Celebrity

Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello Drive Savannah Wild with 'Magic Mike XXL'

"A lot of curious onlookers will ... try to catch a glimpse of shirtless Channing Tatum," says a local mayor

Published on October 2, 2014 04:30 PM

Quick, pass the smelling salts.

The normally genteel southern city of Savannah has been swooning since Monday, when Magic Mike XXL started filming there and on nearby Tybee Island.

Fans and local news crews have been surrounding the Georgia set in hopes of snapping photos of stars Channing Tatum and Joe Manganiello, with word spreading quickly on the first day of shooting in Savannah’s renowned historic district.

The result: Female workers jammed downtown office windows overlooking the set for a glimpse of Tatum.

On Tuesday, shooting moved to Tybee Island, where filming took place at a luxurious private residence and a beachside motel.

“Channing was very friendly and polite,” says a local who had her picture taken with him.

Also inciting fan mania: Sightings of Manganiello and his girlfriend Sofia Vergara, who shared a selfie in a Savannah square and described the city as “beautiful.”

As for Tybee Mayor Jason Buelterman, he said he was hopeful that the movie would give an XXL boost to the local economy.

“It’s good for businesses,” he said, “because a lot of curious onlookers will come to the beach to try to catch a glimpse of shirtless Channing Tatum.”