New Netflix Series and Others Spotlight the Florida Keys

"Bloodline," an original on-demand television series that showcases the Florida Keys, is expected to premiere Friday, March 20, on the streaming media provider Netflix. The 13-episode psychological thriller was filmed at various Keys locations, primarily in the Upper Keys between Key Largo and Islamorada.

Stars of the show include Oscar-winner Sissy Spacek, Emmy-winner Kyle Chandler, "ER" veteran Linda Cardellini and noted Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn.

The plot follows the dramatic exploits of the Rayburns, depicted as a contemporary island family —hard working, but with hidden secrets that threaten to expose a shameful past and test sibling loyalty. According to Netflix, the action is sparked by the return of a black-sheep Rayburn son.

In addition to scenic aerials of Keys bridges and dense mangrove forests offshore, some Upper Keys landmarks featured in the series include Pierre's Restaurant, The Moorings Village and the beach at Founders Park. Viewers also can spot other popular places like the Green Turtle Inn and the Oceanview Pub, a casual hub for Islamorada fishing tournaments.

"Bloodline" is far from the only television program that has been shot in the Keys. Advertising and film industries too are attracted by the destination's enticing settings, inspiring tourism and casting the island chain as its own character.

Advertisements feature iconic Keys roads, bridges, beaches and crystalline waters. Jeep and Ford have used Marathon and Key West as backdrops, and a Fiat 500 "swim" from Italy spot was partially shot in the Upper Keys.

A 1996 Ralph Lauren Polo extravaganza featured Terra's Key, a private Atlantic Ocean island with a four-bedroom home, tennis court, pool, dock, saltwater lagoon and beach. The Moorings Village, a luxury resort in Islamorada, is favored by fashion photographers including Bruce Weber.

Before he became California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a 1994 film with Jamie Lee Curtis called "True Lies" that was shot partially in the Keys. The madcap caper, about a spy whose personal and professional lives collide, involved action sequences of helicopter stunts, a warehouse explosion and bridge blast that required constructing a replica of the Middle Keys' Seven Mile Bridge on Sugarloaf Key.

Scenes from 2002's "Red Dragon" starring Anthony Hopkins were filmed at an Islamorada doctor's home. In addition, the Keys were a notable location for the James Bond adventures "Tomorrow Never Dies" and "Licence to Kill" — the latter including a wedding scene at Key West's St. Mary Star of the Sea, now a basilica, that featured scores of local residents as extras.

Key Largo's Caribbean Club bar also has appeared in movies, most famously in John Huston's 1947 classic, "Key Largo," starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The film's release brought so much lasting attention for the island that Key Largo honors Bogart, the man the American Film Institute named "America's greatest male screen legend," with an annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival.

In addition, the Florida Keys have appeared in reality television shows. Destination America's "Buying the Beach" documented a local musician's pursuit of buying a private island for himself and his wife. "Reel Rivals," a six-episode production for The Weather Channel, spotlighted on-the-water and onshore competition between four Islamorada fishing charter captains. "Platinum Weddings" also was shot on location in Islamorada to chronicle the million-dollar wedding of two New York investment bankers and their guests at Cheeca Lodge and Spa.

Other shows include MTV's "The Real World" (2005-06) and "Burn Notice" (2013).

What is it that makes the Florida Keys so attractive to filmmakers, production companies and ad agencies? The island chain offers some of the most diverse locations anywhere, including unmatched spots for waterfront, in-water and underwater shooting. Other potential settings include Victorian mansions and cottages, fish camps, marinas, neighborhoods full of funky charm and wetlands and backcountry areas rich in unspoiled natural beauties.

To discover some of the Keys' intriguing and atmospheric settings, check out the Netflix thriller "Bloodline."

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com
or 1-800-FLA-KEYS (1-800-352-5397)

Social: Facebook • Twitter • KeysVoices.com • YouTube