Dakota Fanning after a long day of shooting in Szentendre
American actress Dakota Fanning has been spotted filming on the streets of the picturesque town of Szentendre (located 30 minutes from Budapest). The actress is currently working alongside her sister, Elle Fanning, on the upcoming World War II movie called The Nightingale.
Alkotmány street in Szentendre has received a new facade for the past few days. Instead of the usual shops and restaurants, a pharmacy, a pastry shop and an old fashioned market took over the area, with French signage and dressed storefronts and a French flag suggesting that the little town close to Budapest is doubling for a French village.
Transformation of the Alkotmány street in Szentendre. Photo: Hungary Today
In addition actors portraying officers and even nuns appeared on some filming days, creating an interesting experience for locals and tourists alike. The set, which the cast and crew spent days building, was designed to recreate a quiet village in France and the story focuses on Vianne Mauriac (played by Dakota Fanning) and her younger sister Isabelle (portrayed by Elle Fanning) as they navigate their lives in the Nazi-occupied country.
‘THE NIGHTINGALE,’ starring Elle and Dakota Fanning, begins filming in April. pic.twitter.com/a1W0LCYeYp
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 14, 2026
Dakota Fanning was seen in period accurate costumes and Hungary Today caught up with the actress while she was escorted from one filming location to another. After congratulating her on the making of the movie (which faced significant production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic before being revived for a 2027 release), she shared her excitement for being back in Hungary. This is not her first time shooting in Hungary, as filming for the American TV show The Alienist took place in Budapest in 2017.
Extras taking a break between shootings. Photo: Hungary Today
Speaking to extras on location, Hungary Today learned that a lot of Hungarians are working on the movie as background actors, some even having lines in one specific scene. As for working with actors from Hollywood, they said they do not always share a scene with them, but the experience was pleasant even if they are separated for most of the shooting time.
Blue Land Folklore disguised as a pastry shop during the shoot. Photo: Hungary Today
Not part of the cast and crew, but someone who witnessed the entirety of the shoot is Ilona Tóth, owner of a very famous shop in Szentendre, Blue Land Folklore. She told Hungary Today that this was just one shooting involving her shop, having seen Antonio Banderas and many other actors on the streets of Szentendre.
They like this area very much, particularly this street, a lot of movies have chosen to shoot scenes here,”
she explained. She added that this time only the exterior of her shop was modified, though in previous projects she has had to fully rearrange the interior as well. She praised the helpfulness and the friendliness of the cast and crew during preparations and filming.
Blue Land Folklore in its original form after the shoot. Photo: Hungary Today
Despite the scale of the production, she noted that filming does not significantly disrupt the town’s everyday atmosphere. Locals and tourists may stop to watch briefly, but daily life in Szentendre continues largely as normal.
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Featured photo: Hungary Today
