The red carpet is rolling out in Los Angeles as the destination prepares to host the Academy Awards this weekend. Home to Hollywood, major film studios and plenty of star power, there are some iconic locations where Oscar winners and contenders were filmed. Let’s take a tour…
King Richard
A story of familial love, Academy Award hopeful King Richard tells the true story of Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard and his role in their iconic tennis careers beginning in South Los Angeles. Many of the film’s scenes were filmed in the Williams’ hometown of Compton, as well as Windsor Boulevard near Hancock Park. Visitors can also book a court at the Burbank Tennis Center where several tennis match scenes were filmed.
Licorice Pizza
Set in 1970s San Fernando Valley, quirky Oscar contender Licorice Pizza was filmed in several L.A. locations. The movie’s “Tail o’ the Cock” restaurant is based on the actual eatery in Sherman Oaks, recreated at the Van Nuys Golf Course for filming. The El Portal Theater in North Hollywood also makes an appearance in the film screening the 1973 James Bond film, Live and Let Die. Another moment in the film takes place by the radio towers in a field off Coldwater and Burbank boulevard, perfect for a casual photo op.
La La Land
Winner of six Oscars and a beloved ode to Los Angeles, La La Land includes favorite spots for both film fans and locals. Locations include Griffith Observatory, one of Los Angeles’ greatest cultural attractions where couples can experience some of the best views of the city. The Observatory has made cameos in numerous other TV shows and films, most famously in James Dean and Natalie Wood’s Rebel Without a Cause. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) also visit the historic Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles, housing a vibrant collection of traditional and modern vendors serving up global cuisine perfect for a casual date. The Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach has showcased jazz since 1949, featuring legendary jazz musicians like Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Art Blakey and Cannonball Adderley. Today the club books music from jazz to reggae and rock. The nearby Hermosa Beach Pier where the “City of Stars” scene takes place is a very popular destination for a romantic sunset.
Grease
Nominated for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award and five Golden Globes, the classic 1978 romantic movie musical Grease starring a young John Travolta and Olivia Newton John filmed in several locations around Los Angeles. The film opens with shots on one of the region’s most-filmed beaches, Leo Carrillo State Beach, where visitors can experience their own “summer fling” moments. Shots of Venice High School’s classic, Art Deco architecture in the movie have made it widely known as the face of Grease’s Rydell High. The school is home to two of the film’s most beloved musical moments, “There Are Worse Things I could Do” and “Summer Nights.”
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
Released to critical acclaim in 2019, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood swept the major award shows with three Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Screenplay as well as two Academy Awards including Brad Pitt for Best Supporting Actor. True to its name, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood featured many locations around Los Angeles including Pacific Theatres’ Cinerama Dome. The first and only theatre of its kind in the world, Cinerama opened in 1963 and has hosted more than five decades of premieres and blockbusters since. Declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1998, Tarantino’s favorite movie theatre was closed due to the pandemic with many Angelenos petitioning for its reopening in the coming year.
A Star is Born
Set in the City of Angels, A Star is Born won an Academy Award for its musical centerpiece “Shallow” performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The film is shot around the city, including The Virgil comedy spot and The Short Stop bar during Gaga and Cooper’s first date. The pair performs several times throughout the movie, filming concert scenes at iconic venues like the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, the Shrine Auditorium, the Regent Theatre and the Forum.
Pretty Woman
One of the most successful romantic comedies in history, Pretty Woman was a true blockbuster in 1990 with Richard Gere receiving a Golden Globes nomination and Julia Roberts receiving an Academy Award nomination and Golden Globes win for their performances. Several scenes take place in Beverly Hills, including the iconic shopping spree scenes on Rodeo Drive where couples can take their own shopping trip or find the perfect gift for one another. Visitors can also request the ‘Pretty Women table” for a romantic Italian dinner at the stunning Art Deco-Style restaurant Cicada, the filming location where Julia’s character famously sends escargot flying across the room at “The Voltaire” restaurant.
Singin’ in the Rain
Often hailed as the greatest musical ever made, Singin’ in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds is a lighthearted look at 1920s Hollywood receiving nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes, with O’Connor bringing home a Golden Globe for his performance as Best Actor. Filmed largely on the MGM Studio lot, now Sony Pictures Studios, Singin’ in the Rain also features the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood as the setting for the story’s silent film premiere at the beginning of the movie as well as the premiere of our protagonists’ first talkie near the end of the film. Then known as Grauman’s Chinese, this iconic setting serves as the backdrop for a key transition in Hollywood film history from silent films to sound as an integral piece of moviemaking. TCL Chinese Theatre is a wildly famous tourist attraction encapsulating Hollywood energy with the nearby Walk of Fame and dining and shopping experiences on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards.
