Vladimir filming locations: If 'Stillcrest' is a real place and why the Netflix series wasn't filmed in America
Vladimir says it's set in one place, but it was filmed in another
Vladimir, Rachel Weisz’s new Netflix series, looks like it takes place in America – but its actual filming locations were hundreds of miles away.
Sometimes, it’s easy to figure out where a show was filmed. For example, Prime Video’s Vanished was set and filmed on location in Marseille, France.
Other times, like with How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, it’s a little trickier. It’s common practice to film in one place that’s supposed to be somewhere else entirely – not to mention making up fictional locations altogether (like Under Salt Marsh’s Morfa Halen).
Vladimir falls into both of those categories, given it’s not filmed where it says it is – and where it says it is, doesn’t exist!
Where is Vladimir set?
Vladimir is set in upstate New York, away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.
Its small town is quaint and quiet, with a bakery called Charlotte Haze, other local grocers and shops, and a bar where the protagonist drinks with the show’s titular stud (played by Leo Woodall).
Strangely (aside from one brief occasion, which we’ll get to), Vladimir never says exactly where it takes place. Listen as closely as you like, and scour each and every frame for any and all details: it is an anonymous American town.
We know it’s in upstate New York, especially since that’s what Julia May Jonas’ original book says. The word “upstate” actually appears 10 times in the book, with multiple references to an “upstate town” and “small upstate college”.
It resembles places like Hornell and Cooperstown, but it doesn’t take place in either of those towns – or any town you can actually find!
Where is Stillcrest and is it a real place?
You may be reading this and thinking, “I don’t remember them saying they lived in Stillcrest in Vladimir.” We don’t blame you: that’s what we’re paid to find!
In episode 3, Weisz’s protagonist grabs a letter addressed to Cynthia (Jessica Henwick), Vladimir’s wife.
We get a really quick glimpse of the address: 3B Pine St, Stillcrest, NY 12208.
If you Google that address, it’ll probably leave you more confused. Firstly, you may get a partial match with another address in Albany, thanks to a similar street name and the New York post code.
However, this bit is most important: Stillcrest isn’t a real town. Amazingly, it’s not the name of a town, village, or city anywhere in the world.
Vladimir filming locations: Is that a real university?
While it’s fictional in the show, Vladimir was filmed at a real university: the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus.
This was confirmed earlier in 2025, with a Toronto Filming social media account sharing a behind-the-scenes snap of the fictional college’s motto: scientia in lumine.
Filming Update!
Rachel Weisz’s Vladimir is BACK at the University of Toronto Scarborough today for more filming. 😘🎥🎬Looks like they're returning to the stunning set @Fit_MissC spotted last week.#Vladimir https://t.co/8minFsVtn3 pic.twitter.com/ttDJ4ZR1DM
— Toronto Filming (@TOFilming_EM) August 12, 2025
For anyone out there not au fait with Latin, that literally translates to “science in the light”.
So, is it called Stillcrest University in the show? Does it even have a name? Alas, we don’t know. Every reference to it is either, plainly, “the university” or something else that doesn’t give away any sort of name.
Not that it matters, given that Stillcrest isn’t real.
Where else was Vladimir filmed?
Vladimir was filmed in Ontario, Canada. Not only do we know this because of its use of a few key locations, but it’s also confirmed in the credits.
“Produced with the film and television tax credit assistance from the Government of Ontario,” it reads. In short, this just means it was cheaper to film it in Canada and pretend it’s somewhere in upstate New York, rather than actually filming in the state.
Thanks to 4Filming, there are some specific places we can highlight.
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For example, the Charlotte Haze bakery is actually Kit’s Little Kitchen in Georgetown, Ontario. In July last year, the cafe posted on Facebook about customers’ confusion when they saw a different sign.
“So many messages and kind words about the shop this week! For those who made me laugh with your funny messages when you thought we closed and drove by,” it wrote, and one local resident replied: “Damn that Charlotte Haze!”
Scenes were also filmed at the former Brantford City Hall. Brantford has become a bit of a hub for movie and TV production, with The Handmaid’s Tale, Reacher, Mayor of Kingstown, and The Boys all being filmed there.
Read more: Why Rachel Weisz’s character’s name is never revealed in Vladimir
