From the Disney Plus series, Welcome to Wrexham, to movies like Clash of the Titans, North Wales has been a highly sought-after filming location over recent years.
Filming of a new BBC Two sitcom, Henpocalypse!, is the most recent to take place in the area, currently filming in Llanfair Talhaearn, near Abergele.
We've taken a look at all the recent and upcoming movies and television shows that have involved filming in North Wales.
Television shows and movies filmed in North Wales
Welcome to Wrexham
Wrexham AFC is quickly becoming a household name all over the world, ever since Hollywood heavyweights Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the club two years ago.
Welcome to Wrexham is a docuseries released in August last year on Disney Plus following McElhenney and Reynolds as they navigate running Wrexham Football Club.
As well as detailing the takeover journey of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Welcome to Wrexham has also shown off the community as a whole.
The series also has small cameos from fellow Hollywood funnyman Will Ferrell, footballing legend David Beckham and Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington,
The Almond And The Sea Horse
Australian actress, Rebel Wilson was seen filming in Wrexham last year, on set for her new film ‘The Almond and the Sea Horse’ which is an on-screen adaption of Kaite O’Reilly’s stage play.
Wilson, who has starred in films including Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect, was spotted filming on Cunliffe Street in Rhosddu in April 2021.
A resident speaking to The Leader at the time of filming said: "I woke up and Hollywood had come to Rhosddu.
"Seeing Rebel Wilson walk up Acton Road into the house two doors away from our home was quite surreal."
The film was released in December 2022.
Henpocalypse!
Henpocalypse! is a new sitcom set to be released on BBC Two in 2023.
The 6×30 minute series, was commissioned by BBC2 last July and filming has been ongoing – currently filming in Llanfair TH, near Abergele (yesterday and today).
Local hotel/restaurant The Black Lion took to social media this morning to remind everyone about filming.
The Black Lion, on Facebook, said: “The BBC are using our village to make a film today & tomorrow.
“Some scenes will be shot using The Black Lion as a backdrop.”
One follower of the page added: “How exciting don’t forget to smile for the camera, just in case you’re an extra
Produced by indie company, Various Artists Limited, and written by Caroline Moran (Hullraisers and Raised by Wolves) the show sees a hen-do interrupted by the end of the world.
The four “working-class West Midlander best mates” must wait out the breakdown of human civilisation in an isolated holiday cottage in Wales before emerging from quarantine into the harsh new post-apocalyptic world.
A description of the show online said: “Emerging from quarantine into the harsh new post-apocalyptic world, they find the male population has almost entirely wiped out and Britain is now a hellscape in which only the very fittest will survive.
“It's inevitable on a hen do there'll be fractious dynamics between friends so how will they come together to work out what to do with the male stripper, the only man who seems to have survived?
“Pitted against a group of radicalised Pilates instructors and using sex toys as spears against the enemy, will the dysfunctional friends survive in the harsh new world of societal breakdown?”
I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here
The popular ITV reality series took a break from its usual home in the Australian Jungle in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gwrych Castle, located in Abergele, became the new home for the hit show and saw contestants including Sir Mo Farah, Vernon Kay and Danny Miller walk the grounds along with TV royalty Ant and Dec who host the show.
The 20th series of the show was one of the most-watched TV shows of 2020. Gwrych Castle’s courtyard was the main outdoor area for celebrities.
The Reckoning
Filming for the upcoming four-part drama series, The Reckoning, about disgraced entertainer Jimmy Savile came to Llandudno in November 2021.
The crew used areas of Llandudno, including the North Shore Promenade for filming the yet-to-be-released series due to air on BBC One.
Actor and comedian Steve Coogan is playing the role of Savile.
He said he thought long and hard before taking the role.
He said: “To play Jimmy Savile was not a decision I took lightly.
“Neil McKay has written an intelligent script tackling sensitively a horrific story which, however harrowing, needs to be told.”
The BBC said in a statement they were “working closely with many people whose lives were impacted by Savile to ensure their stories are told with sensitivity and respect”.
Minute to Midnight
Llandudno was used to film part of the movie Six Minutes to Midnight which features Dame Judy Dench, Jim Broadbent and Eddie Izzard.
Izzard was spotted filming part of the movie on Llandudno’s North Shore back in 2018.
READ MORE: Film crews back on Llandudno's West Shore for shooting of medical drama
The movie was released two years later.
Other films
Clash of the Titans (2010) starring big names such as Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Sam Worthington used various locations across North Wales for filming including Ynys Llanddwyn and Dinorwig Quarry.
The 2017 flick, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword was filmed around the Llyn Ogwen area.
While the camping ground at Llyn Gwynant posed as a Chinese village in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.
North Wales Celebrities
It’s not just good for its stunning filming locations.
North Wales has also been the breeding ground for some fantastic talent when it comes to the entertainment industry.
Spencer Wilding
An actor from Rhyl, Wilding is one of the most recent actors to pull on the helmet of arguably the most well-known villain of all time – Darth Vader.
He played the Star Wars Sith Lord in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story alongside actors/actresses such as Forest Whitaker and Felicity Jones.
Star Wars isn’t the only major sci-fi franchise Wilding has been a part of, also playing roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, Game of Thrones, Batman Begins, Harry Potter, and Dr Who.
Amber Davies
Davies rose to fame through her stint on the popular ITV dating show Love Island. Her and partner, Kem Cetinay, were the winners of the 2017 series.
Since then, she has gone from strength the strength. Firstly earning the part of Judy Bernly in 9 to 5: The Musical.
A role which leads to an opportunity to fly to Nashville, meet and interview Dolly Parton.
Davies, who is originally from Denbigh, is currently playing Lorraine McFly (Marty’s mother) in Back to the Future: The Musical.
READ MORE: Actress and director Jessica Hynes reportedly spotted in Denbigh
Kimberley Hart-Simpson
The Coronation actress also hails from the North Wales coastal town of Rhyl.
Hart-Simpson, who plays Nicky Wheatley in the show, returned to Coronation Street in 2022 after a brief period away from the show having debuted in 2020.
But it was a short stint, with the actress leaving the show the same year.
Prior to treading on the famous cobbles, the former Rhyl High pupil was known for playing Beverley in Hollyoaks and Chantelle in Mount Pleasant.
She has also appeared in Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion on E4.
Alexa Davies
Hailing from Rhuddlan, Davies is best known for her role as Rosie (a young Julie Walters) in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Davies was a Theatre in the Community (TiC) student for about 10 years in Rhyl and attended Ysgol Glan Clwyd school in St Asaph.
In an interview with the Rhyl Journal back in 2018, Jen Smith, TiC Company Director, said: "Alexa and her sister Bethany, also an accomplished actress and also a TiC student, are both still avid TiC supporters.
"We are extremely proud of Alexa and her fantastic journey within the arts so far.”
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