Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 2016 novel written by Amor Towles, Paramount+’s ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is a historical thriller drama series created by Ben Vanstone. Led by Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the narrative acquaints us with Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat, who is spared from death but is placed under house arrest for life in a grand hotel called the Metropol instead. After his title and material wealth are taken away from him, he is banished to an attic room of the hotel, from where he witnesses Russian history unfold.
Now that he has lost everything, Rostov must find meaning in the true riches of life — courage, community, and love. A majority of the series unfolds in Russia, specifically in the Metropol Hotel, where Rostov and Nina embark on an adventurous journey, walking through door after door and room after room, keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats when it comes to the storyline but guessing in the case of its actual filming locations.
A Gentleman in Moscow Shooting Sites
‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is filmed mostly in England, primarily in Greater Manchester, London, Leeds, Liverpool, and West Yorkshire. Some portions are also shot in Moscow, Russia. As per reports, principal photography for the inaugural iterations of the show commenced in late February 2023, but in July 2023, it was interrupted due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed after the strike and finally wrapped up in January 2024.
Greater Manchester, England
The primary production location of ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is the ceremonial county of Greater Manchester. The filming unit takes over the Bolton Town Hall on Victoria Square, which doubles as the Kremlin while the hall’s steps and the surrounding area are covered with snow, standing in for 1920s Russia. Some reports suggest that a few portions are also lensed in and around Victoria Hall at 37 Knowsley Street in Bolton, Heaton Park on Sheepfoot Lane in Manchester, and Le Mans Crescent.
Many pivotal sequences for the historical show are also taped in the Space Studios on Vaughan Street in Manchester. Formerly known as The Space Project, the purpose-built production facility consists of six acoustically treated stages, workshops, and production facilities. Other amenities that the studio provides are superfast Wi-Fi, secure parking, air cooling, hair & make-up facilities, and more.
Talking about the series adaptation of his eponymous novel with USA Today, Amor Towles stated, “The team who put this project together were operating at that level, where they were committed to having as much authenticity as possible to the smallest detail on set, with the notion that even when it’s barely seen by the viewer, that it will be taken in, will add to the richness of the visual experience, but will also give the actors a stronger sense that they are in that place at that time.”
Other Locations in England
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ also made the most of other sites across England, including London. In June 2023, during the shooting schedule of season 1, the cast and crew set up camp in and around the Liverpool Town Hall on High Street in Liverpool, which doubles as Paris for the show. Furthermore, the Grade II listed Halifax Town Hall in the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire hosts the production of the Ewan McGregor starrer. The municipal building, Leeds Civic Hall, which is situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, also serves as one of the prominent filming sites.
Moscow, Russia
Since most of the story takes place in Moscow, Russia, it is only natural that to shoot some additional portions of ‘A Gentleman in Moscow,’ the production team utilizes the actual locales of Russia’s capital. In an interview with Radio Times, Ewan McGregor explained the importance of having an intimacy coordinator on the set for shooting intimate scenes in the show. He said, “It’s still necessary, because it’s also about the crew, and it’s odd to be naked in front of people, it’s odd to be intimate in front of the camera. If you were doing a dance scene, you’d have a choreographer. It’s an important part of the work now because it’s somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.”
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