Where Was ‘The Night Agent’ Filmed? Filming Locations Revealed
The Night Agent is a new Netflix original series that won over many fans of the political thriller genre. Based on a novel of the same name by Matthew Quirk, the plot mainly revolves around Washington, the White House, etc. However, some scenes take place in Rome or even Camp David. Were they actually filmed there? If not, where was The Night Agent filmed?
The Night Agent was primarily filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Vancouver’s metropolitan area. Even the scenes depicting parts of Washington or Rome were mainly filmed there. However, some scenes were shot in the forests of British Columbia and in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
The scenes shot in the capital of the US were mainly aerial shots, whereas Metropolitan Vancouver was used and ‘played’ the role of Washington. Productions mainly do that because it’s much cheaper to film in Canada than it is in DC, or the US in general, for that matter. Without further ado, let’s explore all the filming locations for The Night Agent in more detail.
The Night Agent: A brief synopsis
As mentioned in the introduction, The Night Agent is a political thriller series developed by Netflix that was based on a novel of the same name, written by the author Matthew Quirk.
The story follows Peter Sutherland, a low-level FBI agent who works as a night shift agent in the basement of the White House. Essentially, his job is to sit by the phone and wait for the emergency phone to ring, notifying him of a crisis involving a spy.
It virtually never happens – until it does. A mole infiltrated the highest ranks of the US government, and it’s on Peter to figure out who the traitor is so that he can save the President – and the country. Twist happen all the time, and the story takes you on a wild path where everyone seems suspicious and innocent at the same time.
The reviews so far are generally favorable for the show, with a 7.7/10 IMDb rating and a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes. I find it kind of accurate, as I’m not a big fan of the political thriller genre – but I still found the show quite amusing and suspenseful.
The Night Agent Filming locations
Washington DC, US
Seeing that the show revolves mainly around Washington DC, the White House, etc., one would expect that most of the show was filmed there. Well, that actually isn’t the case, although some shots were filmed in Washington.
The shots filmed in the US capital are mostly aerial shots of the city, the White House, and other monuments, providing the perfect backdrop for the show. These scenes are often used throughout the show to establish location parameters, even though the city scenes weren’t actually shot in DC.
The main reasons behind that are likely budget-related, as shooting outside of the big US cities – and the country in general – is usually much cheaper.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As with so many other Netflix original projects – which you can check on the new Netflix Canada website called Netflix In Your Neighbourhood – The Night Agent was mainly shot in the city of Vancouver and in its wider metropolitan area.
The reason, of course, isn’t the plot itself, as the story doesn’t really take place in Vancouver. Instead, the reason is the budget and the price of filming in British Columbia compared to filming in the United States. Vancouver ‘plays the role’ of several towns and spots in the world, including Washington – and even Rome, at one point!
While Netflix In Your Neighbourhood still doesn’t have The Night Agent listed on the website, keen-eyed viewers and fans have already spotted a few filming locations in the show’s trailer and sets around the city at the time of the shooting. For instance, one can’t miss the Vancouver Public Library in one shot in the show’s trailer, as you can see below.
Another Vancouver native spotted a notice of filming of the show on April 28th, 2022, in Vancouver’s Pender Street, and they took it to Twitter to show the notice.
Another interesting scene you can see in the trailer is the beautiful Cambie Street Bridge in one particular night scene depicting all its beauty.
Not to mention that fans shared how they spotted the crew filming around the bridge and even under the bridge, where a particular homeless camp sequence was shot. Luciane Buchanan, one of the show’s team members, took the experience to Instagram.
Overall, it’s safe to assume that most of the show was shot right in this area – but not exclusively, as we can see on the show’s IMDb page.
British Columbia, Canada
You might’ve noticed that Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and British Columbia are listed as separate locations for filming The Night Agent. That’s because British Columbia’s nature was used for multiple scenes, such as Peter and Rose in the forest.
Another scene that was likely shot here instead of the real-life location it depicts is near the final scenes of the Season. Not to spoil the plot, but we’re located in Camp David – the US President’s summer vacation home. I highly doubt that the show gained clearance to actually shoot at Camp David, so they likely just manufactured it and shot in British Columbia.
Los Angeles, California
Last but not least, Los Angeles, California, is also listed as one of the filming locations for The Night Agent. Although I couldn’t pick up on any particular shot where I could really recognize LA, the city and its Metro area were likely used for some action scenes, car chases, etc.
LA is known as the mecca of the movie industry, and shows often go there to get the best in the business when it comes to shooting more complex scenes like those action scenes.
Where and when can I watch The Night Agent?
The Night Agent premiered on Netflix on March 23, 2023, and you can watch it exclusively on the platform right now.