The same movie production that has brought a slew of Matthew McConaughey sightings to the Birmingham area had Kurt Russell whipping a truck down a dirt road in Marshall County on Tuesday.

“He was grinning like a possum one time, when he come down through there driving,” said Marshall County Commissioner Lee Sims. “He was sliding the truck sideways and everything, on that dirt road. He was having a time.”

Sims and his cousin, Marshall County Sheriff Phil C. Sims, both took to Facebook Tuesday with the story of their meeting with Russell. “The movie scene hit Marshall County today and I was able to meet Actor Kurt Russell. He was in Marshall County today filming a scene for an upcoming movie with a film crew,” Sheriff Sims wrote. “I was able to get a photo op with him and he was a genuine guy and very nice to speak with. They filmed in good ole Sims Community today.”

Their stories suggest that Russell plays a major role in “The Rivals of Amziah King.” There’s not an abundance of information available about the film, though film industry publications including Variety and Deadline have described it as a crime thriller set in Oklahoma. McConaughey, who plays the title role, has delighted fans in a series of sightings in the Birmingham area. Locations have included the Frosty Mug in Walker County, which was turned into a fictional restaurant called Ulysses’ Steak Sandwiches.

The Marshall County shoot erupted on fairly short notice late Monday.

“We found out yesterday afternoon, late yesterday, that they were coming up in the area,” said Sheriff Sims. “And they were needing some off-duty deputies to help with traffic control. That’s how we got involved.”

They also needed a little help finding the setting they had in mind, so Sheriff Sims put them in touch with Commissioner Sims. “They were looking for a dirt road that had cornfields on both sides and we just happened to have one,” said the sheriff.

“They called me yesterday afternoon about 3:30 looking for a place to film and we came up with one that quick,” Commissioner Sims said late Tuesday. There was no need to dump dirt on a paved road, as the crew had been prepared to do, he said: “I got an old dirt road that’s got an old wooden bridge on it and everything. … We suppled ‘em with a road.”

Commissioner Sims said he met filmmakers late Monday to look over the site. “It’s called Teal Road,” he said. “We actually call it Crybaby Holler, because they actually found a baby dead down there when we was younger.” (Sheriff Sims said both he and his cousin were “born and raised” in the Sims community, which is south of Guntersville.)

From there, Commissioner Sims said, the film crew had breakfast at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and got down to business.

“They was running around like chickens with their heads cut off,” he said. “They was in ‘go’ mode all day long. It was just pretty neat to see exactly what they have to do. … It was just crazy. I mean, they pulled in this morning and Kurt Russell hadn’t even seen the road, him or none of the stunt men or nothing. They hadn’t even been on the road. They said, ‘Let’s go down there and look at it.’ So we took ‘em down there and we got to the old wooden bridge and they said, ‘Is it safe?’ We said, ‘It’s stout.’ I said, ‘Just don’t get on the edges, stay in the middle, if you stay in the middle you’ll be good.’ Kurt Russell didn’t hesitate, he hit it and went.”

The photos posted by the two officials show a heavy-duty Chevrolet pickup truck apparently being piloted by Russell, and another black pickup with a large camera boom mounted over the cab. It’s not clear whether Russell, who has blood on his face in some of the photos, was the pursued or the pursuer.

Commissioner Sims said he was amazed at how quickly it all happened. But he and Sheriff Sims both said they had a few minutes with Russell and were impressed.

“I was standing right there with him,” said Commissioner Sims. “Kurt, he’s real smart, he was telling what they was needing to do, what they weren’t needing to do, and it was pretty neat, just listening to him. He knows a lot.” (Fair enough: Russell’s career has included plenty of car chases, from “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” in 1969 to “Death Proof” in 2007, not to mention a recurring character in several “Fast and Furious”films.)

“Everybody was great, everybody we talked to, the whole crew, the directors, it’s really neat to see something like that unfold,” said Sheriff Sims.

“Commissioner Sims hooked them up with the right road, we did security, and then I was fortunate enough to talk with Kurt Russell just shortly,” said the sheriff, whose favorite Russell role naturally is Wyatt Earp in “Tombstone.” “He walked around to all the deputies, shook their hands, thanked them for being there. He was very gracious, very genuine. I’ve always been a fan of Kurt Russell anyway so he left a really good impression with me.”

“Something like that you don’t see in Marshall County every day,” said Sheriff Sims. “It’s a unique experience. I’m glad they come to Marshall County and spent a little money here.”

Russell isn’t a complete stranger to north Alabama: Actor Wyatt Russell, his son with Goldie Hawn, was a member of the University of Alabama in Huntsville hockey team at one time.

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