"He really cared about people" Mrs. Rogers shares Fred's legacy ahead of new movie

PITTSBURGH — A new movie about everyone's favorite neighbor opens nationwide this week. It's called "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." So many people grew up watching "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," but here in Pittsburgh, he really was our neighbor.

"He really cared about people," said Fred Rogers wife, Joanne Rogers.

Joanne Rogers and his closest friends sat down with Channel 11 to talk about the new movie, which opens on Nov. 22.

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"I think he would be absolutely delighted," said Joanne Rogers. "For people to know what he cared about. And to want for people to do it."

David Newell, who co-starred in the TV show as everyone's favorite delivery man, Mr. McFeely said, "I think this film will show a lot of people what Fred is made of and what kind of person he was."

Fred Rogers' longtime friend and colleague Bill Isler told us seeing actor Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, brought back many memories.

"Watching Tom Hanks' transformative Mr. Rogers and the first time you saw him, but he had to do a double take, because he does know that ,initial shock of looking at Fred," said Isler.

The castle and X the Owl's tree all are at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. That's where the crew spent time before even starting the film. Curator Emily Ruby says the movie crew wanted to make the movie set the exact same as the original pieces.

"So every everyone from the art director to the sound engineer to the set designers and builders and even the costume designers came here and they were measuring and taking photographs color matching all of the pieces so they could get everything just right," said Ruby.

Movie clips courtesy: Sony Pictures

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