If you’ve always lived in Pittsburgh, it’s no surprise that we’re becoming a hot spot for the filming of Hollywood movies. With our dreary skies, unique architecture, and an overabundance of row houses, the city has attracted the likes of directors Chris Nolan, Antoine Fuqua, and Alex Zamm. If you’re not familiar with the flicks filmed in the Hollywood of the east, check out our list.
Concussion:
This film is not set to release until Christmas Day, but the trailer alone shows iconic images of Heinz Field, the Hot Metal Bridge, and Cupples Stadium in the Southside. Displaying suspense at its finest, we are patiently awaiting the release of sports thriller drama.
Me, Earl and the Dying Girl:
Following the journey of two young men and their quest to make a film for their dying friend Rachel, Me, Earl and the Dying Girl’s crew took over the old Schenley High School for much of the movie. The writer and producer Jesse Andrews grew up in Point Breeze, so filming this intimate movie in his hometown was a no brainer.
If you were in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2014 we’re sure you seen the crew of Southpaw turn the businesses of Brownsville Road in Carrick into New York bodegas. The filmed starred powerhouse actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, 50 Cent, and Rachel McAdams.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower:
The film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower was shot all over the Pittsburgh area, but mostly in the South Hills suburbs. Its star filled cast included Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Paul Rudd and many more. If you really want to have your own Charlie moment, you can check out Hollywood Theatres in Dormont for a late night showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
In 2012, Pittsburgh got a full dose of Tom Cruise and the madness that came along with his film Jack Reacher. Filming went on all over the city, making the Strip District look pretty rough in Reacher’s first fight of the movie.
Pittsburgh easily resembled Gotham City, so it only made sense for director Christopher Nolan to choose our town. The bat symbol was displayed on the Highmark building in downtown even though there was no heist underway. The Steelers own Hines Ward was given a role in the film as a running back during the stadium explosion scene at Heinz Field.
The old Mellon Arena lives on through the film, She’s Out of My League. The main character, Kirk, works at Pittsburgh International Airport and even attends a Penguins game at what once was the Mellon Arena. Entertainment and a little bit of Burgh history all in one film.
The Adventureland that director Greg Mottola once worked at as a teen is now updated, so the next best old-school amusement park that he could find was Pittsburgh’s own Kennywood Park. Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg are painfully awkward in this summer romance film that captures classic rides at Kennywood like the Music Express and the Jack Rabbit.
Jake Gyllenhaal made an appearance in Pittsburgh before he filmed Southpaw in the film, Love & Other Drugs. Along with co-star Ann Hathaway, the two shot scenes all over the Burgh from the suburbs of McCandless to the flats of Southside.
“It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again,” is one of the most memorable lines in Silence of the Lambs. Even though Buffalo Bill’s skin dungeon wasn’t filmed in Pittsburgh many other iconic scenes were. Lectar was held in Soldiers & Sailors Museum and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History is where Clarice brings her insect sample.