If you’ve read the book The Last Thing He Told Me then you know that part of the book starts out in California but the other half takes place in Austin, Texas. The Apple+ series was shot in the ATX over a period of just four days in the fall of 2021. They packed a lot of filming into that abbreviated week.
Here Are All The Austin Filming Locations in The Last Thing He Told Me!
Hilton Embassy Suites
300 South Congress Avenue
The series opens with a scene shot at the Hilton Embassy Suites on South Congress just over the bridge from downtown. We then flashback to days prior in Cali but return to the hotel in episode three. However, when they are dropped off “in Austin” at the hotel, that scene was actually not filmed in Austin. There are a few scenes like this where shots of Austin are cut together with scenes filmed elsewhere. Remember, they only had four days to shoot in Texas.
We also get a nod to Austin in the opening credits. As illustrated by the screen grab below, a Hook ’em Horns shirt is utilized in one portion of the show’s opener. And, although episode two is set in California, there is a mention of Antone’s Nightclub.
Episode three is titled “Keep Austin Weird” and this episode is set mostly in the ATX. We see a montage of shots of downtown Austin before the ladies check into the Embassy Suites. In scenes of the actors on the plane to Texas as well as checking in at the hotel, we are treated to some horribly bad over dramatized Southern accents.
University of Texas at Austin
Various Locations
UT Tower: 110 Inner Campus Drive | Darrel K Royal Stadium: 2139 San Jacinto Boulevard | Bass Concert Hall: 2350 Robert Dedman Drive | Perry-Castañeda Library: 101 E 21st Street | Gates Dell Complex: 2317 Speedway
The storyline of both episode three through five take us to the University of Texas campus. We see the UT Tower as well as Darrel K. Royal Stadium. Jennifer Garner’s character chases her step daughter across the street to the Bass Concert Hall. Upon entering the building though, a lobby of another theater is featured.
There are also scenes shot at the Gates Dell Complex and the Perry-Castañeda Library.
On the hunt for clues, the duo walks to a church nearby. These scenes were not shot in Austin. That is the Church of Our Savior located in San Gabriel, California.
United States Probation Office
903 San Jacinto Boulevard
US Marshal Grady Bradford’s office is actually the US Probation Office in Austin, located next to Republic Square. In the sixth episode, we see Jennifer Garner run down the steps of the building and jump in a cab with the Monarch and 360 buildings in the background.
East 5th Street
Between Trinity Street and San Jacinto Boulevard
The Never Dry bar is supposed to be located 6th Street, however the exterior shots were filmed in Pomona, California. Filmmakers got creative with the initial shot, adding in the Frost Tower in the background via CGI. Interiors of the bar were filmed at Edendale in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
However, there is a running scene shot on 5th Street where you can clearly see Antone’s. We shared video from a spectator that caught this scene on camera when they were filming in 2021.
While at the fictional bar, Garner goads the owner for info by mentioning the Hot Sauce Festival. He tells her that the fest happens at Fiesta Gardens then proudly displays a bottle of Yellowbird Sauce.
Butterfly Bridge
West Second Street between the Austin Proper Hotel and the Austin Public Library
After running past Antone’s, we see the pair continue to run over the Butterfly Bridge before dropping down to the trail, which isn’t actually possible at that location.
Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge
South Congress Avenue
Once they’ve lost their pursuer, the women watch the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge on the South Congress Side. While filming, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was spotted under the bridge near the Austin American-Statesman building so we assume that’s where they shot Bailey’s memory of seeing the bats as a child.
There are still three episodes of the show left to air and we expect to see more of Austin in episode five so stay tuned for additional locales to be added.
Want to know about other TV Shows and Films that were shot in Austin?
Check out these posts:
- HERE ARE ALL OF THE FILMING LOCATIONS FOR MAN OF THE HOUSE
- YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THE AUSTIN FILMING LOCATIONS FOR CW’S WALKER
- EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE AUSTIN SHOT BEN AFFLECK FILM HYPNOTIC
- MOVIES MADE IN AUSTIN – VARSITY BLUES
- THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS FILMING LOCATIONS IN AUSTIN
Featured photo of Jennifer Garner and Angourie Rice in The Last Thing He Told Me, courtesy of Apple TV+.
