Luke Wilson and Judy Greer Filming in Rhode Island

Celebrities stop in at Starbucks in North Kingstown in between filming Measure of a Man.

Luke Wilson walks into a Starbucks in South County. He orders a venti iced coffee with a shot of espresso and digs into his wallet for a tip. I stand at the cash register, pretending that the man hiding behind his sunglasses is just another customer, when I really want to ask him to autograph a white Starbucks cup for me — “Dear Grace, You’re the best barista ever! -Luke.”

Luke Wilson is starring in the indie film Measure of a Man directed by Jim Loach that is being shot in Rhode Island — details on exactly where are undisclosed, though I have a hunch it’s somewhere in North Kingstown. The movie also stars Judy Greer, Donald Sutherland (Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice for all you Austin lovers) and Blake Cooper as lead character Bobby Marks.

Rhode Island is and has been a hotspot for filming. There was the chick flick 27 Dresses, the Steve Carrell comedy Dan in Real Life, Moonrise Kingdom with scenes shot at Camp Yawgoog and Woody Allen’s Irrational Man with settings at Salve Regina University in Newport, plus Classic Cafe and Lippitt Park in Providence.

Still, it is surprising to see celebrities wandering around North Kingstown on their way to work.

Wilson’s co-star Judy Greer also made an appearance at Starbucks, where I, in a state of “no, that can’t be who I think it is,” told her she looked just like an actress whose name I forgot (smooth, right?). She smiled and Luke Wilson chortled to himself as he waited for her. I then peered closely at him and said, “Wait, you look familiar too!” before convincing myself that they were merely look-alikes and I hadn’t had enough coffee.

It was only when Wilson returned to Starbucks the next day for his iced coffee that I confirmed my suspicions; it really was Wilson and Greer in the flesh.

Measure of a Man is based on the young adult book One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte and tells the coming-of-age story of Bobby Marks, an overweight boy struggling at summer camp who befriends a doctor (Sutherland) who hires him for a summer job.

Another film shooting scenes in Lil’ Rhody is The Purge 3. Hardly the feel-good tale that is Measure of a Man, the Purge features human hunters who, on one night of the year, can go on wild killing sprees with no repercussions. They will be filming scenes on RISD’s campus on October 28th in the RIPTA bus tunnels on South Main Street and the alleyway adjacent to the Design Center’s south wall. While you might want to crash the filming, know that there will be a heavy police presence.