Remember Something to Talk About, the Julia Roberts-Dennis Quaid movie from the mid-1990s?
I loved the setting. I did a little digging and learned it was filmed on location at Davant Plantation in Ridgeland, South Carolina.
The main house where Robert Duvall and Gena Rowlands (Wyly and Georgia King) live was built in the 1820s. Take a look!
Davant Plantation from “Something to Talk About”
One scene takes place in the dining room, when the family (including sisters played by Julia Roberts and Kyra Sedgwick) have a tense meal together:
A former owner painted the murals on the walls in the 1940s.
Screenwriter Callie Khouri intended for the movie to take place in Tennessee. But because Julia Roberts wasn’t available until the fall, the filmmakers started looking further south for a location and ended up in South Carolina.
The plantation sold recently, and the real estate site said:
Davant Plantation, circa 1770, is situated in the heart of South Carolina’s plantation country and consists of 2,040 acres of cultivated fields, lakes, longleaf pine forests and hardwood bottoms. It has been managed for the last 73 years as a total southern hunting experience for guests, friends and family members and was the location for the movie “Something to Talk About” featuring Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid and Robert Duvall.
“The property consists of a historic 5,000 square foot main residence, circa 1820, and complementary buildings which include four guest cottages, a 10 stall horse barn, expansive dog kennels and a plantation manager’s residence. The plantation has an established release quail program, quality deer management, productive dove fields and an excellent turkey population.”
What really stuck with me from the movie were the (presumably) old slave cabins, which are being used in the movie as guest cottages.
Kyra Sedgwick’s character Emma Rae lived in one of them, and that’s where Julia Roberts’ Grace crashes when she finds out her husband has cheated on her.
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years since this movie came out.
There’s a 10-stall horse barn where a lot of the action in the movie takes place,
since Julia Roberts’ character manages it:
You can see more photos of Davant Plantation where
“Something to Talk About” was filmed on location in the former real estate listing,
the property’s Facebook page, Locations Hub, and SC Reel Scout.
What a beautiful home and property! Love the guest cottages. I really liked this movie and yes, it’s hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years! After seeing Krya Sedgwick and Julia Roberts together in this movie, I was amazed that I had never seen the resemblance between them before. They were very believable as sisters. One thing I wondered about was the age difference between Dennis Quaid and Julia Roberts. The story gave the impression that they were similar in age, but in reality he has about 15 years on her.
Good morning, Julia!
How are you doing, my friend?!
This is gorgeous! The movie was great and this place is amazing! I love the countryside and this seems to be a wonderful place to live, too bad I don’t have the $11 mil they’re asking for it! 🙂
Have a blessed week, my friend.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I’m with you, I remember this gorgeous property a lot better than the movie. I can’t imagine what is involved in maintaining that much property and the forests that go with it; however, I’m glad someone has preserved it! It really is beautiful! I hope the new owners keep that stunning, hand-painted mural in the dining room!
Such a wonderful property! I never saw the movie. I am in love with that kitchen! IN all of your posts I am ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS most interested in the kitchens. So I had a revelation…..I’m going to start a blog called “Hooked on Kitchens”!!! You won’t sue me for the rights, will you???? 😉
I loved that movie! Since I come from a small town, I could really relate to the whole everybody-knows-everybody-else’s-business humor!!
that property is just stunningly gorgeous! I loved the feeling of history and the character. Love love love! I think someone already mentioned this, but I think the guest cottages were most likely former slave cabins as well.
Interesting post, Julia! Thanks for sharing this one!
Could be, although the listing specifies that they acted as the kitchen and laundry. They look large enough that people could have been living in them, too.
Probably my most favorite movie house ever! Either this one or the house in “Step-Mom”, which you’ve featured before too. Both of them were so inspiring to me when I built my own house. Mine’s much smaller, of course, but it’s the same style and atmosphere.
Thank you so much for posting this. Highlight of my day 🙂
Gorgeous piece of property! Back in antebellum days, the slaves who cooked and did laundry often lived in the kitchen and laundry houses, so it is very likely that those cottages served dual purposes.
I was so positively enraptured by Emma Rae’s fabulous little cottage in this movie that I actually began an intense search to find a job as a farm hand on a horse ranch, So strong was my desire to live in such a cottage that I even considered shoveling horse manure in order to make my dream a reality, if indeed that is what it would have taken. Talk about blurring the lines between fantasy and reality! Now that’s something to talk about!
Beautiful property! Thanks for the tour, Julia. 🙂
I honestly don’t know what to make of this house
I love/d this movie. Julia and Dennis’ apartment had a great kitchen, the plantation house was lovely (I go nuts watching them not eating that yummy fried chicken lunch!) and the cottages were a dream. If I were to downsize and build my own hide-away, I would duplicate them – yes both of them. A girl’s got to have a guest house!
This movie is on right now! I always liked the movie, and I love the property.
I’ve never seen this movie, but I love the property and house. I hope the new homeowners will take good care of it.
Oh…this was a good post. I remember really enjoying that movie when it came out and I loved the houses and sets shown. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting property. As someone said, the cottages were most likely used as slave quarters. They would be the ones cooking and doing laundry. And it would be consistent with the period and style.
I loved this movie, especially for the setting! Thanks for the tour! I had no idea about the double staircase!!
i always really liked the plantation house from the movie, but LOVED emma rae’s cabin. one of my all time movie favs!
Oh, I love this house. I remember the movie vaguely , but not really the house.I guess I wasn’t that hooked 20 years ago. That foyer and staircase are really something! I thought I’d love the cottages, but they came across as a little spooky. Maybe it was the lighting. I’ll take the main house, thank you.. Great post, Julia!
I loved this movie, and just viewed it again with my 11-year-old daughter (her first viewing) this past weekend. So it’s fresh in my mind. I always loved all of the locations (including the house in the city that Julia Roberts’ and Dennis Quaid’s characters lived in), but the horse farm/plantation property was really the most memorable … and now available for only $11.45 million! If only …
I don’t recollect the movie or the house, but it’s lovely and looks beautiful here. I love the guest cabins.
That would be correct.
Have you ever considered doing a post on the house from 7th Heaven?? Love that house!!
Could you write a post about the house in 7th Heaven?
I love your website! How about Cate Blanchett’s house in Notes on a Scandal? Or Neil Patrick Harris’ apartment in The Smurfs?