Naman Shrestha
Co-written and directed by John Carney, ‘Power Ballad’ is a musical comedy drama movie that chronicles the friendship and rivalry between a washed-up wedding singer named Rick and a fading boy-bond musician named Danny. When they cross each other’s paths one night, they unexpectedly bond and showcase their musical talents during a jam session in the middle of the night. Not long after, Danny uses one of Rick’s songs that he played for him that night to get his career back on track.
Furious and shocked by Danny’s betrayal, Rick embarks on a journey to earn the recognition that he deserves. However, he faces multiple hurdles along the way as he is up against the now-famous singer. Starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor, the film is set between Ireland and California, as Rick follows Danny to his concerts, house, and neighborhood to confront him about building his solo career through Rick’s song.
Power Ballad Filming Locations
Production on ‘Power Ballad’ was conducted primarily in Ireland, especially in and around Dublin. A few portions were also shot in Los Angeles, California. From what we can tell, principal photography for the Paul Rudd starrer commenced around early May 2024 and continued for more than two months before concluding in July of the same year. It is likely that the production team reunited in December 2024 for some reshoots.
Dublin, Ireland
The capital of Ireland — Dublin — served as the primary production location for ‘Power Ballad.’ The filming unit made the most of the vast and versatile landscape of the city, transforming various streets and neighborhoods across Dublin into film sets. For instance, in December 2024, Paul Rudd was spotted lensing key portions outside the Dublin Tourist Information Centre at 3 Palace Street. The cast and crew members also set up camp at Dublin Castle, located on Dame Street.
Several pivotal sequences were also reportedly taped in and around the Dundrum Town Centre on Sandyford Road in the outer suburb of Dundrum. To shoot a few scenes, the production team also traveled a bit south of Dublin to the town of Enniskerry in County Wicklow. There, they set up camp in the 47-acre Powerscourt Estate, House & Gardens, which was originally a 13th-century castle. Its garden, which is named the third-best garden in the world by National Geographic, features in numerous scenes.
During a conversation with RTE Entertainment, Paul Rudd, who portrays Rick, gave reasons why he chose to work on ‘Power Ballad,’ shooting in Ireland being one of them. He revealed, “I am such a fan of John’s and I love all of his films and I loved the idea of being able to work in Ireland, which I have done previously but never for this good, long stretch of time. I loved the script and the idea of doing something I hadn’t done before, that was a little intimidating and I wanted to give it a go.”
Los Angeles, California
Since a portion of ‘Power Ballad’ is also set in the City of Angels, the makers also utilized the iconic spots of Los Angeles to fill the visual canvas of the comedy movie. In the establishing shots, you are likely to notice multiple landmarks and buildings, including the Hollywood Sign, the Los Angeles City Hall, Wilshire Grand Center, Two California Plaza, Wells Fargo Tower, and more. Apart from the John Carney directorial, LA has hosted the production of many movies and TV shows over the years, such as ‘Whiplash,’ ‘La La Land,’ ‘Michael,’ ‘Almost Famous,’ ‘School of Rock,’ ‘Rocketman,’ ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘Daisy Jones & The Six,’ and ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles.’
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