Naman Shrestha
Based on Judy Blume’s eponymous 1970 novel, ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ is a period coming-of-age movie written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. It stars Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, an 11-year-old girl whose regular life is uprooted when she moves cities with her family. Now, she must settle into the new place and new school while navigating the struggles of puberty along with her new friends. Margaret finds comfort in her mother, Barbara, who also struggles to adjust to their new life outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, and her loving grandmother Sylvia, who never fails to remind them of how unhappy she is that they moved away.
Meanwhile, Margaret also embarks on a quest to discover her religious identity, as her parents share different faiths — Christianity and Judaism. Apart from Abby Ryder Fortson, the comedy-drama movie stars some of the popular names in Hollywood, including Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham, and Echo Kellum, and unfolds in the 1970s in New York City and then transitions into the suburbs of New Jersey as Margaret and Barbara begin afresh. So, if you want to find out where ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ was shot, you might be interested in what we have to share about the same!
Was Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Filming Locations
‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ was filmed in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, and New Jersey, particularly in Charlotte, Cabarrus County, Gaston County, Union County, Hickory, York, and New York City. As per reports, the principal photography for the drama movie commenced in early April 2021 and wrapped up in late June of the same year. So, without wasting time, let’s follow Margaret on her transformative journey and navigate through all the specific locations that appear in the Rachel McAdams starrer!
Charlotte, North Carolina
The production team of ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ set up camp in the city of Charlotte and redecorated various local sites to make it stand in for the 1960s and 1970s New York City and New Jersey. For instance, the neighborhood of Foxcroft doubled for the family’s 1960 neighborhood. You also get a glimpse of the historical Elevate at Tryon building at 508 North Tryon Street in Charlotte. Many key exterior scenes were also lensed around Park Road and Cloverhound Office at 501 North Church Street.
Cabarrus County, North Carolina
Several pivotal sequences for ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ were taped in North Carolina’s Cabarrus County, including the scene where the Simons are seen leaving NYC, and Sylvia is waving them goodbye. This particular portion was reportedly shot around Beauty Bar Concord at 56 Union Street South in the city of Concord. Situated in both Cabarrus and Rowan counties, the city of Kannapolis also features in the comedy-drama movie.
Other Locations in North Carolina
To record additional portions for ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.,’ the filming unit traveled to numerous other locations across North Carolina, such as Gaston County. Furthermore, the locales of Union County, especially those of the city of Monroe, feature in quite a few scenes of the Kelly Fremon Craig directorial. Hickory is yet another city that served as a filming site for the movie.
York, South Carolina
The scenes involving Margaret’s elementary school were shot in and around McCelvey Center at 212 East Jefferson Street # A in the city of York, which is also the county seat of the eponymous county. The city is home to several historical sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Allison Plantation, Hart House, Wilson House, Witherspoon-Hunter House, and York County Courthouse.
New York City, New York
Since a small portion of the drama movie is based in New York City, it only makes sense that the cast and crew members shot a few scenes, mostly exteriors, on location in the Big Apple. The iconic skyscraper-filled cityscape and a few popular destinations are likely featured in the movie. Some are the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, and Central Park.
New Jersey
Given that most of the story takes place in the suburbs of New Jersey, the production team reportedly taped some exterior scenes on location in the Garden State. Over the years, it has become a prominent production location for different film projects. In fact, besides ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ it has served as a filming site for ‘The Royal Tenenbaums,’ ‘As Good as It Gets,’ and ‘She Hate Me.’
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