“In spite of all the research I had done, there were so many things that I learned in that trip,” she said in a recent media roundtable. In the end, the decision was made to shoot in Iceland, for a number of reasons, including a larger infrastructure to handle the major production as well as a steep tax break.

Why did True Detective film in Iceland instead of Alaska?

“What we wanted to do for True Detective is base ourselves in an environment that feels real and authentic and Alaskan,” says Taylor. For the most part, that meant exporting their vision to Iceland and reconstructing it with the resources they found there.

Was True Detective actually filmed in Alaska?

The new HBO series “True Detective: Night Country” features a fictional town in Alaska called Ennis. While most of the filming was done in Iceland, some scenes were shot around Nome. Producers have been in touch with locals to get insights and feedback for the show.

Where is Ennis, Alaska supposed to be?

Ennis isn't a real town, but the show was based on a real area in the northernmost state: North Slope Borough, Alaska. North Slope Borough is the northernmost area or county of Alaska, and the barren and cold feel provided a major inspiration for the eerie setting of Ennis.

What is the Night Country in Alaska?

True Detective: Night Country centers around a town in Alaska where it's dark for 30 days. The town, Ennis, is fictional, but there are places in Alaska near the Arctic Circle that experience what's called “polar night,” where residents don't see the sun for weeks at a time.

True Detective: set in Alaska, shot in Iceland, connected to Canada

What part of Alaska has 24 hours of darkness?

Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow)

Even though residents of Utqiagvik, the northernmost town in Alaska, won't see the sun for 67 days come winter, they enjoy the midnight sun all summer - over 80 days of uninterrupted daylight.

How many months of darkness is there in Alaska?

Even in the farthest northern part of Alaska do they see 6 months of darkness. At worst, in Barrow, the sun will set around November 15th and won't rise again until the end of January.

Are the ice caves in True Detective real?

The ice caves showcased in the finale were a masterful creation, inspired by real places like the Vatnajokull Glacier in Iceland.

What Native American tribe is in True Detective?

Her moving performance caught the eye of Foster, who suggested Reis for the role of Evangeline Navarro, an Alaskan state trooper of Iñupiaq heritage, in True Detective: Night Country.

What town in Alaska is changing its name?

The town of Barrow was originally known by its native name of Utqiaġvik until 1901, when the non-native population of the region decided to rename it after nearby Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the United States, because it was easier for them to pronounce.

Why didn't they film True Detective season 4 in Alaska?

"As much as we would have liked to be true to the elements of the story, the part of Alaska where we needed to shoot this—which is above the Arctic Circle where the night expands into months—doesn't have the infrastructure," López told Total Film.

How long does it stay dark in Ennis, Alaska?

The Alaska town of Utqiagvik, the most northerly settlement in the United States and seemingly the one on which True Detective's Ennis is modeled, experiences approximately 65 days of polar night each year, lasting from mid-November to mid-to-late January.

Where was the final scene of True Detective filmed?

The climax of the first-season finale of the 2014 television series True Detective was filmed on location at Fort Macomb. This site is also a filming location for the television series Into the Badlands in 2015. In 2016, Beyoncé filmed portions of her critically acclaimed visual album, Lemonade, at Fort Macomb.

Are the ice caves in True Detective Real season 4?

The only places filmed on a soundstage were the police station, Liz Danvers's house, Peter Prior's house, and the ice caves. The ice caves were inspired by the ones in Vatnajokull Glacier and were made from melting plastic sheets over rocks to give them their natural shape.

Is there a real Ennis in Alaska?

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), Ennis is not real. According to Today.com, the show's town is inspired by a real area in Alaska called North Slope Borough. One town in particular, Utqiaġvik, shares similarities with Ennis for its isolation and day/night cycle.

Was True Detective 4 filmed in Alaska?

The season was filmed in Iceland and Alaska with a budget of $60 million. Filming began in November 2022 and wrapped in April 2023. The conditions included nighttime shoots at −23 °C (−9 °F), with director López commenting, "I'm Mexican, so I'm really not fond of the cold."

Who are the indigenous people of Alaska in True Detective?

The local indigenous community, Iñupiat, (a real group of indigenous Alaskans) have formed families and social ties with incomers over the years, but their coexistence is not without hurdles.

What are the chin tattoos in True Detective?

Per Vogue, these marks are a tradition that dates back more than 10,000 years, though different cultures refer to them by different names — Yidįįłtoo, or Tā Moko for the Maori, or Kakiniit, which is mentioned in True Detective: Night Country, for the Inuit.

What does siqinnaatchiaq mean?

In the finale, Navarro reconnects with her late mother in a waking dream and discovers that her Native name is 'Siqinnaatchiaq'. Later, Ennis local Beatrice tells her that it means "the return of the sun after the long darkness."

What do the oranges mean in True Detective?

'True Detective' and 'The Godfather' Share Fruit Symbolism

This isn't by accident, it's a reference to what the orange stood for in The Godfather movies, the sweet, citrus fruit foreshadowing the deaths of many characters.

Are the cigarettes in True Detective real?

According to an interview with Michael Potts and Tory Kittles, who played Detectives Gilbough and Papania respectively, McConaughey smoked real cigarettes during the interrogation scenes [1]. They mentioned that McConaughey specifically requested a particular brand, American Spirits [1].

What happened to Liz's son in True Detective?

History. When Holden was young, he and Jake Peterson were in a car accident and died.

How do Alaskans sleep in the summer?

"In the summer, Alaskans like to have blackout curtains and sleeping masks," Drewitz said. "They help keep the room dark." The only problem is, since indoor temperatures can get so warm in the summer, you need some airflow from the outdoors to make it more bearable if you don't have air conditioning.

What town in Alaska stays dark?

Located on the Arctic Ocean, Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow) is one of the largest Iñupiaq settlements in Alaska. It's also the northernmost community in the United States. Its extreme location means Utqiaġvik receives 24 hour daylight from May 10 - August 2 and 24 hour darkness from November 18 – January 23.

How high is the cost of living in Alaska?

The cost of living in Alaska is 30% higher than the national average. Housing is 17% higher than the national average, while utilities are 49% higher. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 30% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 30% higher.