Lights. Camera. Louisiana!

For years, Louisiana has been chosen as a prime filming location. Tarzan of the Apes released in 1918 with Morgan City, Louisiana, playing the role of the jungle. It was one of the first six films to earn over $1 million. In recent years, film production has surged across the state. Since 2006, Louisiana has hosted more than 300 film and television productions for a total of more than 2,500 films shot across the state. 

Film buffs can visit the sites of famous films such as Interview with the Vampire, Green Book, Steel Magnolias, Easy Rider, and more. 

Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Filmed in 1964 and starring Bette Davis, Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a psychological thriller about a Southern spinster fighting to keep her family’s secrets hidden and her eventual descent into madness. The majority of the on-location scenes, both interior and exterior, were filmed at Houmas House and Gardens. Visitors can tour the grounds and spot some familiar movie settings, as well as view the Bette Davis room where she lived and worked during filming. 

Steel Magnolias

Robert M. Harling III, a graduate of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, originally wrote Steel Magnolias as a hit play before it was adapted for the silver screen. The film follows the lives of a group of women living in small-town Louisiana and is based on the true story of Harling’s sister. Starring in the film are Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hannah. Some of the most iconic scenes of the film take place at the Cook-Taylor house near downtown Natchitoches, which has since been converted into a bed and breakfast. Released in 1989, the film celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019. 

Easy Rider

Easy Rider tells the story of two men – played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper – on a cross-country trip from California to New Orleans. The film is considered to be one of America’s formative counterculture films and won eight Oscars and several international awards. One iconic scene was filmed at Melancon’s Café in Morganza, Louisiana. The café was later torn down, but a memorial plaque now stands in its place and visitors can compare and contrast 1969 Morganza with the city of today. Released in 1969, Easy Rider celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019. 

Girls Trip 

Released in 2017 and starring the names the likes of Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith, Girls Trip tells the story of four lifelong friends traveling to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival. Visitors can follow their experiences across the city from The Roosevelt Hotel to Frenchman Street and the Hotel Monteleone. 

Green Book

Released in 2018 and inspired by a true story, Green Book centers on an Italian-American bouncer who serves as the driver for an African-American classical pianist as he tours venues through the 1960s American South. Green Book received Oscars for Best Motion Picture, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Mahershala Ali), and Best Original Screenplay. Locations all across southeast Louisiana were used in filming, including Clover Grill, The Saenger Theater New Orleans, Orpheum Theater, The Maison Dupuy Hotel, Houmas House & Gardens, downtown Hammond, and Ruby’s Roadhouse in Mandeville. 

Lovers of movies both classic and new will find the settings to some of film’s most iconic moments across Louisiana. Learn more about some of the state’s filming locations.