Oscar winning actor Matt Damon is filming the movie The Informant in Decatur, central Illinois. The film is about the ADM price fixing scandal that took place in Decatur in the mid 90s. The locals have nothing but good things to say about the superstar. The local newspaper, the Herald Review, has plenty of articles, photos and sightings about Matt and the film. They say Matt and the crew are incredibly friendly and have brought a lot of excitement and interest to their town.

Damon plays ADM president Mark Whitacre, who was an FBI informant in the price fixing case but also was forced to admit he was embezzling money from the firm. He is wearing a fake moustache, hairpiece and glasses to look like Whitacre, whose picture is to the left. [Credit: Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune]

It’s spring of course in Decatur now, but some snow was made and spread around downtown to film winter scenes. The Informant is directed by Steven Soderbergh and also stars Melanie Lynskey, Scott Bakula, and Thomas F. Wilson. It has a release date listed on IMDB of March 9, 2009.

One of the articles on the Herald Review mentioned Damon’s “newborn baby,” and I got excited thinking that his wife may have had her baby already, but I think they’re referring to Matt’s first biological daughter with Luciana, Isabella, who turns two in June.

Thanks to Gossip Rocks for linking to this story on the Matt Damon Column and pointing out the Ned Flanders resemblance.

All photos credit the Herald Review.