Hollywood in the Heartland — Wisconsin's Movie Magic

Hollywood may have its stars, but Wisconsin has the heart. In this episode, Dannelle Gay explores more than 20 movies filmed right here in Wisconsin, from cult classics to Oscar-nominated dramas. Discover the small towns that became movie sets, the big names who walked our streets, and the unforgettable scenes that prove the Badger State is more than just dairy and Packers—it's cinematic gold. Featured Movies & Locations (Chronological Order) Year Movie Title Filming Locations Stars 1975 The Giant Spider Invasion Merrill & Gleason Alan Hale Jr., Barbara Hale 1977 Stroszek Plainfield & Madison Bruno S., Eva Mattes 1980 The Boy Who Drank Too Much Madison Scott Baio 1980 The Blues Brothers Milwaukee (river jump scene) John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd 1981 The Pit Beaver Dam & Horicon Sammy Snyders 1984 Mrs. Soffel Freedom Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson 1984 Wildrose Bayfield Lisa Eichhorn 1986 Back to School UW–Madison campus Rodney Dangerfield 1990 Meet the Applegates Madison & Mount Horeb Ed Begley Jr., Stockard Channing 1991 Dillinger Milwaukee & East Troy Mark Harmon 1994 I Love Trouble Madison & Baraboo Julia Roberts, Nick Nolte 1997 Fever Lake Twin Lakes & Kenosha County Mario Lopez, Corey Haim 1998 A Simple Plan Rural Wisconsin Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton 1999 The Straight Story Mount Zion, Prairie du Chien, Sparta Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek 2002 About Schmidt Madison & rural highways Jack Nicholson 2009 Public Enemies Columbus, Beaver Dam, Oshkosh, Manitowish Waters Johnny Depp, Christian Bale 2011 Transformers: Dark of the Moon Milwaukee Art Museum Shia LaBeouf 2011 Bridesmaids Milwaukee Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph 2017 The 60 Yard Line Green Bay Ryan Churchill, Randall Park 2020 Small Town Wisconsin Milwaukee, State Fairgrounds David Sullivan 2022 Hundreds of Beavers Manitowish Waters, Pembine, Superior Ryland Brickson Cole Tews 2025 Green and Gold Door County & Green Bay Upcoming Wisconsin production Must-Visit Wisconsin Film Locations Little Bohemia Lodge (Manitowish Waters) – Real site of Dillinger's 1934 shootout, featured in Public Enemies. UW–Madison Campus – Iconic backdrop of Back to School. Milwaukee Art Museum – Seen in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Baraboo Train Depot – Recognizable from I Love Trouble. Downtown Columbus – Transformed into 1930s Chicago for Public Enemies. Green Bay's Lambeau Neighborhood – Where The 60 Yard Line filmed tailgating chaos. Travel Tie-Ins Want to walk in the stars' footsteps? Check out these destinations on your next Wisconsin road trip: Plainfield & Merrill – For cult horror fans (The Giant Spider Invasion, The Pit) Freedom & Bayfield – For vintage movie buffs (Wildrose, Mrs. Soffel) Madison – A film lover's goldmine (Back to School, I Love Trouble, The Boy Who Drank Too Much) Milwaukee – Modern film spots (Transformers, Bridesmaids, The Blues Brothers) Green Bay & Door County – Up next with Green and Gold! Connect & Share Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Follow on Instagram & Facebook: @TheTravelingCheesehead Send your favorite Wisconsin movie memories or photos from filming locations — you might be featured in an upcoming newsletter or episode! Credits: Producer - Dannelle Gay Production - Andrew Gay