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| Where Was The Dink Filmed? Every Confirmed Shooting Location Behind Apple TV+'s Sports Comedy. (Credits: AppleTV) |
The courts may be packed with pickleball rivalries and comedy, but the real star quietly stealing scenes in The Dink is Los Angeles itself. Rather than relying on studio sets, the 2026 Apple TV+ sports comedy embraced authentic Southern California locations, giving its country club battles and neighbourhood drama a grounded look that feels convincing from the opening serve to the final match.
Directed by Josh Greenbaum and produced by Ben Stiller and Jake Johnson, The Dink follows former tennis prodigy Dusty Boyd, whose reluctant introduction to pickleball turns into a battle between family loyalty, sporting pride and unexpected second chances.
The production team chose to film entirely across Los Angeles County, allowing genuine clubs, streets and residential districts to become part of the story rather than simple backdrops.
Principal photography officially began on 4 November 2024 and continued for roughly four months before wrapping on 6 March 2025. Filming almost exclusively on real locations helped the cast perform in authentic sporting environments, while also giving viewers plenty of recognisable Californian scenery.
As with many high-profile productions, not every filming spot was publicly revealed during production, helping minimise disruption and allowing filming to continue without large crowds gathering around the cast and crew.
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One of the film's biggest locations is The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, which provides the elegant heart of the fictional Boyd family country club.
Known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and prestigious sporting history, the venue supplies sweeping clubhouse exteriors, refined dining terraces and several tense conversations between Chuck Boyd, played by Ed Harris, and the club's leadership.
The manicured grounds perfectly capture the traditional tennis culture that Dusty's father desperately wants to preserve, almost as though the lawns themselves are judging anyone carrying a pickleball paddle.
The production also made extensive use of Toluca Lake Tennis and Pickleball Club in Los Angeles. This venue becomes the centre of the film's sporting identity, representing the growing popularity of pickleball that drives much of the story's conflict.
Several courts were temporarily transformed for filming, creating a striking visual contrast between classic tennis facilities and colourful pickleball layouts. It is where many of Dusty's personal breakthroughs unfold, proving that sometimes changing sports is easier than changing stubborn opinions.
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Another memorable setting appears inside a private medical plaza around Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, where Ben Stiller's eccentric Dr Stone convinces Dusty that pickleball may be the quickest route back to fitness.
Although the scenes themselves are relatively brief, they serve as one of the film's biggest turning points. Without that doctor's appointment, Dusty would probably still be grumbling about pickleball instead of accidentally enjoying it.
The energetic tournament sequences were filmed across public sporting facilities in Pasadena, where temporary grandstands, banners and crowds transformed everyday courts into a lively championship venue.
These scenes deliver some of the film's biggest laughs alongside its most competitive moments, creating the atmosphere of a genuine community sporting event rather than an over-polished Hollywood production.
Away from the courts, the Boyd family home was recreated inside a mid-century ranch-style property in Encino. The warm suburban setting becomes the backdrop for several emotional conversations between Dusty and his father, highlighting years of unresolved expectations hidden beneath family routines.
It offers a quieter contrast to the lively sporting locations while reminding viewers that the biggest battles rarely happen during the match itself. The production also filmed around residential streets and neighbourhoods throughout Greater Los Angeles, helping connect the major sporting venues with everyday life.
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Those smaller exterior shots add realism to Dusty's daily routine and make the fictional world feel naturally lived in instead of existing only between country club gates. Fans have responded warmly to the choice of filming on real locations rather than heavily constructed studio sets.
Many viewers have praised the believable sporting atmosphere, saying the authentic courts make every rally feel more competitive. Others have enjoyed spotting familiar Los Angeles landmarks throughout the film, while plenty of pickleball enthusiasts have joked that the courts deserve their own acting credits after appearing in so many memorable scenes.
Travellers inspired by The Dink will find that several of the featured public areas across Los Angeles and Pasadena can be explored, although private clubs naturally operate with membership rules or visitor restrictions.
Even so, the wider locations offer plenty of opportunities to experience the same Southern California atmosphere that gives the film its distinctive personality.
As interest in The Dink continues to grow, fans are expected to keep searching for more recognisable corners of Los Angeles featured throughout the comedy.
If additional officially verified The Dink filming locations are revealed by the filmmakers or production team in the future, they will help complete the picture of how this energetic sports comedy came to life. Until then, which location would you most want to visit first, and did you spot any places in the movie that deserve a closer look?