Naman Shrestha
Directed by Andrew Dosunmu, Netflix’s ‘Beauty’ is a romantic drama movie that revolves around the titular character — a young and gifted singer on the verge of breaking out and becoming something big. When Beauty receives a ridiculous recording contract, she finds it difficult to maintain her voice and identity as her family is not quite supportive of her choices. However, her devoted girlfriend, Jasmine, supports her every step of the way. After signing her first contract, Beauty faces the harsh realities of stardom, especially for a queer Black woman such as herself in the 1980s.
Through its dramatic portrayal of show business, the LGBTQ+ drama film gives the viewers a glimpse into the world of glitz and glamor and all the other things that accompany fame. By highlighting a story of love, familial pressures, and identity crisis, the movie keeps you hooked on its narrative from the beginning to the end. At the same time, the interesting use of different backdrops makes you curious to know about the real-life sites that appear on-screen. Well, don’t worry, as we have all the information about the same!
Beauty Filming Locations
‘Beauty’ was filmed in California and New Jersey, particularly in Los Angeles, Passaic County, and Bergen County. Principal photography seemingly took place in October and November 2019. Popularly known as the Golden State, California is known for its vast and diverse landscape, making it a suitable production site for embodying different locations across the world as well as timelines.
Meanwhile, New Jersey AKA the Garden State is also quickly gaining popularity as a production hub for movies and TV shows, given the handsome tax incentives for filming. Now, let’s navigate through the specific locations showcased in the romance drama!
Los Angeles, California
‘Beauty’ was significantly filmed in and around Los Angeles, a major city in southern California. The production supposedly traveled across the sprawling city to record all the interior and exterior shots against suitable backdrops. The City of Angels is widely famous for its lavish private residences, posh neighborhoods, gorgeous beaches, and bustling downtown. In addition, the city houses several attractions and landmarks that regularly feature in filming projects, like Elysian Park, Millennium Biltmore Hotel, and The Hotel Rosslyn Annex.
Apart from all the tourist attractions, Los Angeles is also known for its connection to the television industry due to the presence of many major film studios and record labels within the city’s vicinity. When it comes to the production studios, they are so well-advanced that they can create almost any film set, be it a town or city in the US itself or a foreign location. Movies and TV shows like ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood,’ and ‘Barry‘ have all been taped in Los Angeles.
Passaic County, New Jersey
Since the movie is originally set in 1980s New Jersey, the cast and crew lensed pivotal portions in Hawthorne, a township in Passaic County. Several scenes were recorded near the Hawthorne Memorial Pool, a sprawling public swimming pool located at 32 May Street. Additional filming took place around the Tuxedo and Grand avenues, and all the locations were decked to replicate the era the narrative depicts. Named after noted novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, the borough was initially a part of Manchester Township but was incorporated in 1898.
Bergen County, New Jersey
Some scenes were taped in Lyndhurst, a township in Bergen County, which is the most populous county in the state. While in town, the production team was spotted shooting sequences in and around Flo’s Hair Design, a unisex salon at 305 Valley Brook Avenue. Furthermore, some shots were recorded at the intersection of the Tontine and Stuyvesant avenues. Apart from ‘Beauty,’ Lyndhurst has hosted several productions, such as the TV shows ‘The Sopranos‘ and ‘The Plot Against America.’
Read More: Is Beauty a True Story? Is it Based on Whitney Houston?
