Downtown Mobile had a busy weekend of star sightings and packed social calendars, as a Disney Channel alum was spotted dining ahead of a local movie shoot and the city’s legal community turned out in force for one of its biggest annual social events.
Actor David Henrie, best known for playing Justin Russo on the Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place” and for recurring roles across network television, was seen having dinner with his film crew at Dumbwaiter in downtown Mobile. According to those who spotted him, Henrie and his crew are in the area ahead of production on a movie set to begin filming in Mobile. Diners at the restaurant said the actor was gracious with fans, taking time to pose for photos before turning in for the night.
Henrie’s stop in Mobile comes on the heels of a widely reported incident at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was briefly detained after attempting to carry a firearm through security. Henrie later said in a public statement that he had legally owned the gun but had made an error in transporting it, adding that he was “humiliated and embarrassed” by the episode and apologized to both the Transportation Security Administration and the Los Angeles Police Department. The incident did not appear to slow down his plans for the Mobile production, and locals eager for a glimpse of a working film set should keep an eye on downtown in the coming weeks.
Mobile has increasingly served as a backdrop for film and television productions in recent years, with location scouts and crews drawn to the city’s historic architecture, waterfront views and relatively lower production costs compared to larger markets. A new shoot bringing a recognizable face to local restaurants and streets is likely to generate buzz well beyond the dinner table where Henrie was first spotted.
Elsewhere in the city, the legal community turned out en masse last Thursday night for the Young Lawyers Section party hosted by the Mobile law firm Cunningham Bounds at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in midtown. The crowd was large enough that Mobile Police officers were brought in to help direct traffic and manage parking around the restaurant, a sign of just how popular the annual gathering has become among the area’s attorneys.
Attendees described a packed house with plenty of mingling among lawyers who might otherwise find themselves on opposite sides of a courtroom during the workday. The event has become a fixture on the local legal calendar, giving members of the Alabama State Bar’s younger set a chance to network in a more relaxed setting away from depositions and docket calls.
The weekend’s social calendar also included a busy turnout for Mobile’s Oktoberfest festivities, with a beer-run event at Serda’s Coffee Company in downtown Mobile drawing a strong crowd of participants. Organizers reported a good showing and a lively atmosphere as runners made their way through the downtown course before settling in for the traditional Oktoberfest celebration afterward.
Between a film crew settling in for a Mobile shoot and the legal community’s biggest social night of the fall, it was a reminder that the city’s downtown continues to draw plenty of activity outside the workday, from restaurant tables to city sidewalks.