Where was The Boys In The Boat filmed?

January 19, 2024

Did you recognise some of the rowing locations in George Clooney’s latest movie? We reveal the famous and less well-known venues where the film was shot

Tom, a British rower who body-doubled for the actor Sam Strike (who played Roger Morris, bow of the Washington eight) talked us through the various locations all over southern England that were used to represent 1930s America and Germany.

Washington University Boat House – Cotswolds Water Park, Swindon

The ASUW Boathouse set, built in Swindon, Wiltshire.

A replica of the famous ASUW (Associated Students of the University of Washington) Shell House was built on location at Cleveland Lakes in Swindon, alongside sets for Seattle, New York, and Hooverville. The Cotswold Water Park lake next to the mock up building was used as a stand in for Lake Washington and then later turned into the Berlin Olympic course.

Tom says, “The Shell House was incredible. It was maybe half finished by the time we first saw it at camera testing, and even then I was blown away by the scale and detail they had achieved. When it was eventually finished, and we could actually go inside, it felt like a real club boathouse. It’s a shame they had to take it down after filming ended!”

The JV Eight and their doubles pose at the Cotswolds Water Park.

Washington vs California race – Eton Dorney/Henley on Thames

Henley – one of the world’s most iconic stretches of river – is easy to spot as the two American universities square off against each other in the crew’s first race of the film. This initial event for the Washington JV (Junior Varsity) boat was actually filmed in two separate locations; the race begins at the far end of Dorney’s warm up lake but finishes in Henley, just outside Upper Thames RC.

A familiar sight for most UK-based rowers (and anyone who tuned in or lined the banks for the 2012 Olympic Regatta) – Dorney Lake, Berkshire.

Tom remembers, “Filming the Cal race was great fun but because the booms were up, it did feel like racing at Henley. In the film they painted out Temple Island and a lot of the bank, and actually did a decent job of transforming it into something more its own!”

Poughkeepsie Regatta – Queen Mother Reservoir

The second race of the film – the four mile long, seven lane Poughkeepsie Regatta – was filmed on the Queen Mother Reservoir between Slough and Heathrow Airport.

Tom explains, “That whole sequence was easily the most difficult filming to choreograph. It’s normally a sailing and windsurfing venue so conditions weren’t really on our side. Getting seven crews attached to temporary stake boats in a straight line would have been hard enough without the wind, wash, or waiting for cameras to be in position. Good marshalling practice I guess!”

Actor and Director George Clooney on the set of Boys In The Boat (2023)

Berlin Olympics – Cotswold Water Park and Molesey BC

Whilst it seems like almost all the scenes filmed at Molesey BC were left on the cutting room floor, keen rowers will catch a very brief glimpse of the club as the Huskies come off the water after practice in Berlin. The race itself was filmed in Swindon, where the production team had built out grandstands, pontoons, officials’ towers, and other structures to set the scene.

Actors race in The Boys In The Boat film (2023)

Victory close at hand – the final Olympic race was filmed in the same location as the JV boat’s first outing on their home water. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Tom says, “The Olympic races were completely different to Poughkeepsie. There was much more of an atmosphere because of all the extras they’d brought in to fill the grandstands, the sun was shining, and we weren’t getting interrupted by jumbo jets or gale force winds. One day, after all the choreographed racing on camera, we even put on a show for some visiting Washington athletes by having an actual race in front of the Shell House.”

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