Where was 'Scarpetta' filmed? A look at the locations used in Nicole Kidman's forensic crime thriller
The gritty, dark tone of 'Scarpetta' gains depth from the locations where the Nicole Kidman-starrer was shot. Based on Patricia Cornwell's bestselling forensic crime thriller series, 'Scarpetta' follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist who uses her expertise to solve crimes.
Season 1 follows Scarpetta as she investigates a serial killer's bone-chilling murders with a deep connection to her past. Released on Wednesday this week, the eight-episode Prime Video series opened to mixed reviews from critics, but the show has been a hit with fans as they continue to dissect the plotline, cast performances, and even locations where the grim slow-burner was shot. We'll now have a look at the places the gritty series was filmed.
A majority of 'Scarpetta' filming took place in Tennessee. One of the major landmarks in Episode 1, 'Bridge of Time, Part One', is the Market Street Bridge in Chattanooga. Also called the John Ross Bridge, it was first opened in 1917, and while there is no clock on the bridge, the graphics use the concrete surface to depict the timeline.
According to the Atlas of Wonders, the scenes at Virginia's state buildings were shot at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. The featured graveyard in the pilot is the Mount Olivet Cemetery, also in Nashville. Other marquee landmarks include the iconic Hermitage Hotel, the Nashville Symphony Center, and the Little Hats Market.
The cult classic, 'The Silence of the Lambs', was one of the major films along with 'The Matrix', 'The Green Mile', 'Castaway', 'The Evil Dead', and 'Days of Thunder'. ABC's hit '9-1-1: Nashville' has predominantly been shot in Nashville, as it follows the personal and professional lives of first responders of the Nashville Fire Department. Ironically, this is Kidman's second project filmed in Nashville, following her psychological drama 'Holland'.
The added incentives of qualified production credit, free locations, and the Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC) Production Incentive, offering up to a 25% grant on Qualified Tennessee Expenditures to production houses filming in Tennessee, further make the city a conducive and preferred destination for film and TV production.
According to Bob Raines, executive director for the TEC, the rise of filming has added more than 13,000 jobs to Tennessee.
On the series front, 'Scarpetta' also stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Kay's sister, Dorothy, Bobby Cannavale as Detective Pete Marino, Simon Baker as FBI profiler Benton Wesley, and Ariana DeBose as Kay’s niece Lucy. The 90s timeline sees a change in cast with Rosy McEwen as Kay, Amanda Righetti as Dorothy, Jake Cannavale as Marino, and Hunter Parrish as Wesley.
The title is executive-produced by Kidman, Per Saari, and Curtis through Comet Pictures. Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie, and Chris McCumber round out the list of EPs. David Gordon Green directed five episodes and also joins the roster of EPs alongside Amy Sayres. All eight episodes of 'Scarpetta' are available to stream on Prime Video.
