The film was shot using a mix of Manhattan street blocks and Queens waterfront views to ground the fact-based story of model Gia Marie Carangi, from early success and nightlife to addiction, unstable relationships, and serious illness. New York locations help emphasize the contrast between public glamour and private isolation, moving between corporate downtown architecture, quieter residential streets, and open waterfront space.

Filming Locations:

East 22nd Street Block (Broadway–Park Avenue)

In the Movie

Scene where an outdoor street moment is shown to place the character in Manhattan, the camera uses the block as a recognizable transition point 'in the city' rather than a fully staged scene, emphasizing everyday movement and surrounding traffic.

In Reality

The scene was filmed on a Manhattan cross street through the Flatiron/Gramercy area; this stretch between Broadway and Park Avenue is surrounded by pre-war buildings, small hotels, and busy intersections that clearly read as a central New York streetscape on camera.

Gia's Apartment Building (Exterior)

In the Movie

Scene where the exterior of the apartment is used as the character's home base, supporting intimate, grounded parts of the story; the residential scale of the location and the recognizable street with stoops help convey privacy and routine.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at a real address in Manhattan's Gramercy neighborhood on Irving Place, a street known for historic residential buildings and a quieter pace than the adjacent avenues; the stoops and facades provide an authentic residential look.

East 22nd Street at Park Avenue (Overlap Area)

In the Movie

Scene where a street-level episode is used together with tower views to hint at arrival at an important location, relying on the recognizable scale of Manhattan avenues, traffic, and surrounding architecture to quickly convey the moment.

In Reality

The scene was filmed on the Park Avenue corridor in Manhattan, which features wide medians, heavy traffic, and a mix of residential and commercial buildings; it is often used to establish geography because the signage and streetscape feel like typical 'New York'.