Fire Island Lighthouse

Fire Island Lighthouse stands at the western end of Fire Island National Seashore on Long Island, New York, just east of Robert Moses State Park. The current lighthouse dates from 1858 and is known for its tall black-and-white banded tower, keeper’s quarters and coastal setting between the Atlantic Ocean and Great South Bay. Its isolated position on the barrier island gives it a strong screen presence, with dunes, boardwalks, beach grass and open sky surrounding the historic light station.

Fire Island Lighthouse has appeared in several productions, including “Men in Black II” (2002) and “What Happens in Vegas” (2008). It is also associated with television productions such as “Guiding Light” (1952–2009) and “The Following” (2013–2015). In film, the lighthouse is usually used for its distinctive coastal identity, either as a disguised location or as a recognisable Long Island landmark.

In Men in Black II (2002), Fire Island Lighthouse is used as the small Massachusetts post office where Agent K, played by Tommy Lee Jones, is found working after his memory has been erased. The production disguises the Long Island lighthouse as a coastal New England location, but the tower and surrounding light station are clearly Fire Island. The scene gives the lighthouse a quiet, slightly eccentric quality before K is pulled back into the alien world of the Men in Black.

In “What Happens in Vegas” (2008), Fire Island Lighthouse appears as a favourite place connected to Joy, played by Cameron Diaz. The lighthouse is used as a romantic and personal landmark rather than as an action or science-fiction setting, giving the film a calmer Long Island coastal image. The location is also listed by Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society among the productions that have featured the lighthouse.

In “The Following” (2013–2015), Fire Island Lighthouse appears in the series’ Long Island material. The lighthouse and its isolated coastal surroundings fit the show’s darker thriller atmosphere, giving the scenes a recognisable but exposed setting away from the city. With dunes, boardwalks and the Atlantic coastline around it, the location works well for a story built around pursuit, danger and hidden threats.

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