Aahana Swrup
The Netflix coming-of-age show, ‘Penelope’ follows a 16-year-old girl on her intentional journey of survival in Oregon’s wilderness. The titular character, Penelope, remains deeply unsatisfied with her life and realizes the answers to her woes lie in nature, where she can be surrounded by scenic flora and fauna. As a result, she runs away from home, leaving her old life behind and building a new one for herself in the Cascade National Park, where she squats as an unannounced guest.
In the forest, Penelope experiences various wonders that life has to offer—from the thrill of staring at her first fire to the fleeting company of other kindred souls. Much of her adventure remains centric on her time in the Cascade National Park—which becomes a true home for the young girl over time. For the same reason, after witnessing Penelope interact with magnificent trees, striking rivers, and more, fans are bound to grow intrigued by the forest and its origins in reality.
The Real-Life Location Behind Cascade National Park
Despite the fictionality of the protagonist and her storyline in ‘Penelope,’ the show remains dedicated to infusing its nature-submerged narrative with a sense of realism. The same remains most evident in the central character’s Odyssey through Cascade National Park, a real-life National Forest Service in Oregon. Since the real-life location is a National Park, there are dedicated campgrounds and campsites where any individual can participate in overnight camping within the Park’s regulations. Consequently, Penelope’s venture into the forest remains within the realm of reality—if eschewing the confines of legality given the unpaid nature of her stay.
Additionally, the show further authenticates its depiction of Washington State’s Cascade National Park by actually immersing its cast and crew in the natural elements during the filming process. Consequently, the stunning vistas, the gritty reality of Cascade National Park, and its on-screen participation in Penelope’s journey of self-discovery remain a realistic reflection of nature. In fact, even a lot of the wildlife brought onto the screen throughout the protagonist’s narrative are real-life animals that were present on the set in real life under the supervision and guidance of Lauren Henry, the resident animal wrangler.
Mel Eslyn, the showrunner who co-wrote ‘Penelope’ alongside Mark Duplass and directed all eight episodes, briefly spoke about the filming experience in a conversation with The Wrap. “It was an eight-week shoot…the biggest day I was directing scenes from six different episodes in one day showing the journey of this girl visually,” the showrunner shared. “It felt like camping while shooting a movie.” As such, it’s possible that some of the filming was even potentially conducted in the Cascade National Park as opposed to generically similar-looking locations. Either way, in depicting the actual National Forest, the show remains conscious of its real-life tangibility and expresses the same on the screen through realistic filming practices.
Read More: Penelope: Is the Netflix Show a True Story? Is Penelope Based on a Real Person?
