Where Was Netflix’s Maria Filmed?

With Pablo Larraín at the helm, Netflix’s ‘Maria’ is a biographical drama movie that focuses on the final years of one of the most influential and popular opera singers of the 20th century — Maria Callas. After she relocates to Paris following a tumultuous life and career, she reflects on her identity as she lives out her last days in the 1970s. This marks Pablo’s third film about the important 20th century women, after ‘Jackie’ and ‘Spencer.’ Led by the compelling performance of Angelina Jolie, the psychological film also features other talented actors in supporting roles, including Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Aggelina Papadopoulou. The 1970s Parisian setting perfectly encapsulates the timeline of the story, offering an immersive cinematic experience.

Maria Filming Locations

The production of Maria was carried out within the course of about 41 days in multiple countries across Europe — Budapest in Hungary, Paris in France, Milan in Italy, and Elis in Greece. Reportedly starting from October 2023, the principal photography continued until the end of the same year. In order to do justice to her role, Angelina Jolie trained to sing opera for seven months. In several sequences, Maria Callas’ original recordings were used while the Academy Award-winning actor lip-synced along.

Budapest, Hungary

One of the primary production locations in ‘Maria’ is the capital of Hungary — Budapest. The filming unit made the most of the interiors and exteriors of several locations across the city, including the Hungarian State Opera at Budapest, Andrássy út 22. The opening scene, where Maria is seen preparing for a rehearsal, is shot inside the grand hall of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music at Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 8. The cast and crew members of the biopic were also spotted taping key portions on Szabadság Square, which doubled for a Parisian site. Moreover, the old TV headquarters and the former Stock Exchange Palace make an appearance in the movie. Meanwhile, the crew worked out of the production offices of Origo Studios, while ARRI Rental provided them with a camera and lighting package.

Paris, France

The cast and crew of the Pablo Larraín directorial also visited the capital city of France to tape a few sequences. Several locations in Paris were chosen as filming spots for ‘Maria.’ One such spot is the stunning neoclassical square Place Vendôme in the 1st arrondissement of the European city (Paris 1). Located in proximity to the Place Internationale is Palais-Royal, a former French royal palace situated on Rue Saint-Honoré Street, where a few scenes were taped. Furthermore, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées at Paris 8 — reportedly dubbed “the most beautiful avenue in the world” — also served as a shooting site for the Angelina Jolie starrer.

The shooting of the film also took place at two iconic spots in Paris 7: Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower. While the late 19th-century deck arch bridge over the Seine River is famous for its extravagance and historical significance, the world-renowned wrought-iron structure on the Champ de Mars stands tall as an iconic symbol of romance. The team also moved across from the Eiffel Tower to the district of Trocadero on the banks of the Seine River to lens a few scenes.

Milan, Italy

For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘Maria’ also set up camp in the city of Milan, situated in northern Italy. A major portion was recorded in and around the Teatro alla Scala, also known as La Scala Opera House, at V. Filodrammatici, 2. The nearby Piazza della Scala also served as a prominent filming site for several exterior scenes. Due to budget restraints and other regulations, the filming unit was only allowed to shoot on the stage of the opera house for four hours, due to which they utilized the existing house and stage lighting. In order to meet the need for additional ambient lighting, a higher-powered spotlight was used for the stage performance.

When Angelina Jolie was asked to elaborate on her experience of shooting at the historic opera house in Milan by Cinema Daily US, she stated, “Well, we had four hours. It was a big deal that we were allowed to have those hours, it was something we all were working towards. It was like a real performance at La Scala. We were like: two months away, one month away, one week away, are we ready for La Scala? I couldn’t believe I was there, I didn’t even feel comfortable in the dressing rooms, I was very shy on that day, what got me through was feeling that somehow this was for her and I had better do my best. I was a bit shaky, but it was so beautiful, so special.”

Elis, Greece

Additional portions of the Netflix production were also lensed in Greece’s historic region of Elis, also known as Ellis or Ilia. One of the several opera performances of Angelina Jolie in the role of Maria Callas in ‘Maria’ was also filmed in the Apollon Public Theatre at Pyrgos. Moreover, the cast and crew members reportedly also took over the famous ship called the Christina O in the town of Katakoolo. The significance of the ship is that it was once owned by Aristotle Onassis, who knew Maria personally.

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