Where Was True Lies Filmed? Arnold’s Famous Action Thriller Flick From 1994!!

If you like watching incredibly entertaining films from the ‘90s, then continue to read this article. As, today I’m going to acquaint you with the famous action thriller flick, True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Plus, later in this article, I’ll also let you in on where was True Lies filmed.

The iconic American action film, True Lies released in 1994 was actually inspired by a French action-comedy movie, La Totale! However, James Cameron, in his rendition of the film, deviated from the concept of the original story and introduced new elements to the narrative. The basic premise of True Lies is centered around Harry, an undercover anti-terrorist special agent. The lead actor is forced to deal with personal issues while carrying out covert strikes to bring down an international terrorist organization.

True Lies was a blockbuster hit. This iconic action film, grossed over $378 million in worldwide collections, against a production budget of $120 million. The makers were more than satisfied with the commercial performance of the film and were overjoyed with the positive response from the critics, as well. This action thriller film won a number of awards over the years, and also received a prestigious nomination at the Oscars.

So, without further ado, let’s explore where was True Lies filmed so that you can take a closer look at the filming locations. Plus, as promised before, I’ll also give you a brief overview of this exciting film.

Where Was True Lies Filmed? Let’s Know This Action Thriller Flick Closely!

The makers of True Lies initially decided to shoot the entire film in Germany, as the production budget was enough to sustain filming there. But, when the production members approached the German government to acquire shooting permission, they were reportedly turned down. 

Naturally, the makers were disappointed with this ordeal, but soon they arrived at a mutual decision to shoot the whole film in America. A special group was then formed, which scouted several locations across different potential filming locations in the US. 

Then, finally, Cameron agreed to shoot his film in Florida, Washington and California. Important to mention that the majority of the filming of True Lies took place in and around California, whereas some pivotal sequences were filmed in Miami and Washington.

The principal photography began in the last week of August 1993 and stretched till the end of March 1994. The filming schedule was apparently delayed for a number of reasons that we’d discuss further. For now, let’s discuss where was True Lies filmed in-depth, and find out more about the specific shooting sites.

California | USA

The opening sequence of the movie was filmed inside a commercial complex in Los Angeles. The production members acquired shooting permission from the owners of The Brewery Artists Lofts, located at 1920 Loft North Main St before shooting the interior sequences inside the complex. The scenes where we see Harry performing his covert day job were all filmed here.

Other pivotal sequences in Los Angeles were inside a medium-sized apartment located at 678 South Avenue 21. The production members turned around the overall decor of the apartment to give it a homely look. Interior sequences depicting the family life of Harry and his wife were then captured inside this property. A considerable amount of time and budget was spent on renovating this house.

Additional sequences in California were captured inside Henry Ripening & Distribution Center, after which the production members moved to the next filming location to shoot the remaining sequences of the film.

Washington, Florida | USA

The second half of True Lies was partly filmed in and around the state of Washington. The sequence where we see Helen meeting her lover for the first time was captured inside an eatery in Chinatown, District of Columbia.  Other pivotal outdoor sequences, depicting the mall and the chase scenes in the film, were shot in Georgetown, Washington. 

The production members then moved to Miami to film the final third of the movie. The scenes where we see the lead actor heroically saving his daughter from the terrorists were captured inside a building located at 1200 Brickell Avenue, Miami. 

The final sequence of the film was filmed on Seven Miles Bridge in the Florida Keys. The remaining interior sequences of the movie were then filmed inside Greenwich Studios, located at 12100 Ivan Tors Boulevard, Miami, after which the production members returned to California.

Now, allow me to give you an overview of True Lies in brief. So that you can get a fair idea about the actual storyline of this film. Meanwhile, you can check out Autumn Stables, Under the Tuscan Sun and Me Before You as well.

Plot Of True Lies | What’s It About

The basic premise of True Lies revolves around the character of Harry, a special undercover anti-terrorist agent. At the very beginning of the film, Harry is shown to work a regular day job to stay under the radar. But, the lead actor soon finds a special task, to take down a group of terrorists from the intelligence unit.

Later in the film, the lead actor finds out about his wife’s illicit affair, which distracts him from the primary anti-terrorist mission. All hell breaks loose when one of the criminals abducts his loving daughter. Watch True Lies to find out how Harry hunts down the terrorists and saves his daughter.

Final Words

Alright friends, now that we’ve reached the end, I hope now you finally know where was True Lies filmed. If you’d like us to cover any other title, then do mention it in the comments section below. Don’t forget to check out other amazing articles on Viebly, which are equally intriguing.