Naman Shrestha
Based on Philippa Gregory’s 2001 eponymous novel, ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ is a 2008 period romantic drama movie set in the 16th Century. Helmed by Justin Chadwick, it follows King Henry VIII and two sisters — Mary Boleyn and Anne Boleyn — who compete against one another for the love of the handsome and passionate monarch. Even though Anne is the first to seduce him, he is attracted to Mary and impregnates her instead.
This forces Anne to betray her own sister and get back what she thinks should be hers. Starring some of the notable names in the industry, including Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess, and Kristin Scott Thomas, the historical drama movie is a sensual tale of betrayal and romance that keeps the viewers invested from the beginning to the end. Moreover, the setting of the 16th Century against the backdrop of massive castles and halls makes one wonder where ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ was shot.
The Other Boleyn Girl Filming Locations
‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ was filmed in England, specifically in Kent, Derbyshire, London, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Cornwall, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. As per reports, the principal photography for the Scarlett Johansson starrer commenced in late September 2006 and wrapped up in December of the same year. The filming unit returned to shoot some additional portions in late August 2007 for three weeks until September. Now, without further ado, let’s look at all the specific sites that feature in this romantic drama movie!
Kent, England
Many pivotal sequences for ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ were lensed in Kent, England’s fifth most populous county. The Knole House in Sevenoaks served as one of the primary filming sites, as it was used to shoot many London night scenes while its inner courtyard doubled for the entrance of Whitehall Palace. Moreover, the production team utilized the premises of Penshurst Place, near Penshurst, to make it stand in for the interiors and exteriors of the Whitehall Palace. As for the Tower of London, scenes were recorded in and around Dover Castle on Castle Hill Road.
Derbyshire, England
The cast and crew of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ also set up camp in Derbyshire, a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in England’s East Midlands region. Haddon Hall in Bakewell was utilized to tape the interior scenes of Hever Castle. Besides, the upland area of the Peak District can be spotted in the backdrop of several scenes. Apart from that, the valleys of Cave Dale and Dovedale, and North Lees Hall near Hathersage, all in the Peak District, served as important recording locations for the movie.
London, England
Several key portions of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ were shot in London, the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. The trial scene of Queen Catherine, the wedding scene between Anne and the King, and her subsequent trial scene were all lensed in the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew The Great on West Smithfield in Barbican.
Other Locations in England
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ traveled to various other locations in England. The Great Chalfield Manor and the Chapter House in Lacock Abbey, both in Wiltshire, feature in numerous scenes. They also set up camp in multiple other sites in England, including Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, The Great Hall in Berkshire’s Windsor, Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire’s Berkeley, Bath in Somerset, Bude in Cornwall, and the Bolebroke Castle in East Sussex’s Hartfield.
In addition, the cast and crew members of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ utilized the facilities of two film studios — Elstree Studios on Shenley Road in Hertfordshire’s Borehamwood and Pinewood Studios on Pinewood Road in Buckinghamshire’s Iver. The former comprises nine film and TV stages, a spacious backlot, workshops, production offices, make-up rooms, and dressing rooms.
On the other hand, Pinewood Studios is home to the legendary 007 stage along with 23 more stages, 3 TV studios, and thousands of square feet of production office space and workshop space. Thus, all these amenities make both film studios suitable production locations for all kinds of movies, including ‘The Other Boleyn Girl.’
