Find Out Where 'Stars on Mars' Is Really Filmed
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The premise of the Fox unscripted series Stars on Mars is pretty out of this world: a dozen celebrities land on Pretend Mars, where they have to live together in a tiny space station and complete missions to avoid elimination. "During their stay, they will be faced with authentic conditions that simulate life on Mars, and they must use their brains and brawn—or maybe just their stellar social skills—to outlast the competition and claim the title of brightest star in the galaxy," the show synopsis reads.
The celebrity cast includes Ariel Winter, Tom Schwartz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (who got eliminated in Week 1), Tallulah Willis, Marshawn Lynch, Tinashe and more. Beaming in from "Mission Control" is host William Shatner.
Related: Here Is Every Celeb Who's Competing in Stars on Mars
So far, the series is every bit as weird and wonderful as you'd imagine. But it doesn't actually take place in space (insurance costs, ya know?). Let's find out where the stars are actually stationed.
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Where is Stars on Mars filmed?
Despite the catchy name, the series is not filmed on the fourth planet from the sun. Instead, production took the series down to South Australia, where they were able to approximate what life on Mars might look and feel like.
Specifically, the show is shot in a desert called Coober Pedy. (That's also where Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was filmed, so the setting might feel familiar to fans of the movie.) Unsurprisingly, Coober Pedy isn't known for being an easy place to inhabit. Half the population lives in underground homes, which are designed to stand up against the extreme heat and cold that the area experiences. And while the town describes itself as the "opal capital of the world," that title comes at a price; mining, which can be extremely dangerous, is one of the region's top options for work.
In an interview with Space.com, celebrity contestant Richard Sherman recalls flying 30 hours to Adelaide, Australia, and then to Coober Pedy on a two-hour flight the next day to shoot the show. "It was a shock initially," he said, "but the missions were pretty fun."
