Florence Pugh reflects on filming East of Eden in New Zealand
Monday 5 October 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Netflix, John Steinbeck, Florence Pugh
Actress Florence Pugh has shared her experiences filming the Netflix series East of Eden in New Zealand. The production, based on the novel by John Steinbeck, was filmed in Dunedin and Ōamaru during the 2024/2025 summer. There are hopes the project will attract more large-scale productions to the Otago region.
Key facts
5 facts
- East of Eden is a seven-episode Netflix mini-series
- The series is based on John Steinbeck's 1952 novel
- Filming occurred in New Zealand during the 2024/2025 summer
- The series reached number one on Netflix
- Filming locations included Dunedin, Ōamaru, Auckland, and Thames
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
The seven-episode Netflix mini-series East of Eden has reached number one on the streaming platform. The production is based on the 1952 novel by John Steinbeck.
Filming took place in New Zealand during the summer of 2024/2025. While the story is set in California's Salinas Valley, locations used included Dunedin, Ōamaru, Auckland, and Thames.
In Ōamaru, the heritage precinct was closed for one week, while parts of Dunedin were closed for one day. Production crews worked from approximately 4am until the evening to manage makeup and traffic changes.
Local extras included Moana Kyle and student Eva Clarke. Clarke described the experience as "surreal" and noted the set featured Victorian elements such as carriages and posters.
Compiled from reports by Stuff and 1News.
