John C. Reilly Shares Love for West Michigan in The Times

John C. Reilly Spotted Around West Michigan

In terms of celebrities you're most likely to spot in West Michigan, John C. Reilly nears the top of the list. From a deli in Grand Rapids to a butcher shop in Rothbury the Step Brothers, Wreck-It Ralph, Boogie Nights, andTalladega Nights actor gets around these parts quite a bit.

👇BELOW: EVEN MORE JOHN C. REILLY SIGHTINGS IN MICHIGAN👇

In fact, just this week he was spotted at the Muskegon airport!

Well, just days ago, Reilly basically penned a love letter to West Michigan in a major international publication. How cool is that??

A Love Letter to the Mitten State

As you might know, Reilly grew up in Chicago. In a new article in the The Times, he explains that he didn't branch out from the Midwest until he was a young adult. He writes,

I grew up in Chicago and I didn’t really leave the American Midwest until my twenties, other than one road trip to Florida when I was in high school. We mostly went to Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, states that share the commonality of being around Lake Michigan, which meant my father could go fishing.

Eventually, Reilly's dad bought a cabin in West Michigan. He doesn't explicitly say where, but rumor has it it's in Oceana County. He inherited the place after his father passed away and now visits every summer.

Why West Michigan Holds a Special Place in His Heart

How much like a native Michigander does Reilly sound like when he says this, wary of giving away the state's best-kept secrets?

The west coast is pretty much sand and there are tons of gorgeous, big dunes. I almost don’t want to give it away but there are only two places I’ve found in America that have a western exposure at sunset over a large body of water: one is the California coast and the other is the west coast of Michigan.

He even admits to making time-lapse videos of our incredible sunsets!

When the sun goes down in the summertime it’s glorious. Day after day I obsessively make time-lapse videos of Michigan’s extraordinary sunsets.

In the rest of the article he talks about trips to other places like Thailand, Ireland, and Nashville—but it's very clear West Michigan has a very special place in his heart!

Thanks for shining a light our special corner of the Mitten State, Mr. Reilly, and you're welcome back any time!

Michigan Celebrity Sightings: John C. Reilly

With a cabin in West Michigan, actor John C. Reilly is a frequent flyer to the Mitten State (literally, check out a photo from him at a Muskegon airport below).

He also visits for musical performances and the occasional Detroit Tigers game. Got any pictures of Mr. Reilly in Michigan you'd like to share? Pass them along and we'll add 'em to the gallery.

Gallery Credit: Janna