Jason Stange, 44, had taken a role as a doctor who commits a "deranged act" in a film called Marla Mae.
Images of him appeared in a piece publicising the shooting of the film in a newspaper in Washington state.
Police agents recognised him and arrested him at a restaurant close to the film set.
Stange had pleaded guilty to an armed bank robbery in 2006 and was given a prison sentence of almost ten years.
Last year he absconded from a "halfway house" facility and a warrant was issued.
Brandon Roberts, the film's producer, told the local News Tribune that Stange was a talented actor who was well-liked by the cast and crew.
He said the film was rewritten to suit Stange, who had "really nailed the audition", adding that Stange will remain in the film, which is scheduled for release in 2016.
A bank robber wanted for violating his probation has been apprehended by US police after starring in a low-budget horror film using his own name.