Surrogates: Lynn native rates role in Willis movie currently filming

This wrecked bus parked in an Oxford Street lot will be a prop in the movie 'Surrogates' which will be filming in the downtown Lynn area this week. Item photo / Reba M. Saldanha

By David Liscio / The Daily Item

LYNN - When filming of the new Bruce Willis movie "Surrogates" resumes in the downtown business district Wednesday, a Lynn native will be in the spotlight.

Professional actor Jack Noseworthy is set to play a dominant role in the motorcycle and helicopter chase scenes along Munroe and Andrew streets from Wednesday through Friday.

Noseworthy, 38, the son of John and Thelma Noseworthy and an English High Class of 1982 graduate, will be joined by his stuntman, as well as a Willis double, and a second stuntman who will do the superstar's rough work.

"The motorcycle chase scene starts on Munroe Street, moves to Exchange and Central, and then onto Andrew Street where it comes to an end near an alleyway," said Patrick Donovan, assistant location manager for the Disney-produced action flick.

Although there's no foot chase scheduled in Lynn as previously reported, two helicopters will be used - one as part of action and the other as an aerial camera platform.

Ernie Malik, the film's publicist, said Willis will not be present during the upcoming round of moviemaking in Lynn. Willis' appearance during two days of shooting in Central Square in late May attracted a large crowd of fans and spectators.

"There will be no Mr. Willis this time. He's in Taunton working with the first unit," said Malik. "Right now we're scheduled for three days of shooting in Lynn. We'll be there Wednesday through Friday, and Lynn native Jack Noseworthy will be in some of the scenes."

Donovan said motor vehicle traffic along the streets used for the chase scene will be blocked during production. "Pedestrians will be allowed to pass, except when we're actually filming," he said, noting that cast extras and movie-related vehicles will be brought to the scene.

Additional filming is scheduled for this week in Central Square near The Daily Item building and along Mt. Vernon Street, Donovan said. Parking will be restricted on all streets involved in the movie production.

Noseworthy, who plays a villain named Strickland opposite Willis' police detective, grew up on Atkins Avenue and after high school attended the Boston Conservatory where he majored in dance. He has appeared on Broadway, on MTV, in mainstream movies, and in episodes of popular television shows such as CSI, Law and Order and Crossing Jordan. His career first kicked off when he auditioned for the touring company's production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Cats", in which he played the role of Mungojerrie. Other successes followed, including roles in "Jerome Robbins" and "A Chorus Line".

In a 1987 interview with The Item, the actor recalled those early days. After auditioning for "Cats" the choreographer told Noseworthy he was being considered for a part, but that he should return to school and not dwell on it.

"Two weeks went by, and it started to eat me alive," he said. "Did I get the role or didn't I? I had to know. I had to call."

Noseworthy called. "Hi, this is Jack...

"Oh, you haven't heard? We're offering you the role of Mungojerrie," said the voice from New York on the other end of the line.

"I tried to be cool. I really did. I didn't want them to know I was the new kid on the block. My heart was pounding," he said, chuckling at the recollection. "I hung up the phone and screamed. I called my parents. They had gone through the waiting with me. We all cried."

During another interview in 1993 with The Item, Noseworthy said, "An actor's job isn't acting. It's auditioning. Sometimes, that's very frustrating. But at least I'm pursuing my dreams. It's like building blocks. The foundation is finished. Now I'm working on the house."

"Surrogate" is a futuristic thriller in which Willis plays a detective forced to venture out of isolation and into the dangerous world to buy a replacement for his damaged robot clone. Some of the scenes from that shopping excursion were filmed at a former bank in Central Square that was transformed into a next-century electronics store.

Ving Rhames and Radha Mitchell also star in "Surrogates".