North Carolina Movie and TV Show Productions

One Tree Hill (Wilmington, NC)

Set in the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, One Tree Hill was filmed in several locations, including near the battleship USS North Carolina and the University of North Carolina Wilmington campus. The series premiered to 2.5 million viewers, quickly growing to 3.3 million by its second week. Notably, One Tree Hill was one of only three shows to increase its viewership in the second episode of the 2003-2004 season.

Dirty Dancing (Lake Lure, NC)

Dirty Dancing, the 1987 American romantic drama, was primarily filmed in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Additionally, scenes were shot in Mountain Lake, Virginia, with meticulous editing to create the illusion of a single location. In Lake Lure, filming took place at Camp Chimney Rock, a former Boy Scout camp.

Outer Banks (Wilmington, NC)

Outer Banks is set and filmed in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Although co-creator Jones Pae initially envisioned Wilmington as a filming location, Netflix chose not to due to House Bill 2 legislation. Wilmington didn’t appear in the series until the fourth season in 2023. Additionally, the show filmed in Charleston, South Carolina, and Morocco. Outer Banks the TV show is one of the more popular North Carolina productions.

A Walk To Remember (Wilmington, NC)

A Walk To Remember, filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, took over 39 days during the summer of 2001. Because of this, the production utilized sets shared with Dawson’s Creek, including the school, hospital, and Landon’s home.

The Hunger Games (Western North Carolina)

Filming for The Hunger Games primarily took place in North Carolina in 2012. Because of North Carolina law, Lionsgate acquired $8 million in tax breaks for filming in North Carolina. DuPont State Forest in North Carolina became the scene for District 12. Charlotte, Asheville, and Shelby were amongst other locations where filming took place in North Carolina.

Eastbound & Down (Shelby and Wilmington, NC)

Eastbound & Down takes place in Shelby, North Carolina, but filming occurred in Wilmington (NC), Myrtle Beach (SC), and Puerto Rico. The show premiered on February 15th, 2009, and concluded on November 17th, 2013.

Forrest Gump (Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina)

Filming for Forrest Gump mainly took place in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The 1994 film was an adaptation of the 1986 novel by Winston Groom. North Carolina filming locations included Blue Ridge Parkway, Grandfather Mountain, and the Biltmore Estate.

Talladega Nights (Charlotte, NC)

Talladega Nights is set in both North Carolina and Alabama and except for one week of shooting, all filming occurred in North Carolina in 2006. Talladega Nights is one of the most notable North Carolina productions with most of the filming occurring in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area. Filming locations include the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, and Concord, North Carolina.

Bull Durham (Durham, NC)

Bull Durham is based around the Durham Bulls baseball team and Durham, North Carolina. The 1988 film is based on the experiences of minor-league baseball from the viewpoint of writer/director Ron Shelton. Filming for Bull Durham took place in Durham Athletic Park and various other locations around Durham.