Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Andrea Harkin and Robin Wright, Prime Video’s ‘The Girlfriend’ explores the dark side of obsession through the eyes of Laura Sanderson and Cherry Laine. Their paths collide when Daniel, the former’s mother and the latter’s boyfriend, begins to make some difficult choices in life, each threatening to affect either or both of them. Laura’s suspicions about Cherry’s true nature take her on a path that involves manipulative schemes, but her opponent is not one to shy away from a fight. Soon, the two begin to throw whatever ideas they can construct at each other, and in the process, the tally of collateral damage continues to rise. The series charts a myriad of themes that expand out of the character dynamics and into the setting, letting the urban and natural landscapes paint a story of their own while making it an immersive watch.
The Girlfriend Filming Locations
‘The Girlfriend’ was primarily lensed across the United Kingdom and Spain, with London and Andalusia taking center stage in giving the show its distinctive visual identity, respectively. Production began in June 2024 in London before moving to Spain in October of the same year. Alongside these locations, Shepperton Studios served as a major production hub. The production team adopted a hybrid approach of on and off-site locations by filming in natural as well as human-made spots to bring the story to life.
London, England
A substantial portion of ‘The Girlfriend’ was taped on location in London, the capital city of the United Kingdom, which served as both a practical and thematic anchor for the series. The city’s collection of people from all walks of life largely informed the story’s conflict of class divides. Out of the many filming locations in the city, one of the stand-outs was St. Ermin’s Hotel, located at 2 Caxton Street, where key interior and exterior sequences were brought to life. The Sanderson family’s affluent lifestyle was recreated in real life through a property situated at 59 Marlborough Place in St John’s Wood. The lavish building was reportedly found by the crew by stroke of luck, and was a part of their production for the entire summer of 2024.
Other locations featured in the show include Syon House, the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, situated in the heart of Syon Park, in Brentford. The district of Soho, which serves as both a cultural and commercial hub, also served as a backdrop for many dramatic sequences, particularly through the use of an undisclosed art gallery situated there. Additional street shoots took place around central and suburban London, channeling the enthusiasm and chaos of modern life. These choices showcase the importance of London as the show’s foundation, visually rooting the story in recognizable urban life and the unique challenges that follow.
Surrey, England
In addition to an extensive on-site filming process, the production team of ‘The Girlfriend’ relied heavily on Shepperton Studios, situated at Studios Road, in Shepperton village, Surrey. This facility provided a controlled environment for the interior setwork, ensuring both consistency and technical flexibility in one go. As per the reports, Amazon MGM Studios had booked nine stages within the studio for their projects, which likely helped in bringing some of the more sophisticated scenes to reality. It is possible that many of the show’s domestic and office interiors were recreated here, with production designers tailoring each build to align with the show’s tone and needs.
Chepstow, United Kingdom
Reportedly, a quarry located near Chepstow, alongside the Welsh English border, was also featured in the show, reinventing its visual identity. Although no exact details about the location have been clarified as of writing, it is possible that this refers to Livox Quarry, which can be found next to the A48 road. This site, which has been flooded since the 1990s, has served as a diving instruction facility and is currently the grounds for an aquatic research project. The creative team’s decision to add a quarry to their list of locations shows the willingness to broaden the narrative’s horizons, allowing for more adventurous plot threads to take shape.
Andalusia, Spain
Around October 2024, the crew set camp in Andalusia, an autonomous community located in Spain, to capture a markedly different atmosphere. In particular, Several areas in Málaga province took center stage in the lensing process, including the city’s port and cruise terminal, which were redressed as the airport. Cortijo San Francisco is a rural estate situated in Cam. Nicola, 29680, in Estepona, was used as the Sandersons’ home in Spain. The extravagant property established the family’s high-tier lifestyle, which in turn made room for all of the family politics to gather traction. Marbella and its surrounding areas contributed with their coastal streets and Mediterranean architecture, offering a clear shift in visual identity. In particular, the historic town of Ronda, with its dramatic cityscapes and vibrant culture, provided a powerful setting for exterior shots.
The production also made use of Cueva del Gato near Benaoján, a unique natural cave system that added to the visual imagery of the show. It is also famously known as “Cat’s Cave” due to the unique shape of the cave’s entrance. It constitutes the larger Hundidero-Gato speleological system, which is a 6.2-mile-long cave system within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park in Andalusia. As such, a wide assortment of settings was captured to add as much richness to the scenes as possible, while still maintaining an air of realism. The Spain section of the series not only expanded the scope of its narrative but also explores how a location can inform characters’ psyches.
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