Where was The Copenhagen Test shot? Revisiting key filming locations of the new Simu Liu series

Snapshot from The Copenhagen Test official trailer - via @Peacock
Snapshot from The Copenhagen Test official trailer - via @Peacock's YouTube channel

The Copenhagen Test is a science fiction action series that focuses on Alexander Hale, a young intelligence analyst who works for a covert organisation known as The Orphanage. To Alexander's surprise, he discovers that his brain has been hacked. In other words, everything that he has seen and heard is being observed by another party. This event sets off a series of unfortunate events where everything around him becomes surreal, frightening, and very hazardous.

The Copenhagen Test stars actors such as Simu Liu, Melissa Barrera, Sinclair Daniel, Brian d'Arcy James, and Mark O'Brien. Much of the film occurs in office buildings, apartments, and urban streets as Alexander attempts to maintain a facade of normalcy while hunting for the truth. For this reason, the production company was required to find a city to film in that would appear contemporary, stark, and realistic; therefore, Ontario was selected as the location for filming, with Toronto serving as the primary filming location.

Filming for the first season began in October 2024 and continued for more than four months. Work wrapped up in the first week of March 2025. Since the story carries a dark and suspenseful tone, the winter setting helps support the mood of the show. Many scenes take place in the cold and on city streets that look sharp and tense, which fits the plot well.


Toronto, Ontario, served as the prime location for The Copenhagen Test

The main filming location for The Copenhagen Test was Toronto, the capital city of Ontario. Toronto has been used for many film and TV projects, because it can look like different places and has many production studios. For this show, the cast and crew used several parts of the city to build the world of Alexander Hale. Most filming took place in downtown Toronto.

The winter weather played a big role during production. The cast worked through long nights, cold winds, and heavy snow. Melissa Barrera, who plays Michelle, spoke about how extreme the cold felt during the shoot. She said she could not believe how people in Toronto manage winter every year. She also shared that her two small dogs needed boots and coats because the snow lasted from October to March. She explained that the cold ended up fitting The Copenhagen Test well, because viewers will likely watch it during winter and feel the atmosphere more strongly.

Filming in Toronto also gave the team many practical benefits. The city has experienced crews, modern equipment, and large studios. These things make it easier for big productions to work smoothly. Toronto is also known for its supportive film policies and tax benefits. Because of this, the city has earned the nickname "Hollywood of the North," a title it shares with Vancouver. Many international films and shows are made there each year.

For The Copenhagen Test, the team used a mix of indoor locations, outdoor streets, and office buildings. Toronto's tall towers and busy walkways helped show the pressure-filled world Alexander lives in. The downtown core added a strong visual style to the story, especially during night scenes, when bright lights and cold air matched the tense mood of the plot.

The team also used Toronto's quiet neighbourhoods for scenes involving Alexander's home and the homes of other characters. These areas helped show the contrast between his personal life and his dangerous work at The Orphanage. Even simple scenes of walking down a snowy street added to the feeling that someone might always be watching him.


Why Toronto worked for The Copenhagen Test?

Among Toronto's many styles of streets, sometimes a street feels metropolitan and visually crisp as something modern might be, and other streets feel more homely or subdued. For this reason, Toronto was a suitable city to film The Copenhagen Test, since many scenes switch from public to private domains.

Toronto's winter environment also suited the requirements of the production team. Since Toronto is an urban city that regularly experiences extreme cold weather conditions and can continue filming without considerable interruptions, crews are accustomed to operating safely and efficiently at such temperatures, which maintained the schedule for the filming of The Copenhagen Test throughout the duration of the snowy conditions created by an extreme winter storm.

youtube-cover

Another reason Toronto was a good fit is its strong acting and technical talent. Many skilled workers live there, making it easy to hire local crew members. This reduces travel costs and helps maintain a steady workflow. It also means the show, The Copenhagen Test, could rely on people who know the city well and understand how to get the best results from each location.

Overall, Toronto helped shape the world of The Copenhagen Test. Its buildings, winter mood, and city streets added to the tension of the story. The city's production support made filming smoother and more efficient. Because of all these reasons, Toronto became the main home for the show, and many key scenes were brought to life there.

Edited by Sohini Biswas