Die-hard fans of romantic comedy-drama films know that Nora Ephron is the queen of romantic movies with classics under her belt like When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, and Julie & Julia. Sleepless in Seattle is another example of an amazing romantic comedy-drama film.
Directed by Nora Ephron and written by David S. Ward, Jeff Arch, and Nora Ephron, Sleepless in Seattle was released in 1993 and stars Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Rob Reiner, Victor Garber, and Rosie O’Donnell.
Sleepless in Seattle follows Sam Baldwin, an architect and a widower, who is relocating to Seattle with his eight-year-old son, Jonah. On Christmas Eve, Jonah convinces his dad to go on a radio talk show and talk about how much he misses his wife, Maggie.
When Annie, a young reporter who is engaged but is not content in her relationship, listens to the program, she writes Sam a letter asking him to meet her on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day.
Although after reading the letter, Sam wants to go meet Annie, he decides against it. However, his son, Jonah, decides to write back to Annie and agrees to meet her in New York.
They then have a chance encounter in Seattle itself, but because of some mix-up, Annie confuses Sam’s sister for his girlfriend and becomes hurt.
Meanwhile, as Valentine’s Day approaches, Jonah hops on a plane and goes to New York, which sends Sam into a panic. Sam finally finds Jonah on top of the Empire State Building, something that Annie witnesses from another skyscraper, and she rushes to meet them.
They soon meet each other, and Annie and Sam decide to give another shot at a romantic relationship. Sleepless in Seattle is praised for its self-awareness and its exploration of the difference between men and women when it comes to romance. Sleepless in Seattle was nominated for Academy Awards in the Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Song categories.
Sleepless in Seattle Filming Locations
As the name suggests, Sleepless in Seattle was filmed in Seattle, Washington. Due to the lack of sound stages in Seattle, much of the indoor shots were done on the Sand Point Naval Base. In addition to Seattle, some of the scenes were shot in New York City, Baltimore, Chicago, Illinois, and Maryland.
Iconic Places Where Sleepless in Seattle Was Filmed
Baltimore Sun Building
Annie works as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun building is a historic landmark in downtown Baltimore. The building is known for its impressive white marble facade and interior architecture.
Lake Union
Did you know that Seattle is considered the most ideal place to own a houseboat? We see an example of this in Sleepless in Seattle, where Sam and his son, Jonah, move into a houseboat situated on the gentle waters of Lake Union.
Lake Union is home to at least 500 of these houseboats, which technically can’t function as a boat and are more like a floating house.
Empire State Building
The final scene of Sleepless in Seattle takes place on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, in New York. However, a fun fact: the entrance to the building was filmed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and the set designers replicated the observation deck of the Empire State Building near Seattle’s Sand Point Naval Place.
George Peabody Library
As we know, several scenes in Sleepless in Seattle were shot in Maryland, which is home to the legendary George Peabody Library, a library that contains more than 300,000 volumes of literature, mainly from the 19th century, with some focus on American history, biography, literature, romance languages and literature, history of science, travel, British art, religion, architecture, and topography. The library is known for being a setting for meetings, corporate events, weddings, and receptions.
Piki Place Market
Piki Place Market is a famous bustling farmer’s market where people can get fresh flowers, fresh produce, and even authentic crafts. In Sleepless in Seattle, the market was the setting for the scene where Jonah runs into his father’s new girlfriend, Victoria.
Where to Watch Sleepless in Seattle Online?
Sleepless in Seattle premiered on June 25, 1993, and was produced by Gary Foster and distributed by TriStar Pictures. You can stream or rent Sleepless in Seattle on Netflix, Fubo TV, VUDU, Google Play, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
