From Small Fishing Village to Netflix Set: How Brigus South Became Famous Overnight

Brigus South did not literally become famous overnight—but Netflix’s Below has given this small Newfoundland harbour a fresh spotlight. The remote coastal community was among the real locations used for the 2026 sea-creature thriller starring Josh Hartnett, Charlie Heaton, and Mackenzie Davis. Once the series arrived, curious viewers began asking where its fictional fishing town came to life and whether they could visit the places seen on screen.

The distinction matters: Brigus South is a real place with its own history and residents, while Below’s Snook’s Arm is a fictional community. The production used multiple Newfoundland locations, so no single village should be described as the entire town from the show. Netflix’s official Canadian filming-location guide lists Brigus South among the regions featured in the production.

Why Brigus South fit Below’s remote fishing-town atmosphere

Set against the North Atlantic, Brigus South has the rugged coastline, working harbour, and strong connection to the sea that make Newfoundland such a distinctive setting for a story about a fishing community. In Below, Calvin Penney (Hartnett) is a fisherman fighting to protect his family and a town facing an uncertain future. The real landscape gives that fictional struggle a tangible sense of place.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Charlie Heaton described the area where they filmed as a bay called Brigus South and said the natural surroundings made a strong impression on him. The cast’s comments help explain why filming in real coastal communities can feel different from building every exterior on a controlled set.

What the production changed at Brigus South Harbour

The production was not simply a crew arriving with cameras and leaving the village untouched. A public record from Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Environment and Climate Change describes permission for temporary fish stages, wharves, and related structures at Brigus South Harbour to dress the location for a Netflix Canada production. The record shows how the team could adapt a real harbour to serve the visual needs of a fictional fishing town.

That detail also needs careful wording. A permit documents authorized work; it does not, by itself, prove that every proposed structure was built or that a particular structure appears in a particular scene. The government record is useful because it ties the production to the harbour without requiring guesses about which shot was filmed at which exact spot.

Brigus South is one part of a wider Newfoundland production

Netflix’s Netflix in Your Neighbourhood location guide lists several regions for Below, including Brigus South, Bay Bulls, Harbour Main, Pouch Cove, St. John’s, and Twillingate. That broader list is important for fans trying to match a scene to a place: the series drew on multiple communities and production sites rather than one all-purpose location.

Netflix’s official Tudum guide also confirms that the series was filmed in Newfoundland and Labrador. The production’s local footprint is part of the story’s appeal, but it is better to think of the show as a regional production than to claim that Brigus South alone stood in for every part of Snook’s Arm.

Can fans visit the real Below filming location?

Brigus South is a real community, but visitors should treat it as a lived-in place rather than a theme park. Some production structures were temporary, and public records say the authorized set dressing was subject to removal and site restoration unless otherwise requested by the Harbour Authority. Fans should not assume a set is still standing, that every filming spot is publicly accessible, or that a particular building is open to visitors.

The safest starting point is Netflix’s official location guide, which helps identify the filming regions and provides a map-based way to explore the production’s Canadian locations. If you travel to the area, respect private property, harbour operations, local roads, and the people who live and work there. The real community matters more than recreating a screenshot.

Watch the Below official trailer

The series’ fictional town and sea-creature mystery are brought to life against Newfoundland’s real coastal scenery. Watch the trailer below, then use the official location guide to explore the places Netflix lists for the production.

Why the Netflix spotlight matters to a small community

Film and television can introduce a small place to audiences who may never have heard its name before. The attention can encourage visitors to learn about local history and geography, while also creating practical questions about parking, access, privacy, and the difference between a temporary film set and a permanent attraction.

For Brigus South, the most meaningful legacy is not simply being called “famous overnight.” It is the chance to be seen as a real Newfoundland community with a working harbour and a history that existed long before a camera crew arrived. Below may give viewers a reason to look up the place, but the coast and community are not fictional props.

Frequently asked questions

Was Below filmed in Brigus South, Newfoundland?

Yes. Netflix’s Canadian filming-location guide lists Brigus South among the production regions, and local harbour records document temporary set dressing authorized for a Netflix Canada production.

Is Brigus South the real Snook’s Arm from Below?

Not exactly. Snook’s Arm is the fictional community in the series. Brigus South is one real location connected to filming, but the production used multiple places in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Can you visit the Below set in Brigus South?

You can visit the region, but do not assume the temporary set is still there or that all filming locations are open to the public. Check official location information and respect private property and harbour activity.

Where can I find the full list of Below filming locations?

Start with Netflix in Your Neighbourhood, which lists the regions associated with the series.

Sources

• Netflix in Your Neighbourhood — Below filming locations
• Netflix Tudum — Below filming and production guide
• Los Angeles Times — Josh Hartnett and Charlie Heaton discuss Below
• SCENE 49 — Research on Below’s Newfoundland filming locations
• Government of Newfoundland and Labrador — Brigus South Harbour production permit

Location photographs by Alan Schmierer via Wikimedia Commons. By Shivam Das.