I went behind the scenes of Italy's most glamorous filming location

Times

26-04-2025

Crossing the cobalt Tyrrhenian Sea from Naples, the island of Capri shimmers on the horizon — magical, mystical, mysterious. This fortress isle of steep limestone cliffs, blanketed in bougainvillea and lemon trees, has proved a magnet for artists. Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy and other A-listers were also drawn here by the breathtaking scenery, gentle climate and dreamy dolce vita lifestyle. It was somewhere I was desperate to visit too.
So when a friend of mine, the film-maker Paul Feig,announced that he was shooting the sequel to his cinematic hit A Simple Favour on Capri, I felt a cameo coming on. I flicked my hair about a bit and pouted, casting enigmatic yet charismatic glances his way, desperately hoping that I was giving the impression of being 'ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille'.
One casual aside from Paul that I'd be welcome to visit the set and I was donning ankle-skimming Capri pants and huge sunglasses in a mad dash to the land of limoncello.
Why so keen? Because Paul is my favourite director. Not only are his films comic masterpieces, but they champion women. In classics such as Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy, women drive the narrative and have all the best lines. Appearing in one of his female-friendly films would be the ultimate feminist thrill. My plan was to loiter with intent and somehow insinuate myself into a scene.
The island restricts nonresidential vehicles for most of the year, so after leaping off the ferry at its busy marina I jumped into a cute, open-topped pink taxi to whisk me into the medieval main town. The island has three distinct areas: the picturesque port of Marina Grande, thronging with bobbing tourist boats; the cinematic main town, also named Capri, with its whitewashed houses, chichi shops and bejewelled fashionistas; and, high above, the more serene town of Anacapri.
My base for my stay had to be the impossibly elegant Hotel La Palma, the island's oldest hotel, having been established in 1822 in a setting fit for any movie star — nestled among the bougie boutiques of Via Vittorio Emanuele and just a few high-heeled steps from the Piazzetta, the elegant main square and the heart of the island. A recent refurbishment has added to its glamorous appeal — a study in light-filled minimalism with accents of blue, turquoise and green. Sadly I had no time to loiter, not even in the newly designed foyer, which was designed to pay homage to the artists who would once pay their bills here in paintings. I had my own art to create.
After a fortifying espresso in the Piazzetta I skittered through the labyrinthine laneways, which fan out like arteries, in search of the crew, elbowing chic shoppers out of my way (even in early May, Capri was humming with day-trippers and tour groups, all unaware of the blockbuster being filmed alongside them).
When Paul and his stellar cast finally came into view on Via Camerelle, the island's most glamorous and salubrious street, I turned my mad dash into a surreptitious sashay. The vast crew, all dressed in black, were squeezed into every nook and cranny of the petite street, their massive cameras incongruous against the dainty backdrop of window boxes and boutique bars. Presiding over this tangled mess of cables was Paul — besuited and booted, his trademark stetson as big as a satellite dish.
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Hoping he'd pick up my signal, I draped myself decoratively at an outside table of the Aurora restaurant, then watched, enthralled, as Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick acted out a dramatic scene, cat-and-mousing their way through the cobbled maze of alleys. But despite my sultry smouldering, the camera did not swivel my way.
Undeterred, I spent the rest of the day in pursuit of Paul; darting up and down the network of narrow, winding footpaths that crisscross the island, past Emperor Tiberius's Villa Jovis and through the enchanting terraced Gardens of Augustus, pausing only to drink in the dazzling views across to the Faraglioni, three jagged limestone stacks that soar up from the sea.
Just when I'd billy-goated down the stone stairs to the Marina Grande port, a buzz spread that the crew had moved en masse to Anacapri. Reapplying lip gloss I then panted my way back up the Scala Fenicia — or Phoenician Steps, of which there are 921 — to the ancient enclave on the island's summit.
After marvelling at the floor mosaics at the stunning baroque Church of St Michael, I caught a cable car to the top of Monte Solaro. The panoramic views were astonishing, but — although I could see all the way to Vesuvius — there was still no sight of Paul.
When the cast were then rumoured to have boarded boats, I gave chase, chugging around the rugged coastline in a rented Riva. These sleek, luxury speedboats, with their varnished wood and wraparound windshields, are aquatic Ferraris. For the next few blissful hours I did indeed feel like a film star as my boat cruised into emerald green coves and through shimmering sea caves. Sporting a white bikini, I dived into the bewitching, iridescent Blue Grotto. The turquoise hues that glimmer and flicker on the walls of this phenomenal cavern have entranced visitors since Roman times. Inhabited by sirens in Greek mythology, I couldn't think of a better place to lure my director.
By late afternoon I was in need of refreshment, so loitered attractively over aperitivi in the elegant, open-air drawing room that is the island's main square. Fussed over by cream-jacketed waiters at the Café Caso, I sipped an Aperol spritz while watching the fashionable flotsam and jet set washing through the Piazzetta. Sunglasses perched on my head, à la Jackie O, I batted my lashes at passersby. I couldn't possibly have looked more camera ready, but still nothing.
A sudden swish of Lively's huge designer hat had me running towards the Byzantine clock tower. In my rush to make it into shot I tripped, accidentally hitting record on my phone, so I now have a lot of footage — of my foot.
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By the time I'd scrambled back into position the camera had swept past and I'd missed my moment. Despondent, I hobbled into the Grand Hotel Quisisana, only to find Paul shooting a scene in the lobby. I lurked photogenically on the fringes, until he called, 'It's a wrap.' But when I cornered the auteur it quickly became clear that his greatest cinematic love affair didn't start with a casting couch, but a sunlounger. 'After Laurie and I got married in 1994 we started travelling to Europe,' he explained over cocktails. 'We fell in love with Capri and have returned every year since.'
I asked whether casting a location matters, compared with casting the actors. 'It's as important,' he said. 'Capri is like a movie set, just naturally. Another Simple Favour is suburban noir; everything's shot in nice, bright daytime. The sinister stuff is happening in dazzling sunshine, which is terrifying.'
Yes, I agreed, at my age direct sunlight really is terrifying. He laughed, sipping his martini. 'I like counter-setting,' he continued. 'I want everything bad that is happening to be going on in this really beautiful place. The contrast, the dichotomy is fascinating … And there's nowhere more beautiful than Capri.'
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No wonder Paul didn't notice me gurning for the camera; he was too busy making sure that Capri got her close-ups. And, of course, the best thing about casting a location is that it doesn't need a trailer or an agent.
Unable to compete, I packed away my Capri pants and joined Paul and Laurie for dinner at Gennaro's, the comfortably refined restaurant at Hotel Le Palma. The creamy, turquoise and white tiled interiors, blanched white linen upholstery and unpretentious yet delicious cuisine made this a perfectly authentic Italian experience.
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Over Capri-style veal with tuna sauce (£30), fragrant with the peppery basil that grows on the island's steep terraces, and roasted calamari (£33), I asked Paul whether there were any other locations he'd like to cast. 'Venice, Sydney, Japan, Hong Kong …' he said. 'Who knows — maybe some day I can shoot on the moon.'
And why not? Because shooting for the moon is what he does best. Kathy Lette was a guest of Scott Dunn, which has seven nights' B&B at Hotel La Palma from £7,100, including flights (scottdunn.com)
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As told to Claudia Rowan
I couldn't possibly pick just one restaurant, but I've narrowed it down to two. The first is the family-run, 120-year-old Aurora, in the historic centre of Capri, for its high-end food and service (mains from £17; auroracapri.com). Le Grottelle, built into a hollow in the rock face, has views over the coast and Mama's homemade cooking, with dishes such as traditional Caprese salad and boat-fresh seafood served on tables topped with bright-yellow tablecloths (mains from £13; @ristorantelegrottelle).
It has to be JK Place, a white-fronted, cliffside boutique hotel that is a short walk from the Marina Grande port. Some of its 22 rooms command views over the Gulf of Naples and the marina, others the mountains. There's also an excellent spa, as well as JKitchen, an alfresco restaurant where top-notch Mediterranean dishes on the menu include black garlic tagliolini and carnaroli rice cooked in lemon-peel broth (mains from £36, B&B doubles from £1,129; jkcapri.com).
The falanghina wine at Da Gelsomina, a family-owned hotel and trattoria in the hillside area of La Migliera, is a favourite — homemade with grapes grown in the on-site vineyard. It's a remote spot — get there on foot (it is 30 minutes' walk from Anacapri) or call the restaurant to arrange being picked by its shuttle bus (mains from £16; dagelsomina.com). Bar Quisi, at the historic Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri town, is great for people-watching, especially if you can get a table on its glamorous outdoor terrace, which faces the entrance to the lively Via Camerelle. This place is also a celebrity magnet, with royals, actors and writers (including Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway) among its former guests (quisisana.com).