We’ve all done it–strutted down the sidewalks of NYC feeling effortlessly chic and imagining ourselves as the star of a TV show, essentially having our main character moment. And, judging by the amount of times NYC has served as the backdrop to movies and TV shows, we’d like to tell ourselves that having those moments aren’t actually that far-fetched!
Time and time again New York City dominates the cinematic landscape, and with all its iconic locations it’s not hard to see why. But, at the end of the day some locations definitely stand out more than others.
HawaiianIslands.com analyzed IMDb data to identify the most-filmed locations around the world in each state, and NYC was mentioned quite a few times!
If visions of NYC’s gorgeous Central Park immediately are flashing through your brain, you’re definitely on to something–Central Park takes the title of America’s most uniquely popular filming location for musical movies and TV shows.
Considering this 843 acre park looks gorgeous in any season–whether its fall foliage is peaking or its cherry blossoms are blooming–there’s endless beauty to be found and filmed there.
But Central Park isn’t NYC’s only location that finds itself on the big screen. Here are some of NYC’s other most-filmed locations:
When looking at the locations that are used for a particular genre at a higher rate than others, NYC ranks in with the following:
- Park Avenue, Manhattan – comedy
- Rockefeller Center, Manhattan – romance
- Clinton Diner, Queens – drama and mystery
As for America’s number one sports stadium movie star, would you be surprised if we told you that title belongs to Madison Square Garden? Do memories of Space Jam’s scene of alien Nerdlucks checking out an NBA game at MSG ring any bells?
But MSG isn’t NYC’s only go-to stadium in the cinema world. Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium have also seen their fair share of movie star fame.
And don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about all of the city’s iconic museums.
The Met, the Museum of Natural History, The Guggenheim, and The MoMA have all received stardom with 27 movie and TV credits, 21 credits, 20 credits, and 17 credits, respectively.
Lastly, we can’t forget about the city’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Terminal, and Lincoln Center, which take the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots respectively as the top 10 most filmed American buildings.
So, next time you’re watching a movie be sure to keep your eyes peeled–there’s a pretty good chance you may catch a glimpse of our beloved city in the background, beautiful streets and all!
The full study can be found on their website here.