Vince Vaughn on Twin Cities: 'I just always felt a connection'

Vince Vaughn may have a star on the Minnesota Walk of Fame, but technically, he's barely one of us.

The actor, getting some of the best reviews of his life for "Hacksaw Ridge," was born in Minneapolis, but his family moved to Lake Forest, Ill. before he had turned one.

But Vaughn continues to maintain a presence in the state, from emceeing his Comedy Road Show at the State Theatre to sneaking into town for the occasional boys' weekend.

"I just always felt a connection," said Vaughn when I caught up with him at a cocktail party in Los Angeles for DirecTV, which airs "Undeniable With Joe Buck" and "Fearless With Tim Ferriss," two shows that he produces. "It's a beautiful place. The outdoor life is very nice. The Twin Cities are very beautiful. I never analyzed it much. I just like it."

For his last visit to the area a year and half ago, Vaughn brought his producing partner Peter Billingsley (also known as the kid from "The Christmas Story") on a visit that included a taping of "Prairie Home Companion" and a Gophers football game.

Vaughn is the kind of actor you approach warily at a cocktail party, if only because of his intimidating height and on-screen roles that suggest you may not be hip enough to be in the same universe as him, let alone the same hotel bar.

But in person, Vaughn was charming, attentive -- and didn't once say I was "money."

Because one of his shows features Buck doing interviews with notable athletes like Pete Rose and Dennis Rodman, the conversation naturally turned to sports. He name-dropped long-time friend Brian Uihlein, a Big Ten singles champ during his time on the University of Minnesota tennis team, professed a soft spot for Bud Grant and agreed that Adrian Peterson would make a great guest on Buck's show.

"Although we try and shy away from people who aren't retired," Vaughn said. " Once they are, they can kind of be themselves and not worry about representing any organizations."

Vaughn doesn't have any plans to come back to Twin Cities anytime soon. He just recently sold his home in nearby Chicago and is now in Los Angeles full time.