Newly resurfaced photographs have renewed interest in Paul Newman’s visit to Cyprus during the filming of Exodus, one of the most significant Hollywood productions of its time. The images, taken in 1959 and 1960, show the Oscar-winning actor on location in Famagusta, Larnaca and Nicosia, where parts of the film were shot before production moved to Israel.
Newman spent several days on the island while director Otto Preminger used Cypriot coastal and urban landscapes to stage key scenes. Contemporary press reports noted that Cyprus offered a practical and visually striking stand-in for neighbouring Middle Eastern settings, at a time when large-scale international productions rarely reached the island.
Local technicians, tradesmen and extras were recruited for the shoot, and Newman’s presence drew considerable attention. For many Cypriots, the arrival of a Hollywood production marked an unprecedented cultural moment, occurring just months after the island gained independence in 1960.
The photographs capture an era of Cyprus that no longer exists. Wide, undeveloped seafronts, sparse traffic, and city streets decades before rapid modernisation. They also highlight a lesser-known aspect of Newman’s career and illustrate how Cyprus briefly served as a cinematic crossroads during the mid-twentieth century.
Film historians argue that Exodus remains one of the most politically influential films of the period, and Cyprus’ contribution to its production offers a small but intriguing footnote in both Hollywood and local history. The rediscovery of images from Newman’s visit has prompted calls for more systematic preservation of archival material documenting the island’s role in international cinema.
For now, the photographs stand as rare evidence of Cyprus’ fleeting encounter with one of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars, capturing a moment when global cinema and local life intersected quietly but memorably.