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Oceanside has a long standing relationship with Hollywood as a featured filming location to several major motion pictures including Top Gun, Bring It On, and Sands of Iwo Jima. As a beautiful beach escape with a relaxed atmosphere, the coastal destination has also provided Hollywood’s rich and famous the perfect hideaway to enjoy a little R&R thanks to its’ central location between Los Angeles and San Diego.
The acclaimed TNT Network set its sights on Oceanside’s quaint beach town qualities to film the hit drama series Animal Kingdom which premiered in 2016. During Season 1, we were immediately introduced to a young 17-year-old boy, Joshua “J” Cody, who tragically lost his mother to a drug overdose and is sent to live with his extended family in Oceanside, CA. He soon realizes that he isn’t living with any ordinary family and that his new family lives on the outskirts of the law. With each season, we come to learn more about the Cody’s as they take us on a wild ride, each scene more intense and dangerous than the last. This fictional drama stars Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Finn Cole, Ben Robson, Jake Weary and, most recently added, Denis Leary.
Family Til’ The End!
Featured Photo: Rich Cruse, @crusephoto
Where is Animal Kingdom filmed? The hit crime drama Animal Kingdom is filmed right here in Oceanside, CA!
Shawn Hatosy said it best in an interview with San Diego Magazine (June 2016):
“Oceanside plays such a big role in the show. It is a character in and of itself. The way of life. The attitude of the locals. The surf.”
Over the last six seasons, Oceanside has served as a beautiful backdrop with over 70 local filming locations, including a number of iconic Oceanside landmarks such as the Oceanside Pier, The Strand and the Oceanside Transit Center. To give the series a local flare, many actual Oceanside surf shops and restaurants are included within the script and mentioned in the show by name. How many Oceanside locations can you reference while watching the series?
Featured Photo: Rich Cruse, @crusephoto
Want to get a little closer to the action? We have narrowed down the 70+ Oceanside filming locations featured in Animal Kingdom to the following 10 locations giving you a self-guided itinerary of where all of the cinematic magic took place.
Please note that some of these locations are privately owned, use discretion when approaching each location.
Learn More About Oceanside On The Big Screen:
“LA Times: The SoCal crime drama to catch up on this summer”
“‘Animal Kingdom’ Sets Premiere for Sixth & Final Season on TNT”
San Diego Magazine “Seven Minutes with Shawn Hatosy” (June 2016)
The San Diego Union Tribune “‘Animal Kingdom’ Crime Drama Begins Shooting in O’side” (April 2016)
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