Naman Shrestha
Based on the harrowing true story of a serial killer and the 2021 documentary ‘John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise,’ Peacock’s ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ is a true crime drama series created by Patrick Macmanus. Set in the 1970s, the narrative revolves around a regular-seeming Chicago-area contractor and local businessman named John Wayne Gacy and the double life he led as a serial killer. When a teenager named Rob Piest is reported missing in the area, John becomes the prime suspect in the case. During the investigation, the detectives of the Des Plaines Police Department realize that Rob is just one of his many victims.
As they conduct a thorough search of John’s property, the investigators discover the remains of a total of 33 young men and boys in the crawl space underneath his house. Besides exploring the lives of the victims, the biographical show also focuses on exposing the systemic failure that allowed the serial killer to take victims for over seven years. Driven by Michael Chernus’ powerful portrayal as the titular character, the ensemble cast also features compelling performances from Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, and Marin Ireland, more. In doing so, the series transports the viewers back to the 1970s in Illinois, the homestate as well as hunting grounds of John Wayne Gacy.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy Filming Locations
‘Though set in Illinois, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ was actually shot in multiple locations across Ontario, especially Toronto, Hamilton, and Kingston. Principal photography for the miniseries reportedly got underway in September 2024 and went on for several months before wrapping up in February 2025. Gabriel Luna, who portrays Rafael Tovar, shared a few words about his experience on set after the conclusion of the shooting. He stated, “That’s a wrap on Devil in Disguise! To our captain Patrick MacManus, @mchernus, and all our cast and crew, I love y’all. I’m so proud of what we made. See you down the road, Toronto.”
Toronto, Ontario
The production team of ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ reportedly taped a significant portion of the show in Toronto. The neighborhood of New Toronto in the south-western part of the capital city of Ontario was chosen as a shooting site for multiple scenes. Many spots in the area were transformed to stand in as Chicago in northeastern Illinois, the hometown of the notorious serial killer as well as where he executed the heinous crimes. The team altered the appearances of several shops and businesses in the area by embellishing them with props and details that would paint an authentic picture of the 1970s, the era in which the narrative is set.
According to reports, the exteriors of many establishments on Lake Shore Boulevard West and Sixth Street were given a retro makeover. Several cars belonging to the 70s were also utilized to enhance the period setting. Taking into consideration the fact that Toronto is also called the Hollywood North (a colloquialism it shares with Vancouver), it makes sense why the team would settle on the metropolis as a filming location. The cast and crew braved the extreme winters of T-dot to bring the comprehensive and chilling series to life.
Hamilton, Ontario
Shooting of the Peacock production also took place in Hamilton in the southeastern part of Ontario. A few scenes were lensed at The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 36 at 280 King Southwest. To present a convincing portrayal of the US, the facade of the organization was dressed with American flags that kept fluttering as filming was carried out. For the purpose of shooting, the team took over a property on Shadyside Avenue for a day, where they made some temporary modifications to the roof to suit the requirements of the sequence.
The cast and crew were spotted filming at Franklin Road. Over the years, Hamilton has gained a reputation as a prominent filming destination owing to many factors, such as its diverse architecture, versatile urban landscape, film-friendly infrastructure, and proximity to production hubs like Toronto. ‘IT: Welcome to Derry,’ ‘It,’ ‘The Real Jack the Ripper,’ ‘Thanksgiving,’ ‘Fargo,’ and ‘Mob Stories II’ were also filmed in Hamilton.
Kingston, Ontario
In addition to Toronto and Hamilton, Kingston also served as a filming location for ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy.’ Located in Frontenac County in southeastern Ontario, the city is considered an ideal choice for movie and TV projects as it can fill in for myriad backdrops ranging from historic to suburban and waterfront to industrial. Therefore, it is no surprise that some sequences of the true-crime-based documentary series were captured in the city.
In particular, the Kingston Penitentiary at 560 King Street West doubled up as a penitentiary in Illinois for a few days in February 2025. Since its closure, the former maximum security prison has been converted into a museum and labelled a National Historic Site of the country. Aside from the 19th-century institution, a few scenes were also shot in King Street and the neighboring areas.
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