Betty On the Scene: Nicholas Sparks Enchants On the Set of ‘Safe Haven’

The celebrated author Nicholas Sparks gave us the grand tour of the ‘Safe Haven’ set in Southport, North Carolina.

-Diana Denza

Me (on the far left in the pink dress), the press group, and Nicholas Sparks on the set of ‘Safe Haven.’

While wandering through the homemade candy shops and fried seafood cafés scattered across the small coastal city of Southport, it became easy to see why a bestselling author would so lovingly depict the charming locale and its good-natured inhabitants to his readers.

When Nicholas Sparks arrived on the set of Safe Haven this past August, I could have mistaken him for any native Southport resident. The celebrated novelist fit seamlessly into the North Carolina setting, almost as if he was a character come to life from the very book he penned.

In a city of approximately 2,900 people, it’s easy to feel like an outsider looking in, much like Safe Haven’s leading lady, Katie (played by Julianne Hough). But it’s even easier to see how one could build a life in a setting where beaming smiles and warm greetings are sincere and commonplace.

‘Safe Haven’s’ parade.

Though the cast and press (including me) had just spent several hours wandering through the first site, which consisted of a parade complete with decked out floats and excited children waving American flags, Sparks’ energetic presence was a refreshing treat.