The romantic comedy "Anyone but You" led many viewers to wonder where the film was actually shot. Its sun-drenched streets and scenic harbor shots give the impression of an exotic location, but the production used a combination of studio sets and real international sites to create the illusion.
This overview breaks down the shooting locations by country, city, and specific venue, highlighting how production design and on-location filming shaped the movie’s warm, cinematic look. The following details will help you understand where the magic was really made.
| Country | City | Primary Location | Key Scenes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Sydney | Sydney Opera House & Harbour | Prologue meet-cute and harbor walk sequence |
| Australia | Melbourne | Docklands & Street Markets | Café confrontation and apartment block scenes |
| USA | Los Angeles | Studio backlots & sound stages | Interior home and office environments |
| USA | New York | Urban street blocks & brownstone fronts | Christmas market and finale street shots |
| UK | London | Pinewood Studios & minor on-location picks | Controlled sets requiring weather overlays |
Filming in Sydney Australia
Many of the sunlit exterior sequences were shot in Sydney to capture the harbor’s natural glow. The production team secured permits around the Opera House and along the waterfront, allowing the leads to stroll past recognizable landmarks. These segments were scheduled early in the morning to control crowd levels and light consistency.
Urban Scenes in Melbourne
Melbourne’s laneways and arcades provided the narrow, dramatic streets needed for tension and chase moments. Local businesses temporarily closed to accommodate camera rigs and lighting rigs, while crews maintained strict noise regulations. The blend of brick architecture and café signage helped establish the city-specific flavor without relying on heavy exposition.
Studio Work in Los Angeles and New York
To control budget and weather variables, key interior dialogue scenes were built on soundstages in Los Angeles. Detailed apartment layouts were recreated with adjustable lighting so that time-of-day shifts could be achieved in a single shoot. In New York, street-level shots of markets and snowy corners were captured with mobile rigs to keep continuity tight across weather conditions.
Production Design and Location Integration
Although many sequences relied on authentic streets, the art department enhanced locations with subtle props and signage. Color grading tied Sydney’s warm tones to New York’s cooler segments, smoothing transitions between countries. This hybrid approach gave the film a cohesive look while still leveraging real world textures and depth.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
- Sydney provided the iconic outdoor visuals that define the film’s warm tone.
- Melbourne’s urban textures added realism to conflict and chase scenes.
- Los Angeles studios enabled controlled interiors regardless of external weather.
- New York segments blended real street shooting with seasonal set dressing.
- Careful color grading tied diverse locations into a single narrative world.
FAQ
Reader questions
Which real city looks most like the movie’s romantic setting?
Sydney serves as the primary visual stand-in for the movie’s romantic setting, with its harbor and skyline framing most of the dreamlike meet-cute sequences.
Were any interior shots taken in London or the UK?
Limited UK footage was used for plate shots and background plates, but most intimate interior scenes were recreated in Los Angeles studios to manage scheduling and lighting.
How did the production handle weather differences between locations?
Shoot schedules were staggered, with sunny Sydney days booked first, followed by Melbourne’s milder seasons, then studio time in Los Angeles to avoid rain delays entirely. Yes, the lead actors filmed the harbor walk and café sequences on location in Sydney during early morning hours to maintain continuity and natural lighting.