Netflix's The Hawk Films at Pelican Hill Resort: Movies and TV Shows Filmed in Newport Beach and Orange County

Orange County has long been a destination for those seeking extraordinary coastal living. Increasingly, it's also become a destination for Hollywood.

This summer, Pelican Hill Resort took center stage as one of the primary filming locations for Netflix's upcoming comedy series, The Hawk, starring Will Ferrell. For several days, the resort's championship golf course was transformed into the site of a fictional U.S. Open, complete with grandstands, television towers, hospitality tents, and production crews. What many Newport Coast residents initially assumed was a major golf tournament was, in reality, one of Netflix's most ambitious productions of the year.

In The Hawk, Ferrell stars as Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins, a former golf legend attempting one final comeback on the PGA Tour. Rather than recreating a championship venue on a soundstage, filmmakers chose Pelican Hill Resort for its dramatic oceanfront fairways, Italian-inspired architecture, and panoramic Pacific views. The resort's unmistakable setting provides an authentic backdrop that few golf destinations in the world can match.

For those familiar with Newport Coast, the decision feels fitting. Pelican Hill has become synonymous with California luxury, where Mediterranean-inspired design meets one of the country's most celebrated stretches of coastline. Its timeless architecture and cinematic landscapes make it as compelling on screen as it is in person.

While The Hawk may be the latest production to showcase Orange County, it joins a long list of films and television series that have turned Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and the surrounding communities into unforgettable on-screen destinations.

Hollywood's Longstanding Relationship with Orange County

Some of Newport Beach's most recognizable landmarks have quietly become part of film history. Fashion Island appeared in Jerry Maguire, where Tom Cruise's character walked and talked through several memorable scenes within the iconic open-air shopping destination. Just minutes away, the Newport Beach Central Library made a cameo in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, adding another familiar local landmark to one of the most beloved comedies of the 1990s.

One of Us Is Lying (Peacock)

The opening episode of Peacock's mystery thriller features a striking motorcycle ride along the roads bordering El Moro Canyon and Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach. The winding coastline, dramatic bluffs, and ocean vistas immediately establish a sense of place while showcasing one of Southern California's most scenic drives.

The O.C.

Few television series are as closely associated with Orange County as The O.C. While many interior scenes were filmed on studio lots, establishing shots throughout Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Balboa Peninsula, and the surrounding coastline helped create one of television's most recognizable settings.

Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County

MTV's groundbreaking reality series introduced audiences around the world to Laguna Beach's beaches, neighborhoods, and coastal lifestyle, helping define the city's cultural identity for an entire generation.

Arrested Development

The Emmy Award-winning comedy frequently incorporated Newport Beach into the fictional world of the Bluth family. Waterfront neighborhoods, harbor views, and scenes inspired by Balboa Island all helped shape the show's distinctive Southern California backdrop.

American Wedding

Orange County also played a memorable role in the American Pie franchise. Chapman University's historic campus in Orange doubled as East Great Falls Hospital in American Wedding, while nearby Old Towne Orange appeared during the film's downtown montage and florist shop scenes around Orange Plaza Square Park.

Many of the franchise's most recognizable locations, including East Great Falls High School and Jim's family home, were filmed in neighboring Long Beach. Together, Orange County and Southern California provided the backdrop for one of the most iconic comedy franchises of its generation.

Beaches

The beloved 1988 film Beaches, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey, left behind one of Orange County's most cherished cinematic landmarks. The iconic beach house where Hillary spends her summers is Cottage #13 in the Crystal Cove Historic District, nestled along Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.

Today, the cottage has been thoughtfully restored as the Beaches Film & Media Center, welcoming visitors to experience one of the film's most recognizable locations while celebrating Southern California's rich filmmaking history.

More than three decades later, Crystal Cove remains one of Orange County's most photographed coastal landscapes. Its preserved cottages, pristine shoreline, and timeless character continue to attract filmmakers, photographers, and visitors from around the world.

Where California Becomes the Set

From Netflix productions and award-winning television dramas to cult classics and beloved films, Orange County continues to offer filmmakers something remarkably rare: authentic beauty that needs very little enhancement.

Whether it's the championship fairways of Pelican Hill Resort, the historic cottages of Crystal Cove, the boutiques of Fashion Island, or the streets of Old Towne Orange, these locations have become more than backdrops. They help tell stories that reach audiences around the world while showcasing the character, architecture, and lifestyle that define coastal Orange County.

As The Hawk prepares for its Netflix debut, Pelican Hill Resort joins an enduring collection of Orange County landmarks that continue to captivate Hollywood, proving that some of California's most memorable scenes begin long before the cameras start rolling.