Naman Shrestha
The creation of Natasha Rothwell, Hulu’s ‘How to Die Alone,’ is a comedy series that acquaints us with a black and broke JFK airport employee named Melissa, whose relentless schedule has taken control over her life. This has not only made her forget about the dreams and aspirations she had, but also made her forget how to dream altogether. Another magical element of life that she’s missing is being in love, something she hasn’t ever experienced.
However, when she goes face to face with death after an accident, she gets reminded of how unpredictable and fragile life actually is. Thus, wanting to take control and write her own destiny, Melissa finds a new drive and refuses to settle for anything less than what she thinks she deserves and wants. Besides being the creator, Natasha Rothwell also portrays Melissa, while other talented actors feature in supporting roles, including Conrad Ricamora, Jocko Sims, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Michelle McLeod, and Jaylee Hamidi. Mostly set in the JFK airport in New York, questions about the authenticity of the shooting sites arise in the viewers’ minds.
How to Die Alone Filming Locations
According to reports, ‘How to Die Alone’ is filmed primarily in Toronto, Ontario. A few portions are also shot in other spots across Ontario, such as Mississauga and London. Principal photography for the debut season reportedly got underway in February 2023 and kept going on for about a couple of months before getting wrapped up in late April of the same year. After the conclusion of the filming of season 1, Jaylee Hamidi expressed her feelings about it on social media. She wrote, “That’s a wrap! So incredibly grateful for the magic that went on behind the scenes, and front and center. More to share soon…So much love for my How to Die Alone family, and so much love for the gift that is Natasha Rothwell. Can’t wait for you to enjoy it!”
Toronto, Ontario
Many pivotal sequences for ‘How to Die Alone’ are taped in and around the capital of Ontario — Toronto. As per reports, the beach scene in the first season where Melissa swims alone was shot in The Beaches neighborhood, which is named so due to the presence of four beaches on Lake Ontario in the area. Since the show is primarily set in New York, Toronto serves as the ideal production location as the city is known for mimicking various American cities, including the Big Apple.
In order to shoot the scenes set inside JFK Airport, the filming unit of ‘How to Die Alone’ supposedly sets up camp on a sound stage of one of the film studios situated in and around Toronto, such as Pinewood Toronto Studios, Revival Film Studios, Studio City Toronto, and many more. In the backdrop of various exterior and aerial scenes, you are also likely to spot numerous attractions associated with Toronto, including the Humber Bay Arch Bridge, CN Tower, Casa Loma, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Ontario Legislative Building.
Other Locations in Ontario
For shooting purposes, the cast and crew members also travel to other parts of Ontario, including the city of London located in the southwestern part of the province. Furthermore, reports suggest that they were spotted by locals and passersby around mid-March 2023, recording important scenes in and around a restaurant in the city of Mississauga, which is situated on the western shore of Lake Ontario. There is a high possibility that the city’s modern architecture also features in the backdrop. So, you might be able to notice establishments like the M City Condominiums, the Mississauga Civic Centre, Absolute World towers, and more.
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