“Rooster” (the 2026 HBO series starring Steve Carell) was filmed mainly in California , with real campuses standing in for the fictional Ludlow College.

Main filming locations

  • Los Angeles County, California – A large portion of the show was shot in and around L.A.
  • Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank – Used for many interior sets such as homes, offices, and some campus interiors.
  • University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles – Featured for campus scenes representing Ludlow College, especially in establishing shots.
  • Occidental College, Los Angeles – Key campus location, including the McKinnon Center for Global Affairs in Johnson Hall.
  • Stockton, California – A “significant chunk” of filming took place here.
  • University of the Pacific, Stockton – Used for many exterior shots of the fictional Ludlow College, with students and locals appearing as background extras.

Quick story-style recap

To create the world of Ludlow College, the production blended multiple real universities: USC and Occidental in Los Angeles for recognizable quads and halls, then headed north to Stockton, where the University of the Pacific provided big exterior campus vistas and crowds of real students as extras. When scenes needed precise lighting and control, the team moved onto soundstages at Warner Bros. in Burbank, building out interiors like faculty offices and character homes.

Mini FAQ

  1. Which state was “Rooster” filmed in?
    Mostly in California (Los Angeles County and Stockton areas).
  1. Which campuses are Ludlow College in real life?
    A mix of University of the Pacific (Stockton), USC, and Occidental College.
  1. Were locals involved?
    Yes, students and residents around University of the Pacific appeared as background extras in several scenes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.