This article was first published in print on SoCal Life Magazine, Winter 2024.

Get Behind the Scenes and Experience the Excitement of Hollywood

Return to old Friends sets, interact with Harry Potter special effects, and cruise through the backlot sets on a Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The beloved hit TV series, Friends, comes to life in the show’s recreated sets on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Memories of laughing with our own friends in earlier days resurfaced while cruising through Monica’s apartment, the former coffeehouse, and Joey and Chandler’s pad complete with living room recliners. We posed for a photo on an outdoor fiberglass orange couch in front of the fountain – a reproduction from the opening scene – as the fountain had been dug up from the Warner Ranch and relocated to this Burbank location for the recent reunion show. The Friends Boutique & Central Perk Café is open for coffee and lounging daily, with props and outfits from numerous scenes and where exclusive merchandise can be purchased. All 10 seasons of the 90s sitcom were filmed right here on the Warner Brothers lot, not in New York City like the show leads you to believe. 

Whether you are a tourist or a local, it’s always fun to get closer to the entertainment you love by getting behind the scenes of a real working studio. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood offers guests a revealing look behind the camera at how Hollywood magic is made. Recognized as one of the Top 25 Attractions in the United States, fans can touch, tour, and observe the real sets and soundstages on this iconic almost 100-year-old studio with 110-acre backlot where the greatest names in entertainment made history.  

Scene 1

The first hour of the guided tour is on an oversized golf cart where guests cruise past the famous Warner Brothers water tower and get to know former film and TV sets made to look like Asia, NYC, Philadelphia, and New York City. Popular sets from legendary TV and movie scenes are all right here in Burbank, California.  As we breezed by the sound stages I noticed signs for Gilmore Girls and the Jennifer Hudson show, and watched a slew of adorable kids (all extras) preparing for a scene in the Netflix series Abbott Elementary. 

Where it all began

Experience the history of Hollywood and a realization of the American dream. The working studio was started by four brothers who traveled from town to town showing movies on a single projector; then expanded to their own theater within a few years, distributing films up and down the east coast. In 1918 the brothers decided it was time to make their own films, leasing production stages in Hollywood until they could afford to buy their own facility. In 1923 Warner Bros. was born to create movie magic. First, beginning with silent films and then accompanied by live musicians or a theatre organ, Warner Bros. expanded in the 1930s with a series of unforgettable cartoon stars like Porky Pig, then a series of characters in Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies such as Bugs Bunny, Pepe le Pew, and Yosemite Sam. While others were hesitant to dive into television in the 1940s and 1950s, Warner Bros. was ready to embrace this new medium. Today the studio still produces nearly two dozen films, hundreds of TV episodes, and thousands of hours of live TV every year. 

Scene II

In the second part of our tour, the secrets of how movies come to life are unveiled in Script to Screen at Stage 48, where guests explore phases of the film and television production process. From the writers’ room to post-production, learn about sound and video effects, script writing, set design, and the actors onscreen who captured our hearts over the years. Recreated sets from the DC Universe filled with superheroes and supervillain costumes, flying machines, Batmobiles, and pieces of movie sets are all on display to WOW your imagination. Most impressive are some of the original costumes that Christopher Reeve wore as Superman in 1983 and Lynda Carter wore as Wonder Woman from 1975-1979. 

Scene III

A grand finale through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts brings aspects of the J.K. Rowling books and films to life with hands-on experiences and sets like the Hogwarts house sorting ceremony, plants that appear alive, and a room full of moving potions and interactive wands. It’s fun to ride a Batmobile or Harry Potter broomstick with a green screen that makes you look you are really in the movie scene flying through the galaxy or zipping through the air. Souvenir photos and videos are available for purchase.

Get behind the scenes and experience the excitement of Hollywood!

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is open Thursday through Monday, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, with studio tours departing every 30 minutes. Advanced bookings are strongly recommended, and all children five years or older are welcome.  For the best value, book your tickets online at wbstudiotour.com or by calling +1 818-977-TOUR (8687). Since tours are timed, there are no big lines.