Matchbox, Universal filming Apples Never Fall, La Brea and transforming Gold Coast landmarks

Gold Coast businesses have been transformed into sets as filming of two major tv series get under way in the city. See the transformations:

Gold Coast businesses have been transformed into sets as filming of two major tv series get under way in the city.

Jurassic Park star Sam Neill, 75, and American Beauty star Annette Bening, 64, are in town for the production of tv series Apples Never Fall, an adaptation of the best-selling novel by Liane Moriarty.

Sam Neill.

Annette Bening.

Also in town is the cast and crew of American sci-fi drama series La Brea, which moved filming from Victoria to Queensland for its third season.

Film sets have been spotted near Biggera Waters State Schools and at Labrador, where mid-century bunkhouse Jadran Motel and El-Jay’s Holiday Lodge was transformed into the “Paradise Motel” complete with flamingoes and pink neon signage.

Traffic was closed in one lane of the busy Gold Coast Highway through Frank St late on Friday as filming took over the site.

How Jadran Motel and El-Jay’s usually looks.

Film crews took over Jadran Motel on Frank St, Labrador, on March 31, 2023. Picture: Kathleen Skene

Film crews took over this motel on Frank St, Labrador on March 31, 2023. Picture: Kathleen Skene

Other scenes have also been sighted in Southport at Broadwater Parklands and Hicks St.

On Hicks St, the vacant former office of collapsed investment firm Octaviar, previously called MFS, was ironically transformed into a Los Angeles Police Department building, complete with squad cars.

The former offices of collapsed investment firm Octaviar, aka MFS, on Hicks St, Southport, was transformed into an LAPD station for filming of La Brea. Picture: Facebook

The former offices of collapsed investment firm Octaviar, aka MFS, on Hicks St, Southport, was transformed into an LAPD station for filming of La Brea. Picture: Facebook

Both productions are under way by Universal Studios Group and Matchbox Pictures, who earlier brought Young Rock to the Coast.

Neill, currently in remission for stage three blood cancer, plays Stan Delaney in Moriarty’s psychological thriller, while Bening appears as his wife Joy.

Josh McKenzie as Lucas Hayes in La Brea. Picture: Sarah Enticknap

Moriarty, who also penned and produced smash series Big Little Lies, is executive producer of the latest series.

Apples Never Fall was expected to contribute around $29.5m to Queensland’s economy and create nearly 200 jobs for local cast and crew, with an additional 1000 roles for extras.