SAXON, Wis. -- Saxon's connection to Hollywood remotely continues with "Leatherheads," the George Clooney-produced movie about the early days of pro football debuting Friday.
Hemingway's "Adventures of a Young Man" was filmed, in part, in Saxon and Mellen in the 1960s.
About half the scenes from a "A Simple Plan," with Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton, were shot in the town 10 years ago along Hendrickson's Road and the Smith farm on Wisconsin 122.
Now, Nick Bourdages will indirectly continue the small town's link to Hollywood. He is the son of Dean and Kim Bourdages of DeKalb, Ill., and the grandson of Saxon natives Jim and Donna (Meredith) Bourdages, now of Arbor Vitae, Wis.
Nick, 12, will portray waterboy "Bug" in the movie. He was selected for the part from 500 youngsters who showed up for a try-out at Harry Carey's saloon in Chicago and many youngsters who tried out for the part in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
The movie depicts football in the 1920s, when the Duluth Eskimos fielded a professional team.
Clooney's character is reportedly patterned after John McNally, called "Johnny Blood." He played for Duluth and went on to star for the Green Bay Packers, later being named to the pro football Hall of Fame.
"Leatherheads" was shot in the Carolinas. Nick had to be tutored for three months while the movie was being made. His parents joined him while his scenes were being shot.
"George Clooney really liked him and told him he might contact him for a future movie," said Greg Massoglia, of Saxon, a cousin of Dean Bourdages.
The waterboy is a tough character in the movie. He swears, drinks and smokes.
Of course, the moviemakers used fake whiskey and cigarettes for the youngster, who had to learn how to swear.
Kim Bourdages told the DeKalb Daily Chronicle she thought the audition would be a fun thing for Nick to try. He'd been in school plays and participated for two years on the forensics team, offering original comedy pieces.
The Bourdages family thought Nick might get a walk-on part, but just before Christmas of 2006, Nick and both of his parents were called for a third interview and met with a casting director in Chicago.
Nick was chosen over another finalist on Jan. 9, 2007.
Nick was a big shot in his school even before getting the part. "Pretty much every day, people would be asking, "Didja get the part? Didja get the part?'" he told the newspaper.
Teachers at his school at first thought he was making up a tall tale about getting a part in a big-time movie. His mother had to later confirm the movie role for the teachers.
Nick and his mother kept a computer blog site about their stay in South Carolina, calling it a "crazy, wild ride."
Just before Nick and his mother headed back to Illinois, Clooney recognized Nick in front of the entire production crew, noting all of the youngster's scenes had been shot.
"It meant a lot to Nick," his mother said. She said Nick was sad to leave the friends he had made on the movie set.
Massoglia said Nick has since been contacted by Clint Eastwood about a movie role, but it was for a serious part and Nick prefers comedy.
Editor's note: "Leatherheads" is scheduled for nationwide release on Friday. It was written, directed and produced by Clooney. Others receiving writing credits for the movie are Steven Soderbergh, Duncan Brantley, Rick Reilly (a national sportswriter who owns a house in Ontonagon) and Stephen Schiff. It also stars John Krasinski and Renée Zellweger. It is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, possibly from Bug.
