10 Things I Hate About You Filmed Guide

The most iconic visual of the film is the imposing, castle-like facade of Padua High School. This is actually Stadium High School, located in Tacoma’s Sixth Avenue neighborhood. Built in 1891 as a luxury hotel before being converted into a high school in 1906, its Gothic Revival architecture and waterfront setting create a theatrical, almost privileged backdrop. The film uses the school’s exterior, including the grand staircase and courtyard, to emphasize the social hierarchy that Kat (Julia Stiles) rebels against.

While Stadium High provided the exterior and the auditorium (used for the prom and the “10 Things” poem recitation), the majority of interior classroom and hallway scenes were filmed at John Marshall High School in Portland, Oregon. Marshall’s interior layout, with its long corridors and tiered classroom windows, offered production more practical lighting and sound control. This split location (exterior in Tacoma, interiors in Portland) is common in filmmaking to achieve both aesthetic and logistical goals. 10 things i hate about you filmed

The paintball sequence where Patrick “tames” Kat by letting her win was filmed at Oaks Amusement Park in Southeast Portland. The park’s historic roller rink, midway, and wooded perimeter were used. Oaks Park was chosen for its vintage, slightly faded charm, which contrasts with the immaculate settings elsewhere and allows the characters to get messy and physically free. The most iconic visual of the film is