Here's five times Indiana University was used as a filming location
From the towering limestone of the Sample Gates to the tombstone cemetery at Beck Chapel, the beauty of Indiana University Bloomington has been featured in quite a few films, television shows and music videos over the years.
Here's five times the local campus made its way into popular culture.
"Firefly Lane" Netflix at Sample Gates (2022)
A "blink and you'll miss it" moment occurred recently on this Netflix series, though many eagle-eyed Hoosiers caught it when the episode was released in December 2022.
"Firefly Lane" is a romantic drama, based on a bestselling novel, where Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke play inseparable best friends who lean on each other through the growing pains of life. While the show is based in the Seattle area, Indiana University's iconic Sample Gates make a cameo in the second season while the characters are in an unnamed college setting. If you're a curious viewer with a Netflix account, you can see the IU landmark in season two's ninth episode, “Hart Shaped Box,” at the 18:22 minute mark.
"The Nights" by Avicii at Sample Gates (2014)
It might seem bizarre for a Swedish DJ to give screen time to a university in Indiana as part of the video for his explosive hit single, "The Nights" — until you take a closer look at the man behind the production.
The music video, which has 907 million views on YouTube, was produced, directed by, and stars Rory Kramer. Kramer is a lifelong Hoosier and IU alumnus. This video showcases his action-packed adventures and motivation to live life to the fullest extent. The video features a few locations around Indiana, including a photograph of a smiling Kramer standing outside the Sample Gates at the 2:25 minute mark.
Beyond this collaboration with Avicii, Kramer has worked closely with Justin Bieber. One of Kramer's photos is the album cover of Bieber's 2021 release "Justice."
"A Ride Back Home" by John Mellencamp at Beck Chapel (2009)
While it won't be long before his likeness is immortalized near the IU Auditorium, it wasn't so long ago that John Mellencamp commemorated the beauty of IU's campus in his own way.
Back in the late 2000s, the singer-songwriter, painter and native Hoosier shot a music video for his song "A Ride Back Home" featuring Karen Fairchild from Little Big Town at the Beck Chapel. The video includes interior shots of mourners gathered in pews as well as a rolling glimpse at the campus cemetery near the end.
"An Evening with Kevin Smith" at the IU Auditorium (2002)
Over 10 years ago, Indiana University was one of several college campuses featured on "An Evening with Kevin Smith," where the famous comedian and filmmaker discusses his films, influences and other topics in a question and answer format. About 3,200 people attended the Bloomington performance.
In a particularly memorable moment of the special, an attendee shares how he was let go from his job at a local Italian restaurant because he wanted to attend the show. Smith invites the attendee on stage and calls his boss right then and there, but alas, a celebrity endorsement over the phone was not enough to get the attendee re-hired.
"Breaking Away" at the Indiana Memorial Union (1979)
Of course, no list about IU's place in the popular culture lexicon would be complete without the enduring coming-of-age classic, "Breaking Away." The film follows a Bloomington teenager with a slight obsession for Italian cycling as he contemplates his life ambitions and bucks against a group of upper-class college students.
It was filmed in town, so the movie features several visual references to Bloomington and the IU campus, but none more iconic than the fight scene shot at the Indiana Memorial Union. If you're looking to remember what the campus looked like over 40 years ago, consider a rewatch.
Reach Rachel Smith at rksmith@heraldt.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Here's a list of times when Bloomington, Hollywood have crossed paths
