The glamorous properties and grand estates that serve as backdrops for many of today's celebrated television series are often much more than mere sets. They are carefully chosen, real-world locations that imbue narratives with authenticity and add depth to character development. The residences featured in this year's Emmy-nominated programs—spanning from iconic urban lofts to sprawling coastal mansions and historic European-inspired homes—underscore the significant impact that setting can have on storytelling. These buildings are silent, yet powerful, characters themselves, contributing profoundly to the atmosphere and allure of hit shows like Hacks, Beef, Only Murders in the Building, and Your Friends & Neighbors.

Featured Residences in Emmy-Nominated Television Series

The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards spotlighted several television triumphs, where the real estate choices were as noteworthy as the performances. For FX’s Love Story, the production authentically recreated the Tribeca loft of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, a property at 20 North Moore Street purchased by Kennedy in 1994 for approximately $700,000. After their 1996 wedding, this loft became a highly photographed Manhattan dwelling, with the show utilizing archival imagery and actual real estate listings for its set design.

Netflix’s Nobody Wants This showcased Joanne’s (Kristen Bell) charming Los Angeles home, a Mediterranean bungalow built in 1926 within the Carthay neighborhood. This 3,776-square-foot residence underwent a transformation by designer David Lucido, featuring imported Saltillo tile, custom plaster walls, and a detached guesthouse. The property, which sold for $3.2 million in 2025, had colorful furnishings and a custom podcast studio added for the series.

In the second season of Beef, Chairwoman Park's minimalist Malibu residence was portrayed by the Ellice Mansion, a colossal 12,000-square-foot estate with breathtaking Pacific views. This property, which includes six bedrooms, ten bathrooms, two kitchens, a theater, gym, sauna, and an infinity pool, was sold by electronic music producer Skrillex for $17.5 million in 2021 and can be rented for around $10,000 per night. Other notable locales in the series included Lindsay and Josh’s Ojai-inspired home, actually a Calabasas residence enhanced with English cottage interiors, and Troy’s lavish Mulholland Highway mansion, filmed at a Thousand Oaks estate, which served as a private ski retreat.

Apple TV’s Your Friends & Neighbors masterfully employed real luxury homes to delineate character standings. The dark suburban drama, filmed across Westchester, Long Island, the Hamptons, and Manhattan, featured Jon Hamm as a disgraced hedge fund manager. A prominent location was Spring Ivy, a nearly 25,000-square-foot mansion in Old Westbury, currently listed for $28 million after a $38.8 million sale in 2023. This estate boasts an indoor basketball court, a bowling alley, a golf simulator, and a private par-3 hole. Additional filming occurred at a 10,100-square-foot home in Purchase, the historic Framewood estate in Upper Brookville, a waterfront house in Quogue, and a penthouse at 252 East 57th Street.

For Hacks, Bob Lipka’s (Tony Goldwyn) opulent Brentwood villa, a 1935 Paul R. Williams design, served as the setting for lavish parties, featuring Hollywood Regency interiors, a grand outdoor staircase, and a two-story waterslide. The HBO Max comedy also highlighted Deborah Vance’s 1915 Spanish Colonial Revival mansion in Altadena and Winnie Landell’s Stanley House, a modern home sold for $33 million. A Hollywood Hills rental, featured as Dance Mom’s temporary residence, was available for $125,000 a month.

Peacock’s thriller All Her Fault, although set in suburban Chicago, was primarily filmed in Australia. Marissa Irvine’s family home was a 16-acre estate on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, which sold for AUD 25-27 million ($18-19.5 million) in 2022. This property, redesigned by Sabrina Caisson, included a five-bedroom residence, an infinity pool, tennis court, soccer field, horse stables, a cocktail lounge, and a golf simulator. In contrast, the Kaminski family resided in the 7,300-square-foot Hawthorn House, characterized by its raw concrete walls and private courtyards.

Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, features the iconic Arconia, whose exterior is the Belnord, a massive 1909 Upper West Side apartment building known for its vast private courtyard. While interior scenes were soundstage recreations, the Belnord remains a coveted address, with Martha Stewart purchasing a 4,600-square-foot duplex there in 2024 for $12.3 million.

Finally, The Gilded Age bypassed traditional sets by filming within America’s most magnificent surviving properties, including Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown and Newport landmarks such as Rosecliff, the Breakers, the Elms, Belcourt, and Château-sur-Mer. The Breakers, Richard Morris Hunt’s 70-room Vanderbilt mansion, hosted grand party scenes, while other estates provided settings for various interiors, from elegant drawing rooms to servants’ quarters.

This fascinating intersection of television and real estate offers a captivating look into the meticulous efforts behind bringing compelling narratives to life. It highlights how architectural grandeur and carefully chosen environments not only enhance visual appeal but also profoundly influence the emotional resonance and authenticity of cinematic experiences. As viewers, recognizing these real-world locations adds another layer of appreciation to the artistry of filmmaking, bridging the gap between fiction and reality.