The story behind the Hollywood star who called the Lowcountry home for three decades.

Story by Clayton Trutor

Hollywood actor Tom Berenger may be known for his roles in Platoon, The Big Chill and Gettysburg, but for over 30 years, he was also one of the most recognizable — and quietly generous — residents of Beaufort, South Carolina. After falling in love with the Lowcountry while filming The Big Chill, Berenger put down roots, married a local, and embraced the coastal lifestyle. Here’s a look at the life he built off-screen — from riverfront memories and local dinners to community impact and final farewells.

🎬 From Tom Moore to Tom Berenger

How a Chicago-born journalist became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces.

Berenger was born Thomas Michael Moore in Chicago to a blue-collar Irish family. His father worked as a printer for the Chicago Sun-Times. Moore grew up in suburban Chicago and later attended the University of Missouri, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He took up acting in college and began appearing in regional theater before finding small roles on television and in film. He adopted the name “Berenger,” the last name of a colleague, since there was already a working actor named Tom Moore.

🏡 Hollywood Meets Historic Beaufort

Behind the scenes of The Big Chill and its ties to iconic Lowcountry locations like Tidalholm.

His first break in Hollywood came in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) with Diane Keaton. It was his performance in The Big Chill that made Berenger a much-in-demand actor. That role also gave him a retreat far from Hollywood’s chaos.

💍 Love, Marriage and a Life Along the Okatie

How Berenger’s romance with a local turned into a decades-long home base in the Lowcountry.

The Big Chill was filmed at Tidalholm, a striking 1865 Italianate mansion at One Laurens Street in Beaufort. The house had also appeared in The Great Santini. Other filming locations included Bay Street, Sand Hill Baptist Church, the old Beaufort Middle School and the Original Steamer Oyster and Steakhouse.

Berenger met his future wife, Lisa Williams, during filming. A local real estate agent and stand-in for JoBeth Williams, she became his partner both on set and off. The couple married at Tidalholm in July 1986, surrounded by 200 guests on a sweltering summer day.

Actor Tom Berenger attended a screening of Platoon at the 59th Cannes Film Festival in 2006 to commemorate its 20th anniversary. The film, which earned him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win, remains one of his most defining performances.

🍽️ From Red Carpets to Riverfront Cafés

Dining out, boating, and life as a down-to-earth celebrity in Beaufort and Bluffton.

After marrying, Berenger and Williams settled into local life. She accompanied him to film sets around the world, including 14 weeks in the Philippines for Platoon, but Beaufort remained home. Locals often spotted Berenger dining at Lady’s Island Steamer or grabbing a bite at the Squat ’n’ Gobble in Bluffton. 

Actor Billy McNamara remembers Berenger fondly from their time filming Chasers (1994), directed by Dennis Hopper. Several scenes were filmed around Beaufort and Yemassee. McNamara recalled jet ski rides and late-night hangouts at Berenger’s home along the river.

“Tom’s extremely generous as an actor,” he said. “He never tries to steal the scene. He wants everyone to shine.”

🎥 Giving Back Without the Spotlight

Berenger’s quiet philanthropy, film festival appearances, and support for local causes.

Berenger quietly supported numerous local causes. He donated film memorabilia to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys & Girls Club of Beaufort, and he was a regular at the Beaufort International Film Festival, which honored him in 2009. His most active role in philanthropy came during the campaign to build a new YMCA. Lisa chaired the fundraising committee, and Tom pitched in with appearances and auction items.

At a 1993 YMCA fundraiser tied to a screening of Gettysburg, Berenger met filmmaker Michael Givens. The two became fast friends after Givens, nearly walking out at intermission, stayed at his wife’s urging. Soon they were riding jet skis together and swapping stories about the business. Givens remembers Berenger as deeply devoted to his children and refreshingly normal for a movie star.

🏍️ Final Scenes: Farewell to the Lowcountry

From riverfront estate to RV life — how Berenger bid a heartfelt goodbye to the place he called home for 30 years.

Though Tom and Lisa divorced in 1997, he remained in the Lowcountry. He later remarried and, with wife Laura Moretti, spent his last years in the area riding motorcycles and living near the Okatie River. The couple moved out in 2018 and hit the road in an RV. Though Berenger no longer resides in Beaufort, his decades here show how even Hollywood royalty can live quietly and meaningfully in the Lowcountry, where the scenery is rich, and the stories are even richer