Sartaj Singh
AMC’s ‘Parish’ revolves around Gray Parish (Giancarlo Esposito), a peaceful family man who is forced back into the criminal world after the tragic murder of his son. Parish is a happily married man with two children who runs a luxury car service in New Orleans. Due to financial strain, he dips back into the underworld for a seemingly harmless job involving his skills as a driver. However, when the event leads to the murder of Parish’s son, he lets his dark past take over, and begins to hunt down those responsible.
‘Parish’ is a crime series that adapts the BBC One show ‘The Driver.’ Through Parish’s old friend Colin and with each episode, we learn a little about the man’s past life of criminality. As Parish retakes control of his life and begins a revenge spree, we are treated to cinematic shots of the characters around the streets, swamps, and clubs of New Orleans. Enthusiasts of the show may investigate whether shooting for the series really takes place in Crescent City, and what are some of the locations seen in its episodes.
Parish Filming Locations
True to the narrative, ‘Parish’ is filmed in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. Principal photography began in the spring of 2022 and was wrapped up by November of the same year. The show’s production team wanted to choose a city that could match the grit and character they wanted to create, and they ended up selecting New Orleans for exactly those reasons and a lot more. Tentatively titled ‘The Driver,’ there were some major changes made to the show during shooting, including in its crew. An internal investigation led to one of the creators of the show being let go. Allow us to take you through the shooting sites of ‘Parish’ and delve further into why it is based in this particular city.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Sprawled along the Mississippi River, New Orleans is the primary filming location for ‘Parish,’ with the production crew also venturing to its surrounding towns and municipalities for shooting. The city is renowned for its cinematic appeal, vibrant mix of cultures, and rich history, adding a special spice to some scenes of the show that the team is looking for. Some of the city’s landmarks and neighborhoods are well known for having cameos in cinema and are even seen in ‘Parish.’ To further sweeten the deal, New Orleans offers robust filming infrastructure in the form of experienced crews and well-equipped studios, as well as generous tax incentives to base production here.
The feeling of loss and Parish’s mourning of his son are major parts of the narrative; his past and his decisions haunt him throughout the show, which is one of the reasons why the creatives want to film in the city. “We chose New Orleans because we wanted to place this story in a city that was vibrant enough that it could be a character itself,” said actor Esposito, who is also an executive producer for the show. “We wanted a city with a backdrop that had ghosts, because Parish’s life is about the ghosts from his past.”
New Orleans has a reputation for being one of the most haunted cities in the United States. Contributing to this legend are the city’s lore of Voodoo, colonial buildings with ghost tales attached to them, especially those in the French Quarter, and its above-ground tombs and cemeteries. One of these cemeteries is focused on in an aerial shot of the show.
City landmarks and neighborhoods that can be spotted in the show are the Long-Allen Bridge and the Garden District. The characters can be seen driving across the Long-Allen Bridge, a near-century-old structure that connects Berwick and Morgan City. The Garden District is one of the most recognizable and historic neighborhoods in New Orleans, and the show’s production crew has been spotted shooting along its tree-lined streets, grand mansions, and charming gardens.
Another location used by the team includes the premises of the now-closed Cavan restaurant at 789 Harrison Avenue. The establishment was forced to close down during the COVID-19 pandemic. The production team turns the former restaurant into a Zimbabwe club that serves as a base for the Zimbabwe gangsters in the show. Locals will be able to spot a number of New Orleans’ picturesque streets featured in the series as the city continues to make a lasting impact on the show with its memorable locales.
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