Where is Bodkin filmed? All filming locations for Netflix's Irish comedy thriller

Bodkin is Netflix's newest Irish comedy thriller that stars the talented Will Forte, as seen on Saturday Night Live. He plays Gilbert Power, a cheerful professional podcaster in the seven-part series.

The serene landscape that the show's cinematography emphasizes, has fans wondering where the series was shot and whether it is a real place. As eagle-eyed fans may have already noticed, Bodkin, which landed on Netflix on May 9, was shot in various parts of Ireland.

While the village the series is named after is imaginary, West Cork is very much a real place in the south of Ireland, and that is where most of the series was filmed. The series executive producer Alex Metcalf confirmed this fact, stating to Netflix Tudum:

"It’s a fake town, it’s a fake place. The mystery itself, we worked very hard to find something that is in no way adjacent to a real true crime story. The fictionality of it was very deliberate."

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Netflix’s Bodkin explores countryside of Ireland

The majority of the series was filmed in Union Hall and other parts of Cork, Ireland

Because the titular village does not exist in real life, the fishing village called Union Hall, located 75 kilometers west of Cork City, serves as the namesake town. The village is on the west side of Glandore Harbour & is noted for its stunning and picturesque natural areas, including green hilly terrain and lots of coastlines.

The town is also a small one, with a census in 2016 indicating a population of around 260. For creator Jez Scharf, shooting Bodkin in West Cork was necessary due to the breathtaking scenery as he told Express UK—

"It had to be West Cork. You drive around West Cork and around every corner you have to step out of the car and have a look as it’s so beautiful."

Siobhán Cullen who plays Dove in the series said the following in the same interview—

"Union Hall makes the perfect Bodkin. It’s so stunning and it encapsulates all of what people imagine about the beauty of Ireland. It’s all here, it’s such a stunning place."

Bodkin's production also took place in other areas of Cork, including Glandore Village and Dromadoon Pier. Glandore is significantly more populous than Union Hall, with approximately 1800 residents.

Union Hall and Glandore have similar pleasant temperatures at any time of the year, making it another ideal location. Dromadoon Pier is roughly twenty minutes by car from Union Hall, with breathtaking views of the ocean, and, is located in one of the southernmost parts of Ireland.

As the Irish say, never trust a horse (Image via Netflix)

Other filming locations included Wicklow, Dublin, and Heath, all the while filming lasted six months. Scenes were shot at Travelhawk Beach within Wicklow, as well as Howth Castle and Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin.

The original "American" diner in the show can be found in Julianstown, Meath, at a genuine Elvis-themed restaurant named Dave's Diner, around 50 kilometers north of Dublin.

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What is Netflix's Bodkin all about?

In the interview with Tudum, Jez also mentioned how the tale is not based on a true story. Nevertheless, the creator drew influence from the concept of true crime podcasts in general.

Jez Scharf's experience viewing real crime films and listening to true crime podcasts sparked the concept for the Netflix dark comedy, which led him to consider the "morality" of fiction inspired by highly terrible and tragic occurrences.

Bodkin was released on the streaming giant on May 9 and has already proven to be a mixed bag with audiences, earning a 65 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The dark comedy set in Ireland provides plenty of laughs and thrilling moments, while also being picturesque. It's almost hauntingly beautiful.

Gilbert, Dove, and Emmy are three true crime podcasters who set out to investigate the mysterious disappearances of three strangers in the coastal Irish town of Bodkin. Will Forte, plays Gilbert, while Dove is played by Siobhan Cullen. Robyn Cara who plays Emmy starred in We Die Young.

Bodkin credits Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as executive producers. Season 1 of the series, which consists of seven episodes, is currently available on Netflix.