Casey Affleck and Hollywood Film Crew in Beverly, North Shore

The North Shore seems like the place to be for a chance to spot a Hollywood movie star.

Beverly resident Valerie Carpenter was doing laundry on Tuesday night when her mother texted her about a movie filming that was taking place at the Grondin Funeral Home, 376 Cabot St., Beverly.

“I drove right over,” Carpenter said. She was rewarded with a glimpse of movie star Casey Affleck, (who wore tan pants). She was able to watch the filming from a nearby parking lot. Carpenter missed Matt Damon, who was in downtown Beverly earlier in the day. Damon is one of the film’s producers.

“Such a small city for something so big to take place,” Carpenter said. She thought it was great for Beverly.

The movie is called “Manchester-by-the-Sea,” and is being produced by Matt Damon.

Kevin Grondin, who has been in the funeral business for almost 40 years, had a samll role in Tuesday night’s filming. He said the filming took place in the chapel on the main floor of the 100-year-old funeral home.

“I was actually the funeral director in the scene,” Grondin said. “It was an interesting experience. Everyone (cast, crew and director) was great.”

Grondin said the film crew apporached him several weeks ago about using the building. Crew set up on Monday for Tuesday’s filming, and broke down the set on Wednesday morning. He said the cast was filming on Route 128 on Wednesday morning.

“Manchester-By-The-Sea,” (working title,) tells the story of the Chandler family, a working-class family from Massachusetts. After Lee’s (Casey Affleck) older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), passes away suddenly he is made the legal guardian of his nephew. Lee is forced to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and the community in which he was born and raised, according to Scott Levine, the fim’s publicist. Set in the North Shore of Massachusetts, “Manchester-By-The-Sea” is written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me, Margaret). The film is being produced by Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, and Kevin Walsh through K Period Media.

Filming of the movie began in Manchester-by-the-Sea on Monday, and is also expected to take place in Gloucester and Salem, according to the Gloucester Times.

There are four films currently in production in the Commonwealth, according to the Massachusetts Film Office: “Joy,” “Manchester-by-the-Sea,” “The Broad Squad,” and “New World.”

“It helps everybody,” Grondin said of the local filmings. “Whether it’s the local sandwich shop or a traffic detail.”

“Joy,” with another working title of “Kay’s Baptism,” is set to film in Manchester, North Reading and Wilmington:

Big Name Actors Shooting Movie in Wilmington Later This Month

Filming for Jennifer Lawrence Movie is Back on for Monday

And in Danvers, filming recently began for an HBO pilot: Lights! Camera! Action! HBO Film Crew in Danvers

The Bay State has become a popular destination for Hollywood, and dozens of films have been shot here:

Which Films Have Been Shot in Massachusetts?

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Photo Credit: Valerie Carpenter, Beverly, Mass.