“The Drama” Used This Stunning, Historically Rich Apartment to Stage Its Biggest Twists

As much as A24’s newest mind-twisting film, The Drama, unfolds to feel like a nightmare, there’s one thing we can all agree on: The film’s main apartment setting is a pure dream. Starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, The Drama is a chaotic story that unfolds in and around Boston, a city that was chosen by the film’s director Kristoffer Borgli because of its “older architecture and walkable neighborhoods,” per The Boston Globe. The city, steeped in hundreds of years of architectural history, offers plenty of upscale, character-heavy locations that act as the perfect backdrop for the character’s romantic unraveling. 

For those familiar with the film, the couple’s South End apartment becomes as much of a character as the actors themselves. Its spiral staircase, sky-high ceilings, and sun-drenched living space feel like a Hollywood dream. And because the film was shot entirely on location, this spot is, in fact, a real apartment rooted in one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods.

“The apartment is very much real and is a historic 1800s brownstone in the South End neighborhood,” Production designer Zosia Mackenzie told Conde Nast Traveler. “Our director, Kris, loves shooting on location, and we scouted a ton of different options. Boston has some great apartments and a really rich history!”

“However, between the spiral staircase, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and ornate period-specific molding and decorative detailing, this one stood out as the clear-cut front-runner,” Mackenzie said.

Other locations Bostonians might recognize include Cambridge’s Andy’s Diner and Seven Stars bookstore, and Tatte, the coffee shop where Charlie and Emma have their cute meetup. Mackenzie and Borgli chose the Tatte location at the base of the John Hancock Tower in the heart of downtown, steps away from the Boston Public Library.

The film also stepped outside of Boston for a few filming locations. The Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy Andover played the fictional Cambridge Art Museum. And the Turner Hill Golf Course in Ipswich provided the moody drama for both the menu tasting scene where the titular drama kicks off, and later the wedding where said drama reaches a boiling point.

“It’s a beautiful space and was last seen on-screen in the film Shutter Island, so in a way, we thought it’d be unique to insert ourselves into that lineage but also make the space our own—or rather, Charlie and Emma’s own,” Mackenzie said about Turner Hill. 

Each location in The Drama is a drool-worthy ode to the rich history of Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods. And although the film will leave you reeling, it will also definitely leave you pining for a two-story apartment with a spiral staircase.