'Fatherhood' Takes Place in Boston, But Many Scenes Were Filmed Somewhere Else

Though Kevin Hart is known for his self-deprecating stand-up comedy routines and for his roles in light hearted films like Think Like a Man, Ride Along, and Get Hard, the actor is showcasing his dramatic chops in Fatherhood.

Kevin plays Matthew Logelin in the dramedy, who is struggling to navigate both widowhood and fatherhood. His wife, Liz Logelin (Deborah Ayorinde), died about a day after giving birth to their daughter, Madeline aka Maddy (Melody Hurd).

The film, which was released on Netflix on June 18, is based on a true story and on the real-life Matthew's memoir, Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love.

Fatherhood has earned critical acclaim, and many are praising Kevin's performance. The movie may be new to the streaming service, but it's been in production for quite some time.

Read on to find out when and where the heartwarming tale was filmed.

The real Matthew Logelin may have been based in California, but the Netflix original placed the single dad and his network of loved ones in Boston, Mass.

The popular East coast city served as the backdrop for Fatherhood, and many notable locations and neighborhoods were utilized for the outdoor scenes. The exterior shots of the Common (aka Boston Common) park, the downtown Waterfront area, the Seaport district, and at the Boston Public Garden were filmed on location.

However, the majority of the film was actually shot in Montreal, a city in the Quebec province of Canada.

According to The Cinemaholic, Matthew and Maddy's home in Fatherhood is located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood of Montreal's West End. The outdoor areas surrounding the residence were utilized as well.

Though most of the movie was created in Montreal, the inclusion of scenes in recognizable Boston spots allowed Fatherhood to appear like it was fully filmed in New England.

Because there are several scenes that feature large crowds, many viewers may have wondered if Fatherhood was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and restrictions.

Fatherhood has actually been in the works for 2015, though the film was originally going to look quite different. Channing Tatum was initially cast to play Matthew Logelin, and TriStar Pictures was supposed to distribute the movie.

At the beginning of 2019, Kevin Hart took over the leading role, and Paul Weitz was announced as the director. Netflix ultimately purchased the rights to distribute Fatherhood from Sony Pictures Releasing (TriStar Pictures is a subsidiary of Sony).

Once the final cast list was set, production on the film began. Fatherhood was mostly shot before the pandemic. According to Boston.com, the Boston Public Garden scene was created in August of 2019. Per the outlet, the Boston shots were the final ones to be recorded in the film before it went into post-production (it's unclear if there were any reshoots afterwards).

The dramedy was supposed to debut in theaters on April 3, 2020. However, at the beginning of 2020, before the lockdowns began, the release date was pushed back to January of 2021.

The premiere date was actually changed several more times before Netflix purchased the distribution rights. The streaming giant then decided to release the film on Father's Day weekend in 2021.

Fatherhood is available to stream on Netflix now.