Hostage: How This Netflix Hit Pulled Off Filming in Impossible Locations!

Filming at the official residence of the British Prime Minister? Unthinkable! Given this expected denial, the “Hostage” team displayed impressive creativity. The producers completely reconstructed the famous building on an abandoned airfield.

Interestingly, the production team initially attempted to measure the actual Downing Street building for their sets. The British authorities flatly denied their request! Thus, set designers Arwel Jones and Laura Mayall turned to Google Maps to get a “relative position” of the entire layout, according to the Manchester Evening News. They even counted the bricks to achieve the correct proportions.

A Clever Global Tour

For the interiors of the legendary 10 Downing Street, the grand Langleybury House in Kings Langley was used as the setting. As for the scenes supposed to take place in French Guiana, where the Prime Minister’s husband (played by Ashley Thomas) is held hostage, Las Palmas in the Canary Islands was chosen as the location.

Isabelle Sieb, the director, shared with the Manchester Evening News the challenges faced: “In Las Palmas, there were logistical issues that were really time-consuming. For example, the car chase that we filmed there – which was one of my favorite things to do, because I love directing action – was challenging because the island has only small roads.“

Despite these challenges, the team adapted well: “I often had to think on my feet and make sure we got everything we needed, even if it meant sometimes having to give up a few dream shots,” admitted the filmmaker.

This pragmatism perfectly serves this five-episode series, where Suranne Jones portrays a British Prime Minister caught in a vile blackmail trap alongside Julie Delpy as the French President.

Hostage is currently available on Netflix.