Half Moon Bay is famous for its local arts scene, landmark mouth-watering restaurants, and five-star hotels, but more recently it has earned a place as a key filming location.
The area is so rich with spellbinding beauty and character that it should come as no surprise that so many movie makers have decided it isn’t just a great vacation spot but also a beautiful area to make a film. Here are some Hollywood highlights filmed (at least in part) in the Half Moon Bay area:
- Swiss Army Man (2016) starring Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano was partially filmed in Half Moon Bay. During a break in filming Daniel Radcliffe stopped in to Cameron’s Restaurant and Pub for karaoke night and sang for the crowd.
- Chasing Mavericks (2012) starring Gerard Butler and Jonny Weston was largely shot in Half Moon Bay, where the famous Mavericks surf break plays a major role in the film. In addition to many scenes on the water, you’ll also spot Montara State Beach and numerous scenic views of Highway One.
Much of Chasing Mavericks was filmed in and around Half Moon Bay, including this scene at Montara State Beach - Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010), directed by James Nguyen is a low-budget horror film that Variety said had “all the revered hallmarks of hilariously bad filmmaking”. It was filmed almost entirely in Half Moon Bay, with locations including Main Street Grill (now Johnny’s) and Cameron’s Restaurant and Pub.
- Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) starring Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh shot footage in the cypress forest at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
Scenes from Memoirs of a Geisha were filmed in Moss Beach - American Wedding (2003) filmed its exterior wedding scenes on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay.
American Wedding filmed exterior wedding scenes at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. - Bandits (2001) starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett, shot scenes at Point Montara Light Station and on Highways 35 and 92.
- Bicentennial Man (1999) starring Robin Williams and Embeth Davidtz filmed beach scenes at Martin’s Beach and San Gregorio State Beach.
A scene from Bicentennial Man at Martin’s Beach - Metro (1997) starring Eddie Murphy and Michael Rapaport takes place partially in Tahiti – those scenes were actually filmed in Half Moon Bay.
- Poetic Justice (1993) starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur filmed scenes on Devil’s Slide and Gray Whale Cove, north of Montara.
Tupac Shakur and Janet Jackson at Gray Whale Cove, from Poetic Justice - Out on a Limb (1992) starring Matthew Broderick shot many scenes just south of Half Moon Bay near San Gregorio, including the San Gregorio General Store and Highway 84.
- Final Analysis (1992) with Richard Gere and Kim Basinger shot its dramatic climax at Pigeon Point Lighthouse, though the filmmakers pretended that the lighthouse was next to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The dramatic ending of Final Analysis takes place at Pigeon Point Lighthouse. - The Right Stuff (1983) filmed the capsule splashdown scene in the waters of the Pacific Ocean just off the coast of Half Moon Bay.
- Harold and Maude (1971) starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort shot scenes in Half Moon Bay and on Highway 92.
