The Most Iconic Central Park West Apartments In Movie History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Three Men And A Baby (1987)
• Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
• Hannah And Her Sisters (1986)
• Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
• Single White Female (1992)
• Ghostbusters (1984)

Most movies are only good as their scenery—and there’s a reason so many choose New York City. With more character per square foot than anywhere in the world, the right NYC apartment becomes a scene stealer itself, inherently illuminating the lead with immediate depth and charm. Whether polished, dated, or quietly grand, these spaces speak volumes before a word is even spoken, grounding the story in something both cinematic and New York to the core.

While movie-worthy residences can be found throughout the City’s many niche neighborhoods  and bustling boroughs, some of the most memorable addresses in movie history are more often than not found in one area - Central Park West. 

Famed buildings like The Dakota and The Ansonia echo with real-life history, but their fictional roles are equally legendary. With prominent shine in some of Hollywood’s biggest hits, apartments in CPW have consistently raised the bar.

Join us below as we switch gears from our normal Design & Reno Blog material and have some fun walking through the most iconic Central Park West apartments in movie history.

[#1]Three Men And A Baby (1987)[#1]

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The Prasada | 50 Central Park West

Few buildings offer Upper West Side charm like The Prasada. Built in 1907 and beaming with Beaux-Arts detail, this iconic CPW building brings just the right amount of classic NYC elegance to this unexpectedly warm buddy comedy classic (directed by Leonard Nemoy, of all people). Equipped with a thick 80s retro design, the apartment—shared by an architect, a cartoonist, and an actor—is peak pre-war, bolstering big windows, tall ceilings, and more than enough square footage for their unorthodox family unit. The sun-soaked space feels endless. And that greenhouse kitchen? No wonder the mother finagled a way in. 

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[#2]Rosemary’s Baby (1968)[#2]

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The Dakota | 1 West 72nd Street 

In this skin-crawling horror masterpiece, The Dakota—arguably Central Park West’s most recognizable residence—is reimagined as The Bramford. Beyond the building’s imposing Gothic Revival architectural facade, indoors offers more of a luxe appeal. The peak Mia Farrow-era interiors scream pre-war, offering sky-high ceilings, paneled doors, and a sprawling layout that leaves viewers consistantly guessing what’s around the corner. Real-life headlines only enhance the legend of The Dakota, as John Lennon, a longtime resident, was tragically shot just outside the Dakota’s storied archway. 

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[#3]Hannah And Her Sisters (1986)[#3]

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The Langham | 135 Central Park West

Mia Farrow returned to Central Park West in Hannah And Her Sisters, swapping suspense for something a bit more grounded. The grandiose apartment—apparently a real, privately owned 11-room unit inside The Langham—is the setting for the foundational Thanksgiving dinners that set the stage for this Woody-Allen-directed family drama, projecting a beautiful Beaux-Arts backdrop throughout the ups and downs. The details include immaculate mantels, pocket doors, herringbone floors, and the kind of lived-in look that adds depth to their dysfunction. Farrow actually lived there at the time—and thanks to rent control, she was only paying $1,800 a month. Try finding that on StreetEasy.

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[#4]Eyes Wide Shut (1999)[#4]

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146 Central Park West

In Stanley Kubrick’s final and freakiest film, Dr. Bill and Alice Harford—played by Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman—live in an understated Central Park West apartment designed to capture a very specific NYC elegance. Though the interiors were actually recreated on a London soundstage, they were specifically modeled after Kubrick’s own home at 146 CPW, where he lived with his wife Christiane in the 1960s. Nearly every detail, from the layout to the furniture, was either inspired by or sourced directly from that real-life residence. The final product is textured, intimate, and unmistakably Manhattan—complete with pre-war proportions easier to get lost in than the plot itself. 

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[#5]Single White Female (1992)[#5]

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The Ansonia | 2109 Broadway

This one stretches the Central Park West boundary by about a block, but The Ansonia’s exquisite appeal inside and out earn inclusion. In the slept-on early-90s thriller, Single White Female, this curvy Upper West Side Beaux-Arts gem plays home to Bridget Fonda’s broken character, Allie. Much of this stirring film was shot inside a real unit, with worn parquet floors, oversized windows, and ornamental crown moldings that beam with pre-war prominence. The real mystery? How she could possibly afford a place this grand without a roommate in the first place. 

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[#6]Ghostbusters (1984)[#6]

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55 Central Park West

At this point, 55 Central Park West has simply become known as “The Ghostbusters Building” by locals and tourists alike, so this has to be the most iconic entry on our list. In the 1984 unquestionable classic, this Art Deco beauty is transformed into the home of Sigourney Weaver’s Dana Barrett, who becomes possessed by Zuul and proceeds to unleash worst case scenario onto the residents of 55 CPW. Thankfully, the right phone calls were made. Today, the famed NYC residence remains one of the most recognizable pre-war buildings on the Park and proof that a strong architectural presence can make just as much impact on screen as the cast.

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Renovating In Central Park West? Let Us Help 

Movie magic is one thing. Making a real Central Park West apartment work for your day-to-day is another. If you own a home in New York City—or plan to buy one that could use an upgrade—we’re here to bring your vision to life. We are New York City’s premier full-service design-build firm with plenty of experience in apartment renovations in Central Park West and the portfolio to prove it. At Gallery, we handle every aspect of your residential renovation, from architectural planning and interior design to permits and project management. 

Ready to renovate? Learn why design-build is the best method for your NYC apartment renovation or contact us to see why our New York City apartment renovation and remodeling services are the most mindful choice when considering a residential renovation in Manhattan.