About a dozen lucky fans shrieked as he flashed them a movie star smile on Dillard Street Monday.
"We love him. He's awesome. He's beautiful," gushed one woman.
The Bridget Jones Diary star is in town shooting a new movie. "Main Street" also stars Orlando Bloom, Ellen Burstyn, and Andrew McCarthy - to name a few.
Set in a sleepy southern town, the movie is based on the work of Horton Foote. He wrote the script after visiting Durham two years ago. Foote, now in his 90s, has won Oscars for adapting "To Kill a Mockingbird" into a 1962 movie and for the 1983 movie "Tender Mercies."
One of "Main Street's" producers is Thom Mount, a Durham native who's famous for producing the legendary Kevin Costner hit "Bull Durham."
Filming this week has centered on a downtown Durham mansion right across the street from the WTVD studios. We're also told the director plans to use a downtown diner in a scene this week.
Police have been vigilant about roping off the production areas to keep out the curious, but that hasn't stopped fans from lining the ropes to get a glimpse of a star or a possible autograph.
That's what happened Monday as Firth strolled out to spend a few minutes giving hugs, snapping pictures, and signing autograph books.
To find out the crew is filming, click here for the Visitors and Conventions Bureau website and click on the "Main Street" link at the bottom right.
