These 16 television shows, movies are set in Missouri — but were they filmed here?
Seven years ago, Netflix released a drama series about a Midwest family working for a Mexican drug cartel, set at the Lake of the Ozarks. The four-season series was released through 2022 and quickly gained a cult-like following. But the series also stirred discussion about its inaccurate portrayal of mid-Missouri life.
Starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, Netflix's "Ozark" is a crime television drama about a financial advisor (Bateman) moving his family from Chicago to the Lake of the Ozarks in order to launder $500 million in five years to appease the boss of a Mexican drug cartel. Created by screenwriter Bill Dubuque — known for "The Accountant" series, "A Family Man" and "The Judge" — the series won four Primetime Emmy Awards throughout its run.
The majority of the series is set in the dark, ominous Ozarks, but critics didn't hesitate to point out that hardly any of the episodes were filmed in Missouri. The majority of the series was filmed in Georgia, according to IMDb. As for the lake scenes, most of these were filmed at Lake Allatoona, a reservoir similarly shaped to the Lake of the Ozarks about 45 minutes northwest of Atlanta.
In recent years, "Ozark" may have been at the top of people's minds when it came to how Missouri was showcased by Hollywood, but there have been several other award-winning television shows and movies set in the Show Me State — some of which, like "Ozark" weren't actually filmed here.
"Christmas Vintage"
Released just last year, "Christmas Vintage" is about Samantha Hermannhof (played by Karlee Eldridge) returning to her hometown to help her sister during the holidays. Hermannhof soon discovers that her sister cannot date the man she is interested in unless she attracts and dates the unpleasant Parker Williams (Ignacyo Matynia), an owner of a local winery. Nearly all of "Christmas Vintage" was filmed in Hermann, according to the Visit Hermann, MO website.
Where to watch? "Christmas Vintage" can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Tubi.
"The Act"
Resurfacing in recent months following the prison release of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Hulu's original series, "The Act" is set in Springfield. However, none of the two-season series was filmed in Springfield.
The entirety of "The Act" was filmed in Georgia, according to IMDb. Scenes set in the Battlefield Mall were filmed inside the Savannah Mall in Savannah and scenes set in the Greene County Courthouse were filmed in the Bryan County Courthouse in Pembroke. As for the Blanchards' notable house with its pink siding, the cast and crew filmed at a home in a cul-de-sac on Spillway Court in Rincon.
Starring Joey King as Gypsy Rose, Patricia Arquette as Dee Dee Blanchard and Calum Worthy as Nick Godejohn, "The Act" is a biological drama about Gypsy's story from moving to Springfield to her arrest in 2015. The series was released in 2019.
More: Gypsy Rose has been busy. Here are 7 things we've learned from recent media appearances
In December, Gypsy was released from the Chillicothe Correctional Center after serving eight of her 10-year sentence for conspiring with Godejohn to kill Dee Dee, who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Godejohn remains incarcerated at the Potosi Correctional Center.
Where to watch? "The Act" can be streamed on Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Apple TV.
"Sharp Objects"
Set in the fictional town of Wind Gap, Missouri, "Sharp Objects" is an eight-episode series that follows Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), who returns to her hometown to investigate two unsolved murders. An alcoholic newspaper reporter, Preaker finds herself back under the glaring eyes of her mother, a small-town socialite, which forces her to work through some internal demons. The series, released in 2018, is based on Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name and was nominated for eight Primetime Emmys in 2019.
Despite taking place in Missouri, filming for "Sharp Objects" was split between Barnesville, Georgia and various locations in California, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Sharp Objects" can be streamed on Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Max.
"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Despite being set in Missouri, as indicated by the film's name, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" was filmed entirely in North Carolina, according to IMDb. Ebbing is a fictional town.
The 2017 crime drama tells the story of a mother challenging local law enforcement to solve her daughter's murder case when they fail to catch the culprit. The movie stars Frances McDormand as the mother, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson. It received two Oscars in 2018 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (McDormand) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Rockwell).
Where to watch? "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" can be streamed on Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
"American Honey"
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Sasha Lane and Riley Keough, "American Honey" follows a girl named Star (Lane), who runs away from home and begins living and working with a crew of traveling magazine salespeople. Released in 2016, the drama was written and directed by Andrea Arnold.
Set in several rural Midwest towns, parts of the movie were filmed in Kansas City, Missouri, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "American Honey" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, Apple TV and Max.
"Gone Girl"
Based on the 2012 crime thriller by Gillian Flynn, "Gone Girl" follows Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) getting wrapped up as a prime suspect for the disappearance of his wife, Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). Under the pressure of media and law enforcement, Nick begins to crumble, exposing the Dunnes' true life.
Released in 2014 and directed by David Fincher — known for "Fight Club," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Social Network" — "Gone Girl" is set in Carthage. However, the majority of the movie was filmed in Cape Girardeau, according to IMDb. Specific scenes were featured at The Bar in downtown Cape Girardeau, which is now closed, the Common Pleas Courthouse and several houses throughout the city, including the Dunnes'.
The year of its release, "Gone Girl" received one Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Pike).
Where to watch? "Gone Girl" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Disney+ and Max.
"Switched at Birth"
"Switched at Birth" the five-season series starring Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano and Constance Marie, is set in Kansas City, Missouri. The series follows two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments; one in a wealthy suburb and the other in a working-class neighborhood. The series debuted in 2011 and ran through 2017.
Despite being set in the Kansas City metropolitan area, "Switched at Birth" was filmed entirely in California, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Switched at Birth" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple TV and YouTube.
"Winter's Bone"
Considered Jennifer Lawrence's breakout role, the 2010 thriller "Winter's Bone" was filmed entirely in the Missouri Ozarks, which did not go unnoticed by media outlets and locals. Sticking true to its roots, the film, which was directed by Debra Granik, is based on a novel written by Springfield native Daniel Woodrell. The story follows a 17-year-old Ozarks girl (Lawrence) hunting for her drug-dealing father, all while trying to keep her family intact.
"Winter's Bone" was shot in Forsyth, Branson and a few other rural areas around Taney and Christian counties, according to IMDb. In addition to the local setting, several of the film's actors were from the Ozarks.
"Winter's Bone" received four Oscar nominations the year of its release, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Lawrence), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (John Hawkes) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Granik).
Where to watch? "Winter's Bone" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, Apple TV and Max.
"Up in the Air"
Starring George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman and J. K. Simmons "Up in the Air," is a story about Ryan Bingham (Clooney), a man who enjoys traveling across the country, living out of his suitcase. But his lifestyle is soon uprooted by the presence of a potential love interest. "Up in the Air" was nominated for six Oscars in 2010.
Filmed in various locations across the country, a few scenes of "Up in the Air" were filmed in St. Louis, including at the Cheshire Inn (now The Cheshire) and St. Louis Lambert International Airport, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Up in the Air" can be streamed on YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
"Waiting for Guffman"
A 1996 mockumentary comedy, "Waiting for Guffman" is about an aspiring director gathering an amateur cast of small town folk to participate in a local musical production. The movie features writer and director Christopher Guest, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard and co-writer Eugene Levy.
"Waiting for Guffman" is set in the fictional town of Blaine, Missouri, but the movie was largely filmed in Texas, according to IMDb, with a few scenes in Los Angeles.
Where to watch? "Waiting for Guffman" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Tubi.
"Road House"
Starring Patrick Swayze, Sam Elliott and Kelly Lynch, the 1989 action movie "Road House" is set entirely in Jasper, a small town about one hour west of Springfield. But none of the movie was filmed in Missouri. According to IMDb, the rural town depicted in "Road House" was actually filmed in California.
"Road House" tells the story of professional bouncer James Dalton (Swayze) who moves from New York City to Jasper to take over security at a club called Double Deuce. The club is full of poor behavior, theft and drug dealing, which Dalton is determined to right.
It was recently announced that a new "Road House" movie, inspired by the '89 classic, will premiere in March. The new movie follows Dalton (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), an ex-UFC fighter, who takes a job at a Florida Keys roadhouse. The film will be released to Amazon Prime on March 21.
Where to watch? "Road House" can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Max, YouTube, Hulu and Apple TV.
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"
In the 1987 classic, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," Neal Page (played by Steve Martin) is a Chicago advertising executive struggling to get home from New York for Thanksgiving. His only companion is the high-strung salesman Del Griffith (played by John Candy).
An unfortunate blizzard diverts Page and Griffith's plane from New York and Chicago to Wichita, Kansas. In hopes of returning home on time, the two board a train, which breaks down near Jefferson City, before traveling by bus to St. Louis. From St. Louis, the two drive in a rental car the remainder of the way to Chicago, with a few misadventures, of course.
Although much of Page and Griffith's time in Missouri was filmed elsewhere, the cast and crew did film at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
"National Lampoon's Vacation"
In the first 1985 film of the "National Lampoon's Vacation" franchise, the Grisworld family makes a detour to St. Louis, passing by the Arch and stopping in East St. Louis, where the hubcaps of the family car are snatched.
While footage of the St. Louis Arch was filmed in the city, the scene of the Grisworlds rolling into East. St. Louis was actually filmed on a Hollywood studio backlot, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Where to watch? "National Lampoon's Vacation" can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
"Paper Moon"
The 1973 comedy "Paper Moon" is about con man Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal) taking on care of 9-year-old Addie Loggins (Tatum O'Neal) during the Great Depression. The O'Neals are a true father-daughter pair in real life, which is reflected in the movie. Tatum received the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role as Addie in 1974.
The majority of "Paper Moon" was filmed in Kansas, but a few scenes were filmed in St. Joseph, including inside the St. Charles Hotel (now The Charles Bed & Breakfast) and the former Missouri Valley Trust Co. Bank, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Paper Moon" can be steamed on Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, Apple TV and Max.
"Meet Me in St. Louis"
Rounding out the list as the oldest movie, "Meet Me in St. Louis," starring Judy Garland, was released in 1944. The Christmas musical is divided into a series of vignettes about the Smith family who live in St. Louis, starting the year before the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair. Margaret O'Brien, who played "Tootie" Smith, received the Oscar for Outstanding Child Actress for her role in 1944.
Though set in St. Louis, "Meet Me in St. Louis" was filmed entirely in California, according to IMDb.
Where to watch? "Meet Me in St. Louis" can be streamed on Hulu, Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Note: There have been countless television shows and movies set and filmed in Missouri. This list is not exhaustive.
Why are so many television shows, movies filmed in Georgia?
The state of Georgia is a popular place for production companies to film both movies and television shows due to an extensive list of incentives. Production companies are able to apply for a minimum of $500,000 annually for feature films, television series, pilots, televised commercials and music videos, according to the Explore Georgia website.
Other incentives include a 20% base transferable tax credit and 10% Georgia Entertainment Promotion uplift for projects with the Georgia logo embedded, according to the Explore Georgia website. Fees for developments costs, promotion, marketing and story rights also do not qualify for approved projects.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 16 TV shows, movies set in Missouri — and not all were filmed here
