The 2004 Taylor Hackford film “Ray,” starring Jamie Foxx, tells the life story of legendary musician Ray Charles. Production primarily took place in Louisiana, with some additional filming in Los Angeles, California. Early in the film Ray Charles, played by Foxx, performs at The Rocking Chair club. Afterwards, the club owner Marlene, played by Denise Dowse, offers Ray to stay at her place, supposedly located in Seattle. The house can actually be found in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 4445 Venus St, New Orleans, LA 70122
The film jumps ahead to 1950 as Ray is performing in Los Angeles. Several quick establishing shots of the city are seen, including Los Angeles City Hall, which appears a couple times in the film. The iconic building has been featured in endless films, such as “L.A. Confidential,” “Liar Liar,” “Gangster Squad,” “Impulse,” L.A. Bounty” and more.
LOCATION: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
This building is also briefly seen as the Waters & Sons Record Shop during the Los Angeles establishing shot montage.
LOCATION: 426 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
The home of Della Bea Robinson, played by Kerry Washington, can be found in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 649 Park Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70114
After Ray and Della Bae get married, the move into this home, supposedly located in Texas, but actually found in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 1505 Bodenger Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70114
Ray and Della Bae later move into this home, located in Los Angeles.
The 2013 Denis Villeneuve film “Prisoners” is set in suburban Pennsylvania, but the film was actually shot in the surrounding towns of the Greater Atlanta area in Georgia. Keller Dover, played by Hugh Jackman, lives at this house, located in in the town of Conyers.
LOCATION: 700 Deering Rd SE, Conyers, GA 30094
Keller’s family visits their friends Nancy and Franklin Birch, played by Viola Davis and Terrence Howard respectively, at this house for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s located one block away from the Dover house. The trees in the front yard have since been cut down.
LOCATION: 2903 High Brook Way SE, Conyers, GA 30094
Detective Loki, played by Jake Gyllenhall, spots an RV belonging to Alex Jones, played by Paul Dano, at this gas station in Monroe. The RV matches the one spotted near where the girls were last seen, making Jones a primary suspect.
LOCATION: 1605 Troy Smith Rd, Monroe, GA 30656
The police station can be found in the town of Tucker.
LOCATION: 4916 N Royal Atlanta Dr, Tucker, GA 30084
Alex Jones lives at his aunt’s house in Lithonia. It should be noted that this house sits on a somewhat busy road, with no shoulders to park on.
LOCATION: 1634 Phillips Rd, Lithonia, GA 30058
Keller brings Franklin to this apartment where he used to live, located in Atlanta. The production added an extension to the front of the building for filming.
LOCATION: 651 James P Brawley Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
The 2008 film “Iron Man” famously launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is regarded not only as one of the finest Marvel films, but one of the best superhero films ever made. Early in the film, Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr., demonstrates his latest weapon, the “Jericho” missile. Supposedly set in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan, these scenes were actually filmed at Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California. Many classic western films have also filmed there over the years, along with more recent films, such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” and “Gladiator.”
LOCATION: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA 93545
Tony’s iconic Malibu house doesn’t actually exist, it is rather a CGI creation. However, the land where it’s located is very much real. Point Dume in Malibu is a public park that is thankfully devoid of any homes. Instead there is a foot trail and biking path which leads to a beautiful ocean view. The closest actual home, located directly across the street, is the “Circles on the Point” mansion, another property frequently featured in film and television productions, such as “Color Of Night,” “Glow” and more. The CGI design of the Stark home is rumored to have been inspired by another mansion; the The Razor House in La Jolla (9826 La Jolla Farms Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037), near San Diego. The gated access and high cliff walls do not make for convenient photography of the Razor House, however.
LOCATION: Point Dume, Cliffside Dr / Birdview Ave, Malibu, CA 90265
More CGI trickery was used with the Stark Industries building. The main building is the Masimo headquarters, formerly known as the Nikken Building, in Irvine. However, the wider shot is a composite of other streets and buildings, including portions of Shoreline Drive in Long Beach. The Masimo building has been used in many other productions, including “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” “You, Me And Dupree” and “All About Steve.”
LOCATION: 52 Discovery, Irvine, CA 92618
Tony attends a charity ball at the Walt Disney Concert Hall near downtown Los Angeles. The unmistakable design is the work of legendary architect Frank Gehry.
LOCATION: 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tony first conceives the Iron Man suit after he is captured by terrorists. Once he escapes and builds the suit, he returns to do battle with the Gulmira terrorists. The bombed out ruins where he makes short work of his enemies was actually a set located on the Blue Cloud Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita. As is always the case with movie ranches, the sets are often changed around to meet the needs of the latest productions, but several portions of the Iron Man set still remain recognizable.
LOCATION: 20019 Blue Cloud Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
Some additional views of the area where Iron Man battles the terrorists.
Here is the spot where Iron Man blows up the tank and walks away, as famously featured in the film’s trailer. It was dressed heavily by the production to look more war-torn.
In 2019, the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles held a limited exhibition called “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy,” which featured Tony’s 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster from the film.
LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Not far from Alabama Hills in Lone Pine is the excellent Lone Pine Film History Museum. Props and memorabilia from the many films shot in Lone Pine can be found there, with their primary focus on classic westerns. They even have a small section of the museum dedicated to Iron Man. Here are some of the items on display.
LOCATION: 701 S Main St, Lone Pine, CA 93545
Some merchandise promoting the film.
Some posters and prop recreations.
This is the suit worn by Robert Downey, Jr. during his “Jericho” missile scenes, filmed in Lone Pine.
In the 2000 comedy “Big Moma’s House,” Big Momma, played by Martin Lawrence, lives at this house in Orange, California.
LOCATION: 192 N Shaffer St, Orange, CA 92866
The FBI is on a stakeout, watching the house from across the street. The real house is indeed located directly across from Big Momma’s house, as seen in the film.
LOCATION: 195 N Shaffer St, Orange, CA 92866
Big Momma goes out walking around Orange Circle. A staple of film, Orange Circle has also been seen in such movies as “That Thing You Do!,” “Small Soldiers,” “Frailty,” and many more.
Film Oblivion 