When Netflix adapted J.D. Vance's bestselling memoir into a feature film, viewers across the country wanted to know where the cameras actually rolled. "Hillbilly Elegy" was filmed primarily across locations in Georgia and Ohio during the summer of 2019, under the secretive production code-name IVAN. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close, the production used a mix of authentic Ohio towns and versatile Georgia backdrops to recreate decades of Appalachian family history.
Understanding where and how the movie was brought to life reveals a fascinating look at modern filmmaking geography, where tax incentives, historic architecture, and set design collide to recreate Midwestern and Southern towns on screen.
Where Was Hillbilly Elegy Filmed?
While the memoir is deeply rooted in Middletown, Ohio, and Jackson, Kentucky, actual principal photography took place across a wider geographic footprint. Production kicked off in June 2019 and wrapped in August of that year.
The primary filming sites were split between two main states:
- Georgia: The vast majority of urban and street-level shooting occurred in Georgia, taking advantage of the state's robust film infrastructure and tax credits. Locations included Atlanta, Clayton, Brookhaven, Smyrna, Rabun County, and Macon.
- Ohio: To capture the genuine atmosphere of the story's heart, the crew traveled directly to Middletown, Ohio, staging scenes on authentic residential streets where the real-life family lived.
Recreating Middletown in Macon, Georgia
Much of the heavy lifting for the film's visual setting happened in downtown Macon, Georgia. Production crews transformed the 600 block of Poplar Street into historical iterations of Middletown, Ohio, spanning multiple eras from the late 1940s through the modern day.
Set designers dressed storefronts, built facades, and "distressed" buildings to reflect different decades of economic shifts in the Rust Belt. Historic local architecture in Macon—such as the 1885 Armory Building—provided the weathered, authentic brick-and-mortar aesthetic required to stand in for industrial Ohio towns.
Why Georgia Instead of Ohio?
Production companies frequently choose Georgia for major studio projects due to competitive tax incentives and centralized crew availability. Building temporary set pieces and managing street closures for a multi-month Hollywood shoot is often more efficient on established soundstages and studio-friendly regional backdrops. In the case of Hillbilly Elegy, Georgia's downtown districts offered a high concentration of preserved historic storefronts that could easily pass for mid-century industrial towns with the right signage and set dressing.
Authentic Ohio Shoots on Harrison Street
Director Ron Howard and his cast didn't skip Ohio entirely. In August 2019, the production crew descended directly upon Middletown, Ohio, setting up camp on Harrison Street.
Crews converted an older residential home on Harrison Street into a visual replica of the family home featured in Vance's early life. Local residents gathered to watch the production unfold, capturing the rare sight of major Hollywood stars filming on familiar neighborhood turf. This brief return to the source material ensured that key exterior shots captured the true light, architecture, and texture of the actual region.
The Production Timeline and Release
The journey from page to screen moved rapidly once Netflix acquired distribution rights in January 2019.
- Pre-Production: Early 2019 saw casting announcements, including Glenn Close as Mamaw and Amy Adams as Bev, alongside screenwriting by Vanessa Taylor.
- Principal Photography: June to August 2019 across Georgia and Ohio under the code-name IVAN.
- Post-Production: Late 2019 and early 2020, featuring a musical score composed by Hans Zimmer and David Fleming.
- Release: The film debuted in select theaters and premiered globally on Netflix on November 24, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was any of Hillbilly Elegy filmed in Kentucky?
Despite the memoir's heavy focus on Jackson, Kentucky, where the family's roots lie, principal photography did not take place in Kentucky. The Appalachian mountain aesthetics and rural scenery were instead filmed in mountainous regions of northern Georgia, such as Rabun County and Clayton.
Why did the production use the code name IVAN?
Movie productions frequently use fake working titles—known as code names—to prevent crowds, paparazzi, and disruptive onlookers from overwhelming local sets. During the summer of 2019, street signs marked IVAN directed crew members to various closed sets in Georgia and Ohio.
What studio produced the film?
The adaptation was developed by Imagine Entertainment, founded by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, before being acquired and distributed worldwide by Netflix.
How accurate are the film's settings to real life?
While the film captures the general aesthetic of Rust Belt Ohio and rural Appalachia through meticulous set dressing in Macon and actual shoots in Middletown, viewers familiar with the region note that the blending of Georgia landscapes with Ohio streetscapes creates a composite cinematic version of the American heartland.
