ends up fired and his family becomes residents of the same homeless encampment he was trying to move.
The characters in the film “bond together as an unconventional family, struggling to survive the streets, while warding off a harassing gang, unforgiving community, and local authorities in the hopes of getting their lives back,” according to the film synopsis.
“My character’s is showing you what can happen,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin then referenced that many Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck, not far from the threat of homelessness.
“It’s a horrible way to live.”
Baldwin says it takes ‘political will’ to fix the homelessness crisis
Baldwin spoke broadly about homelessness in the United States but didn’t specifically comment on the issue within Sacramento.
In Sacramento County, there are approximately 9,278 people experiencing homelessness, according to the most recent point and time count. Of those people, 72% are living in “unsheltered conditions,” which refers to people living in tents, a car, or without any type of shelter, the county said.
“We live in one of the most influential, powerful, wealthy countries in the world, if not the most powerful and wealthy affluent country, but it’s like we don’t make it enough of a priority,” Baldwin said.
During research for the movie, the production crew took a three-week bus tour to 20 cities across the United States and interviewed more than 500 people to better understand what the issue looks like across the country, and explored possible solutions. This trip was the basis for the documentary.
Baldwin said, while he knows the country can’t completely eradicate homelessness, there is more leaders can do to make progress.
“There’s some people that are gonna say ‘leave me alone. It’s my right, I don’t want your help. . .,’” he said “but for those who want help, people think that it’s complicated, but really, the biggest, most complicated part of it is the political will.”
‘No Address’ cast talks homelessness, empathy as filming wraps on movie in Sacramento
William Baldwin in Sacramento. What did he think?
“I love it up here,” Baldwin said of his time in the capital city.
During filming, he frequented a few restaurants and coffee shops in the area.
He said he frequented Paragary’s, a French bistro in midtown, and plans to go again before he leaves. Another local favorite of Baldwin’s is The Firehouse restaurant in Old Sacramento, because it reminds him of a film set for a movie he did in 1991.
“The inside of The Firehouse, you got the whole bar and all the bricks and these antique fire hats on the wall, so that touched my heart because of the film ‘Backdraft’ that I did years, and years, and years ago, decades ago.”
He also mentioned he visited Temple Coffee Roasters, which has multiple locations across the capital city.
When will ‘No Address’ premiere?
The crew completed filming “No Address” in March and is set to be released either late summer or early fall.
The documentary, “Americans With No Address” will be released in the spring.
What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
