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Former Baltimore Resident & 'Homicide' Star Melissa Leo Wins Oscar

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- One of Sunday night's Academy Award winners is well-known to Baltimore. Melissa Leo won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Fighter."

Ron Matz reports people are talking about her in Fells Point where she lived for several years while starring in a hit TV series filmed in Charm City.

In Fells Point, where Leo starred in "Homicide," you could feel the excitement.

"I think it's so cool. I love it when Baltimore is in the news and famous people come to Baltimore. I think it's great. It's fabulous," said Christine Hines, customer at Jimmy's Restaurant in Fells Point.

Leo played Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on "Homicide." She made Fells Point her home for the first five years of the hit prime time drama.

The Waterfront Hotel and Jimmy's were two of her favorite places.

"She came in here all the time with a couple of the other cast members. [She's] one of the nicer ones, one of the more friendly ones. More humble, very sociable, very open to give autographs and talk to people. Couldn't have happened to a nicer person," said Jimmy Filipidis, owner of Jimmy's Restaurant.

Comedian Bill Cosby and other famous faces have been to Jimmy's, too.

"Bill Cosby came in and I talked to him, Muhammad Ali, Cal Ripken and of course Terrell Suggs, T-Sizzle, just met him here last week. I look up and you never know who you're feeding in Jimmy's Restaurant," said Kevin Franklin, employee.

"Homicide" made Fells Point its headquarters for seven years. From Broadway to Hollywood there are memories of the show, and now its Oscar-winning star is shining bright.

"From being in here as a kid to watching this lady you barely even knew other than she was in a TV show filmed in Baltimore, to now being in one of the greatest movies of all time and winning an Academy Award for it, it's pretty incredible," said Filipidis.

Melissa Leo has also appeared at Center Stage. This was her first Academy Award.

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