It’s been said before that there’s nothing new under the sun, and in the entertainment industry currently, that’s never been more obvious. Remakes and sequels are coming at us in abundance – some of them better than others – leaving a strong desire for new, original stories.
Earlier this month, Netflix added a recent release to its streaming catalog that’s left many viewers satisfied, even though the story behind Anyone but You isn’t exactly original. Nevertheless, the chemistry between lead actors Ben (Glen Powell) and Bea (Sydney Sweeney), not to mention the stunning scenery throughout the romantic comedy, puts a spin on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
Where Was ‘Anyone but You’ Filmed?
In the Will Gluck-directed movie, two Americans share a meet-cute at a coffee shop that eventually leads them to an unexpectedly loving evening. The next morning, Bea gets nervous and leaves Ben’s place without saying goodbye, but after calling a friend and realizing her mistake she rushes back to talk to her potential prince charming. Unfortunately, Ben’s ego was already bruised by this point, and she caught the tail end of a negative conversation he had with someone else about their time together.
Like in any good romance, fate makes sure to bring the star-crossed lovers back together at a wedding for Bea’s sister and Ben’s friend. To make the situation even steamier, they flew to Australia to celebrate the big day, which was exciting for Gluck from a directorial standpoint. “Almost every time you shoot a movie in Sydney, you have to pretend it’s somewhere else and frame out the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. For Anyone but You, I thought, ‘Why do that?’ We actually wrote this movie 100 percent for Sydney — very specific to the destination,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“We shut down the Harbour Bridge, filmed at the Queen Victoria Building, and shot for two weeks overlooking Bondi Beach,” Gluck specified some of his favorite moments. “We spent a week on a boat in Sydney Harbour shooting a scene where they’re stranded on a buoy, but you can’t have humans in the water without a shark cage, so we had to have one the whole time.”
Queen Victoria Building
At one point in Anyone but You, Ben and his friend Pete are on a mission to collect the perfect flowers for the upcoming wedding. On their stroll, they walk past the unmissable Queen Victoria Building with its 19th-century design. On the inside of the historic location, you’ll find a five-level shopping center with fashion boutiques, jewelry stores, tasty cafes and quality restaurants.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach is a pretty spot found in the northern suburbs of Sydney, where Gluck stayed with Sweeney and Powell during filming. “Our caravans were parked right on the water; Glen, Sydney and I decided to live there the whole time. We’d shoot all day and all the crew would go home, then we’d jump in the water and have a swim, go to our trailers and have dinner sitting outside,” he told THR.
“It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, and you normally wouldn’t be allowed to sleep there. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had filming,” the Easy A director added. There’s plenty for tourists to do while visiting the area, such as kayaking, surfing and connecting with the local wildlife.
Marks Park, Bondi
The main love story in Anyone but You is between Bea and Ben, but through all their quarrels, the duo does their best to focus on the two beautiful brides – Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) and Halle (Hadley Robinson). The happy couple’s wedding scenes were filmed in Marks Park, where we got an incredible look at the Pacific Ocean that makes things even more romantic. If you visit Bondi on a normal day, you’ll find fitness stations, a public playground and shaded areas to relax and enjoy nature.
Sydney Opera House
As previously mentioned, Gluck intentionally wrote his story around the famous Sydney Opera House. One of the biggest moments when we see the hotspot is at the end of the film when Ben and Bea share a dramatic reconciliation. In what some consider to be one of the world’s most romantic spots, they had a passionate embrace before the entire cast erupts into Natasha Bedingfield’s feel-good anthem, “Unwritten.”