New Orleans isn’t called “Hollywood South” for nothing. The city is home to all sorts of creative types, including actors, writers, directors, producers and designers. Countless movies, TV shows and music videos have been shot in and around the city, with new projects rolling into town regularly.
Scroll down for GIFS from some of our favorite only in New Orleans movies, videos and TV shows…
Beyoncé’s Lemonade
The historic Destrehan Plantation was used for several scenes in the singer’s latest visual album. The mansion, which once held trials after the 1811 slave rebellion, is one of the oldest in Louisiana and is open for tours seven days a week.
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American Horror Story: Coven
Season three of Ryan Murphy’s blockbuster horror series was set in New Orleans and featured Angela Bassett as the legendary voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. Kathy Bates plays the murderous Madame Delphine LaLaurie, a role that landed her an Emmy. The stately, mysterious city was the perfect backdrop for the stylish thriller.
The Paper Boy
This lurid New Orleans-shot swamp drama, which uses the lush city to great emotional effect, features Zac Efron dancing in the rain.
The Skeleton Key
The supernatural thriller has all the right ingredients: a crumbling old house on the bayou, evil spirits, voodoo spells and a crazy old lady who you’re not quite sure if you should trust. (Spoiler alert: You shouldn’t!)
The Princess and the Frog
Who doesn’t love an animated Disney’s movie? Especially one that features a trumpet-playing alligator in the bayou and the voice of Oprah? The film is also unique in that it’s the first Disney film to feature an African American princess, befitting a city of dazzling diversity of race, sexual orientation and culture.
Underground
The popular new series about the Underground Railroad starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge and Christopher Meloni is shot entirely in Louisiana. The first season was such a huge hit with critics and audiences alike that the network renewed it for a second season after just two episodes.
Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
The campy 1964 B-movie starring Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland was filmed on location at Houmas House and Oak Alley Plantation, both of which are open for tours.
Interview with the Vampire
Who can forget this homoerotic scene between two contemporary hearthrobs, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt? The 1994 vampire thriller based on the Anne Rice novel was filmed in various locations in and around New Orleans and is considered one of the most iconic vampire films in Hollywood history. Rice, who has lived in New Orleans, said the city was essential to the film.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
The indy sleeper hit was filmed in New Orleans and surrounding areas. It features primarily local actors, many of whom had no professional training prior to being cast. It went on to win dozens of awards and four Oscars, including Best Actress for 9-year-old star Quvenzhané Wallis.
Related: Watch These Guys Show Off Their New Orleans Dance Moves