Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 2021 novel written by Marissa Stapley, Apple TV’s ‘Lucky’ is a crime thriller drama series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong, a former young criminal who leads a reclusive and reformed life after bidding farewell to her previous life of crime several years ago. However, she has no other choice but to return to her criminal life to carry out one final mission — lead a multi-million-dollar heist.
When the heist doesn’t go as planned, the titular character is forced to go on the run and confront her dark past. More complications arise when she is pursued by the FBI and her crime boss as she attempts to leave her criminal life behind and earn her freedom. Created by Jonathan Tropper, the show is led by Anya, who is joined by Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and many more. The high-octane show is set against rugged landscapes, where Lucky’s chases and action sequences unfold.
Lucky Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Lucky’ was conducted in California and Nevada, particularly in Greater Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Principal photography for the debut season of Anya Taylor-Joy starrer reportedly commenced in February under the working title ‘Aces’ and went on for five months before wrapping up in July of the same year. During the shooting process, Taylor-Joy was admittedly grieving the loss of her pet dog and described the entire experience as healing and emotional. The production also extended much-needed support to local crews of Los Angeles after the tragic wildfires.
Greater Los Angeles Area, California
The majority of the filming of the crime thriller series took place in the Greater Los Angeles Area AKA the Southland of California. To bring the gripping narrative to life, the production team moved to several locations across the metropolitan region. A few scenes were taped in the heart of Downtown Long Beach, particularly at The Promenade North, stretching from 3rd Street to 5th Street. Since the events in ‘Lucky’ unfold in San Diego, the team dressed up the pedestrian-only thoroughfare with props, signage and mock San Diego Police Department vehicles in order to recreate the setting. The cast and crew visited several strip malls in the sprawling city of Los Angeles in the southern part of the state for the purpose of shooting.
Located 37 miles northwest of Downtown LA, the team also headed to Simi Valley in southeastern Ventura County. In particular, they utilized the services of Big Sky Movie Ranch, a prominent filming destination at 4927 Bennett Road, for a variety of scenes. Spanning 7,000 acres in Simi Valley, the diverse landscape and western-themed sets at the movie ranch have hosted productions of movies and shows such as ‘Breakdown,’ ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Gunsmoke,’ ‘Babylon,’ ‘Jericho,’ and ‘Westworld.’ Some sequences were also taped in the historic town of Piru in the Santa Clara River Valley, nestled along the Santa Clara River in eastern Ventura County. A property at 3956 Center Street was transformed into a pet store. The shots set in Eve’s were actually captured at Center Street and Via Fustero in Piru.
Loyal Studios also served as one of the filming sites of ‘Lucky.’ Situated at 3513 W Pacific Avenue in Burbank, the space and facilities of the complex were used to shoot the portions that required a controlled studio environment. The team built sets to represent the interiors of a restaurant as well as the apartment of one of the characters. The purpose-built sets offered more control over camera, set design, lighting, and sound, which enabled the creation of a consistent visual canvas while efficiently meeting the creative demands of the Apple TV production.
Las Vegas, Nevada
A portion of the shooting of ‘Lucky’ was also conducted in Las Vegas in Nevada. The shoot of a few scenes took the team to the terrace of a building. They settled on a rooftop that offered breathtaking views of the vibrant nightlife of the city, complete with dazzling lights and towering casinos that shape the illuminating skyline of Sin City. One of the iconic casinos was chosen as a filming spot for the scenes featuring the con artist Lucky in her element as she moves through the lavish and high-end ambiance of the casino with her polished facade and suave manner. Just adjacent to Las Vegas, the cast and crew had a lot of fun filming at Caesars Palace at 3570 South Las Vegas Boulevard in Paradise.
As per reports, during the week-long shooting in and around the casino resort property, the production employed more than 300 cast and crew members, most of whom were Nevada residents. In an interview with Brit+, Anya revealed that they shot in Caesars Palace all night long. “We started by shooting all nights in Las Vegas in Caesars Palace from 11:00 pm to 11:00 am just running through that casino, and by the end of that, I was like, ‘Right, this is our show, it’s never gonna let up. This is what it is.’ And we have the most incredible cast and crew, and yeah, it was just a blast,” she added. The Las Vegas Festival Grounds at 2880 South Las Vegas Boulevard in Winchester became the site for capturing expansive outdoor sequences. The 37-acre open-air venue on the Las Vegas Strip is a cultural hotspot that frequently hosts music festivals and concerts.
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