Directed by Ben Stiller, ‘Zoolander’ is a comedy about ridiculous male model Derek Zoolander who thinks he’s taken over the fashion industry. However, his nemesis, Hansel, enters the scene and gets Derek in trouble. Hoping to redeem his image, he agrees to work with fashion designer Jacobim Mugatu who then prepares him for a dangerous mission.
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the 2001 film became popular with audiences. It’s a hilarious portrayal of the fashion industry with stunning visuals and a spectacular performance from Ben Stiller in the lead role. So if you want to know where it was filmed, we’ve got you covered!
Zoolander filming locations
‘Zoolander’ was filmed in different locations around the country. Production began September 14, 2000 and ended in January 2001. The film adapts parts of a pair of shorts directed by Russell Bates for the VH1 Fashion Awards television specials in 1996 and 1997, starring Drake Sather and Stiller as screenwriters. . So let us know more about her shooting details!
New York, New York
Filming for the comedy-drama primarily took place in New York City. The film opens in a sophisticated Manhattan setting, with award shows, nightclubs and exquisite lofts. The production designer chose a few locations that felt extremely counterintuitive. A few prominent clips capturing the “Derelicte” fashion show were shot at a massive powerhouse in Long Island City, across the East River from midtown Manhattan. Although it is deserted and dirty, it adapted to the film’s theme after small adjustments, such as adding columns.
The shoot was planned to allow the production team to attend and capture several scenes at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards in Madison Square Garden. A few sequences were shot there; cameras caught the celebrities arriving on the red carpet. The production team also moved indoors and waited for commercial breaks to film the scenes where Derek loses model of the year.
Interestingly, interior designer Robin Standefer’s career blossomed after her work on the production of ‘Zoolander’, in which she designed one of her strangest works to date – the Hall of floors in Hansel’s loft. Its floor is entirely made of earth, and the ceiling is dotted with thousands of glass marbles. The Meatpacking District, Greene Street, Times Square, Spring Street and the Sports Museum of America in Manhattan are also some of the locations where the team turned their cameras.
The corner of North Moore Street and West Broadway served as the site where the gas explosion occurs in the film. Additionally, the cast and crew also moved to the city of Yonkers in Westchester County to film some scenes for the movie. Also known as the City of Gracious Living, Yonkers is located along the Hudson River, approximately 30 miles from New York City.
Los Angeles, California
The production team also moved to the sprawling city of Los Angeles, where the cast and crew worked hard for ten days. The VH1 Fashion Awards entrance, where Derek Zoolander loses an award, takes place at the entrance of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel located at 404 South Figueroa Street. However, the film does not include the circular towers, which are typically seen in productions filmed here. A few movies where they are visible are “In The Line of Fire” and “Nick of Time”. The beautiful town of Culver City in Los Angeles County also served as the filming location for the film.
Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Some scenes of the film were shot in Ogdensburg, a borough in the county of Sussex. In the film, Derek returns to the fictional southern New Jersey, his hometown, where his family works at the coal mine. The Sterling Hill Mining Museum, located at 30 Plant Street in northern New Jersey, serves as the coal mine where Derek reunites with his father. It was New Jersey’s last underground mine until it closed in 1986. A few years later, it was redecorated into a museum that features a brilliant display of fluorescent minerals.
Read more: Best Ben Stiller movies
