If you’ve watched the new Netflix thriller The Secret Woman and planning to visit those dramatic landscapes and historic interiors, then this is for you.
The production filmed across real locations to create the two very different worlds at the center of Louise’s story. One moment, you’re watching Louise live a quiet life surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Then the story pulls her into a completely different world of wealth, secrets, and a past she doesn’t remember.
And there’s more to these locations than simply looking beautiful on screen. One setting represents the life Louise believes she knows, while another becomes part of the mysterious past she’s trying to uncover.
Here’s everything we know about the filming locations of The Secret Woman, including the real-world places that stood in for some of the film’s most important settings.
The Secret Woman Filming Locations
The Secret Woman was filmed across two countries: Norway and Denmark. Principal photography got underway in late May 2025 and concluded after nearly three months in August 2025. The production was handled by Danish studio SF Studios, working under director Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg.
The story follows Louise Andersen, a woman living on the Norwegian island of Hidra who discovers she may actually be Helene Söderberg, a wealthy Danish woman who vanished three years earlier. The film required two visually distinct worlds, and the production found them in real locations on both sides of the Scandinavian peninsula. The Norwegian scenes are intimate and rural. The Danish scenes are polished and unsettling.
Tysnes Municipality, Norway
The Norwegian sections of the film were primarily shot in Tysnes municipality, located in Vestland County south of Bergen. Although the story places Louise on the island of Hidra, the production did not film on Hidra itself. Tysnes provided the same kind of landscape the story needed, quiet water, green hills, small settlements, and an immediate sense of isolation from the wider world.
The municipality’s administrative center, Uggdal, features prominently. The most specific confirmed location is E.H. Vaage Landhandleri, an old waterfront trading post in Uggdal. The property is operated by Haaheim Gaard and was specifically identified as one of the Netflix production’s chosen locations.
Tysnes is a relatively remote island community in western Norway. It sits at the edge of the Hardangerfjord and is known for its unspoiled coastal landscape. For viewers who felt that Louise’s corner of the world looked genuinely cut off from everything, that impression came from a real place.
Haaheim Gaard, Uggdal, Tysnes
The historic hotel Haaheim Gaard, located at Dalsvegen 182 in Uggdal, served as one of the key production locations for Louise and Joachim’s life together. The 19th-century estate sits surrounded by gardens and overlooks the mountains of western Norway. It is a working boutique hotel today, offering accommodation, local food, and cultural events.
On screen, this property and its surrounding areas build the world of Louise’s small café. The estate’s secluded atmosphere and historic character create the deliberate contrast with the wealth waiting for her in Denmark. Haaheim Gaard traces its modern form to the early 20th century, though the land has a considerably older history.
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Hardanger Bridge, Vestland, Norway
The production also traveled into the Hardanger region to film outdoor scenes at the Hardanger Bridge, which crosses the Eidfjorden branch of the Hardangerfjord. The bridge connects Ullensvang Municipality to Ulvik Municipality in Vestland County. It spans 1,380 metres in total and sits 201.5 metres above the water, making it one of the most dramatic engineering landmarks in all of Norway.
The bridge opened in 2013 and replaced a ferry connection that had previously made the route between Bergen and Oslo considerably longer. On screen, its scale and setting make it an effective visual symbol for a story about someone standing between two very different lives. The Hardanger region, known for its fjords and apple orchards, has attracted Norwegian and international film productions over the years due to its cinematic natural scenery.
Gurrehus Castle (Gurrehus), Kvistgård, Helsingør Municipality, Denmark
Once the story shifts from Norway to Denmark, the visual language of the film changes completely. The lavish Söderberg family estate is portrayed by Gurrehus, a historic manor estate located in the town of Kvistgård, within Helsingør Municipality in North Zealand.
The property sits near Gurre Lake and the ruins of the medieval Gurre Castle, which dates back to the 12th century. The estate itself dates to the 16th century and has long been associated with Danish nobility. It was previously owned by Prince George of Greece and Princess Marie Bonaparte.
For The Secret Woman, multiple scenes were recorded at Gurrehus. The production used the property’s bedrooms with high ceilings, scenic castle garden, functional kitchen-dining area, and surrounding grounds. Every detail of the setting communicates the contrast with Louise’s simple Norwegian life. The estate is large enough to hide things. And the film makes sure you feel that.
Helsingør Municipality is located on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand, roughly 40 kilometres north of Copenhagen. The area is best known internationally for Kronborg Castle, the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is a popular destination for its coastal scenery, historic architecture, and proximity to Hamlet’s tower.
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BIG Headquarters, Nordhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark
The modern corporate world of the Söderberg family was filmed at the headquarters of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), located at Sundkaj 165 in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn district. The seven-story building’s exterior stood in for the Söderberg family’s successful shipping business.
BIG is one of the world’s most recognized architecture firms, founded by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in Copenhagen in 2005. The Nordhavn headquarters building is a striking concrete structure with stacked horizontal bands and a continuous ribbon of terraces winding from the quay to the roof. It sits at the head of a pier where the historic harbor transitions into new urban development. The building’s design emphasizes a connection between the interior and the water, harbor, and city surrounding it.
For the film, the building’s sleek industrial-waterfront appearance made it a natural fit for a shipping empire with something to hide.
Copenhagen has been a popular filming destination for Danish and international productions alike. Notable films and series that have used the city include Into the Deep, Backstabbing for Beginners, The Chestnut Man, Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever, and The Killing. The city’s mix of historic architecture and contemporary design gives productions a wide visual palette to draw from.
The Secret Woman Cast
| Actor | Character | Notable Works |
| Natalie Madueño | Louise Andersen / Helene Söderberg | The Rain, Darkness: Those Who Kill, Follow the Money (Bedrag), Warrior, Petra |
| Claes Bang | Edmund Söderberg | The Square, Dracula, The Northman, Bad Sisters, The New Look |
| Pål Sverre Hagen | Joachim | Let Go, Exit |
| Stina Ekblad | Caroline | The Food Club |
| Ingrid Bolsø Berdal | Iben Rask | Known for international productions and Nordic noir series |
| Lars Simonsen | Supporting | Established Danish screen actor |
| Thea Sofie Loch Næss | Maria | Supporting role |
| Rasmus Hammerich | Supporting | Supporting ensemble |
Natalie Madueño leads the film as the central character. Louise has no memory of her earlier life and has built a new existence in Norway with Joachim. When she discovers she may be Helene Söderberg, she leaves behind everything familiar to investigate. Madueño is one of Denmark’s best-known younger actresses, recognized from her work in The Rain and Darkness: Those Who Kill.
Claes Bang plays Edmund Söderberg, Helene’s husband. The character uses calm and mildness as cover for something far more dangerous. Bang is internationally recognized for The Square, for which he won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2017, as well as The Northman and Bad Sisters.
Pål Sverre Hagen plays Joachim, Louise’s partner in Norway. He continues to investigate on her behalf while she is absorbed back into her former life, and his findings fuel the audience’s tension.
Behind the Scenes
One notable creative connection: director Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg previously adapted another Anna Ekberg novel for Netflix with Loving Adults. The Secret Woman is a second collaboration between the same director and source author. Co-writer Anders August also worked with Topsøe-Rothenborg on Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction, another Netflix Danish production.
| Detail | Information |
| Director | Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg (previously directed Loving Adults, also based on an Anna Ekberg novel) |
| Screenplay | Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg and Anders August (Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction) |
| Source Novel | Den Hemmelige Kvinde (The Secret Woman) by Anna Ekberg |
| Producer | Marcella Dichmann |
| Executive Producers | Lars Bjørn-Hansen and Anders Rønnow Klarlund |
| Production Company | SF Studios (Denmark) |
| Original Title | Den Hemmelige Kvinde |
| Country of Origin | Denmark |
| Language | Danish (Original); dubbed and subtitled in multiple languages |
| Principal Photography | Late May – August 2025 |
| Netflix Release | August 28, 2026 |
| Rating | TV-14 |
For the screenplay, the filmmakers made deliberate decisions about what to keep from Ekberg’s novel and what to change. Some reviewer accounts noted that the film streamlined or removed elements they found unrealistic in the book, resulting in a more grounded adaptation. Topsøe-Rothenborg co-wrote the screenplay rather than handing that task to another writer, giving the film a more unified directorial vision.
The production used two visually distinct countries for a clear narrative reason. Norway represents Louise’s present. Denmark represents Helene’s past. The contrast in landscapes, architecture, and scale is part of the film’s storytelling, not just production logistics.
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Where to watch The Secret Woman?
The Secret Woman is streaming exclusively on Netflix worldwide. It premiered on August 28, 2026. A Netflix subscription is required. The film is available in Danish (original), with dubbed and subtitled options including English, German, Spanish (Latin America), and French.
Despite mixed critical reviews, the film performed strongly on the platform. It held the number-two spot on Netflix’s Top 10 worldwide movies chart in its opening week, sitting just behind The Whisper Man. In the United Kingdom, it reached third place on the Netflix chart.
The Secret Woman Reviews and Audience Reaction
The Secret Woman landed as a familiar kind of Nordic noir divide. Critics were largely skeptical. Audiences were more forgiving.
| Source | Verdict |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Critics) | Mixed / Rotten |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Audience) | Generally positive viewer reception |
| RogerEbert.com | 2.5/5 – competent but not gripping |
| Ready Steady Cut | Watchable but deliberately obvious |
| InBetweenDrafts | Paint-by-numbers thriller |
| Netflix Global Chart | #2 worldwide in opening week |
The critical consensus from multiple outlets pointed to the same issues: the mystery is too telegraphed from the start, the pacing is slow, and the film tells the audience too much too early. RogerEbert.com’s review noted that the score was too on-the-nose in the first half, signaling emotions rather than letting the plot generate them. Ready Steady Cut observed that the film chooses to be an “obvious mystery rather than having fun with it for the audience.”
Performances, however, attracted consistent praise. Claes Bang’s portrayal of Edmund was singled out by multiple critics. One review described how Bang uses mildness as cover for extreme anger. Natalie Madueño was called a sympathetic and convincing lead throughout.
Audience reaction was warmer than the critical response. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes described the film as engaging, noting the tight plot and strong performances. One viewer called it “a decent foreign film with an intriguing story and plenty of twists.” Another commented that going in with open expectations made for a rewarding experience.
Heaven of Horror offered perhaps the most generous critical take, arguing that the film’s adaptation improved on some of the book’s stranger elements and that every time it threatened to go off the rails, it got back on track.
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