With her exotic swamps and bayous, imposing plantation locations and unrivaled cityscapes, Hollywood has been casting Louisiana as a leading lady for over a century. 

Louisiana has long been a frontrunner in the film industry. New Orleans opened the first indoor seated theater in 1896 and when Tarzan of the Apes appeared on film (1918), Morgan City served as the jungle. The movie premiered at the Broadway Theatre in New York and became an instant box office hit. It was one of the first six films to earn over $1,000,000, a significant amount in 1918.

More than 2,500 films have been shot in Louisiana and although you may not be familiar with Creature, Red River Ode or The Ninth, you’ve probably heard of Beasts of the Southern Wild, 12 Years a Slave, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Pelican Brief and Monster’s Ball.

Explore some of the most iconic movies in history and imagine Tom Cruise, Elvis Presley, Sean Penn, John Wayne, Dolly Parton, Brad Pitt, Charlton Heston, Jack Nicholson, and Julia Roberts in those same spaces.

Whenever you find yourself in #OnlyLouisiana, explore these unique sites and dig into all the other adventurous experiences Louisiana has to offer.

Content developed in collaboration with Ed and Susan Poole.