Based on the 2006 eponymous graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, Disney+’s ‘American Born Chinese’ is an action fantasy comedy series that follows an average high school goer named Jin Wang who finds it difficult to juggle his high school life and home life. His ordinary world, filled with normal struggles, changes when he meets Wei-Chen, a new Taiwanese exchange student at his school who reveals that he is not from this world. After the revelation, Jin gets pulled into a battle of Chinese mythological gods along with Wei-Chen, where they must deal with several supernatural forces to get the better of their enemies.
Created by Kelvin Yu, the fantasy show features several recognized cast members, such as Michelle Yeoh, Ben Wang, Yann Yann Yeo, Chin Han, and Daniel Wu. A significant portion of the action unfolds in Jin’s high school Sierra Mona High School campus, including in corridors and classrooms, which might naturally make many of you interested in knowing where ‘American Born Chinese’ is filmed.
American Born Chinese Filming Locations
‘American Born Chinese’ is filmed in California, particularly in Los Angeles County. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the Michelle Yeoh starrer commenced in late February 2022 and wrapped up in July of the same year. Given the vast and diverse terrains of California as well as its ties to the Hollywood industry, the Golden State makes for a suitable filming site for different kinds of film projects. Now, without further ado, allow us to walk you through all the specific locations that make an appearance in the Disney+ series!
Los Angeles County, California
‘American Born Chinese’ is extensively lensed in Los Angeles County, with the production team setting up camp in different locales of the county. The city of Los Angeles serves as one of the primary production locations for the Ben Wang starrer. Supposedly, the filming unit utilizes the facilities of one of the many film studios located in and around the city, especially to tape several action-packed interior scenes. The county is home to the film studios of five major production companies, including Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, and Paramount Pictures.
In order to shoot the fictional Sierra Mona High School scenes, the production team seemingly sets up camp in University High School Charter at 11800 Texas Avenue in Los Angeles. Moreover, the exterior shots are mostly recorded on location with many of you recognizing a number of popular landmarks and attractions in the backdrop. Some of them are Griffith Park, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the La Brea Tar Pits, and the Arboretum of Los Angeles.
In addition, the city of Altadena features in quite a few sequences of the series as well. Apart from ‘American Born Chinese,’ Los Angeles County has hosted the production of numerous film and TV projects over the years. Thus, you might be able to spot the county’s locales in a number of other productions, such as ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ and ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
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