Shubhabrata Dutta
Created by Jonathan Tropper, Apple TV+’s ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ is a black comedy drama series that centers on hedge fund manager Andrew Cooper. Residing in the affluent town of Westmont Village, he has all that a man dreams of: a family, a loving wife, kids, and a lot of money to care for them all. This, however, is until he loses it all. He discovers his wife’s infidelity, and he gets fired around the same time, both of which estrange him, especially emotionally, from his kids.
Realizing just how fake the so-called values of his society are, he turns to petty theft, stealing valuables from the houses of his “friends and neighbors,” letting his hatred and cynicism towards the high-class pretense take shape. Also, he has to make money somehow, right? What he doesn’t expect is the drama it gets him into, one packed with dark secrets that seemingly serve as the base of the filthy-rich smiles. Obviously, in order to showcase the luxury and glamor that Cooper was once a part of but distances himself from, it was essential to give shape to a cushy and shiny society. This led the production crew to use settings and backdrops that helped emphasize the upscale nature of Westmont Village.
Your Friends & Neighbors Filming Locations
‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ was filmed extensively in the Hudson Valley and partly in New York City. Principal photography began in early April 2024 and wrapped in mid-August of the same year. The team took immense care in opting for backdrops that addressed the show’s rich aesthetic while ensuring they played a part in the narrative, almost becoming secondary characters in the plot. From gorgeous outdoor locations to stylish indoor sets, ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ is replete with opulent visuals, one of its core aspects.
Hudson Valley, New York
Located in Westchester County in the state of New York, Hudson Valley is the primary filming location for the show. It doubled as the fictional Westmont Village, home of our protagonist, Andrew Cooper. Known for its lush greenery and modern architecture, it proved to be apt for a show that relies, in part, on the setting. The production team scouted various backdrops, including the grand estates, small towns, roads, and marketplaces, used to address the elegance and luxury Cooper finds himself stuck in, indoors and outdoors. They reportedly worked with local historians to keep things real and versatile, both in terms of narrative and showcasing the region’s charm. The Hudson Valley is a part of New York State’s Tech Valley, owing to its high-tech ecosystem. This adds another layer of modernism to the show.
The scenes of the characters playing golf were captured at the historic 140-room Woodlea mansion in Briarcliff Manor, a suburban village in Westchester County. Located at 777 Albany Post Road, the mansion, with its 338 acres of lush green field, served as a perfect posh setting for rich people’s leisure time. The construction of the building was completed in 1895 and was the 15th largest private house in America at the time. It was made for Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard, a member of the aristocratic Vanderbilt family that gained prominence during the Gilded Age. It currently serves as a clubhouse for the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. The use of this location highlights the narrative’s tone and adds realism to the show itself.
A handful of outdoor scenes were shot in the coastal city of Rye. With a mix of traditional and modern architecture, the location is as a perfect fit to stress the elegance involved in the story. For the purpose of filming, the team also utilized several avenues on Purchase Street. In particular, Water Moon restaurant at 66, known for its Chinese and Japanese cuisine, doubled up as a backdrop for a sequence. Not far from that, the popular French specialty food store June & Ho (at 70) and the Rye branch of Webster Bank (at 72) can also be spotted in the background. In addition to these, the amusement park called Playland or Rye Playland at 1 Playland Pkwy is also where a few scenes were lensed. For decades, the 280-acre park has served as an iconic destination for all things fun for the residents of the area.
Harrison, New York
A few spots in the suburb of Harrison, namely the rich communities of Purchase and West Harrison, were used to underscore the affluent society the show revolves around. The expensive homes and elite suburban settings all contributed to the narrative. For the uninitiated, legend has it that in 1965, a guy named John Harrison bought as much land as he could cover on horseback in one day from a Native American chief named Pathungo. Interestingly, this is where Purchase gets its name from.
New York City, New York
Filming also took place in New York City, especially the streets of Upper Manhattan. Jon Hamm’s Andrew Cooper is a hedge fund manager, and it makes sense for the production team to use an upscale New York location with expensive neighborhoods to capture scenes of Cooper’s job life. New York City is also home to many film studios, which enabled the production team to make use of and build sets for indoor shoots. Many such shoots took place in Midtown Manhattan, especially within the modern spaces of the CBS Studio Building at 49 East 52nd Street. The boroughs of Queens and the Bronx and the suburbs of New Rochelle and White Plains were also used to establish a sense of urbanism and a fast-paced lifestyle.
New Jersey
The cast and crew of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ also visited some towns in New Jersey in the northeastern part of the country. A nearly 2-hour drive from New York, The Garden State provided the team with a few spots that complemented the tone of the Apple TV+ production. Touted as the “most urbanized state” in the nation, New Jersey has also emerged as a popular filming hub mostly due to its diverse landscape — ranging from natural spots such as beaches and forests to locations bearing rich historical significance, lucrative tax incentives, first-rate production facilities, as well as the availability of experienced technicians and talents. Over the years, many sites in the state have been utilized for the shooting of numerous movies and shows, such as ‘Severance,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,’ ‘Sex and the City,’ as well as ‘Catch Me If You Can.’
Read More: Where is Apple TV+’s The Studio Filmed?
