The Unchosen set’s real-life location was formerly a Plymouth Brethren Christian Church hall

The Unchosen set is real, and it used to be a hall for the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church

The unsettling meeting space at the centre of Netflix’s creepy cult drama *Unchosen* isn’t just clever set design. It’s a real place, and its backstory makes the show feel even more unnerving. The hall used for filming has been identified as a former gospel hall in Harrow, once used by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. If you thought the atmosphere felt a little too authentic on screen, that might be why.

What’s even stranger is what the building is used for now. Rather than being abandoned or redeveloped, it’s been repurposed by Harrow Council. The same room that now reads as a claustrophobic, authoritarian gathering space on Netflix is currently hosting council meetings and public debates.

The building was in use by the church from the late 1990s until 2017, meaning for two decades it functioned as a place of worship tied to the same kind of strict, insular belief system that *Unchosen* draws inspiration from. The series takes clear cues from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, a conservative religious group that has long been the subject of debate. To prepare for his role, Asa Butterfield reportedly researched the group in depth, including watching documentaries about its structure and practices.

The church itself has around 50,000 members worldwide and is known for its emphasis on traditional gender roles, modest dress, and a controlled relationship with technology. While former members often describe it as cult-like due to its strict rules and separation from wider society, the organisation strongly rejects that label. It maintains that its way of life is simply about maintaining religious values, pointing to its charitable work, education system, and business activity as evidence of its place in mainstream society.

Knowing that *Unchosen* was filmed in a real location with such a closely aligned history changes how the series lands, making it feel far more tangible. The building’s past as a gathering space for a faith community with distinctive practices adds a layer of authenticity to the show’s portrayal of a tightly controlled environment. This connection underscores the importance of understanding the real-world context behind fictional narratives, as it can deepen the viewer’s engagement with the themes being explored.

Source: Read the original report