Movies, TV series, and music – where does the Grand-Duchy feature?

You may have been abroad and mentioned to someone that you are either from Luxembourg or live here, their swift response could have been something along the lines of “Oh, where abouts in Germany is that?” or “is that a different way of saying Liechtenstein?” (both real examples).

Philistines, the lot of them  - because our small Grand-Duchy has featured in numerous large-scale pop culture productions.

Movies

Starsky & Hutch (2004)

The one and only Snoop Dogg, or smooth talking “urban informer, not a snitch” Huggy Bear and his pals, likened their gang to Luxembourg, “a constitutional monarchy, an independent sovereign state, established after the treaty of Vienna. Technically a part of Europe but they govern themselves, like us.”

You can’t argue with that logic, so they carry guns without a permit! 

Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023)

This film saw one of the biggest cinematic stunts in history (Tom Cruise chucking himself off a cliff) and also gives Luxembourg a nod. We are featured in a discussion between the protagonist Ethan Hunt and Grace, a criminal and new ally to Ethan.

She is given a stern talking to by Ethan who pulls information out of her on a “dead drop in a cafe in Luxembourg”. I’m picturing two people in Rocas having a Picon Béier with a bag full of cash, don’t know about you.

Richie Rich (1994)

We’re an easy target sometimes due to our size, and in Richie Rich, the antagonist Mr. Van Dough (what a name) wants to buy a small country, listing Luxembourg or Ecuador as his options… Luckily, a young Macaulay Culkin saves the day, and the money-obsessed villain is arrested. Luxembourg lives to see another day!

Mr. Van Dough / © Wiki - Fandom

The International (2009)

There’s some drama in this one! Inspired by the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) scandal of the 1980s, an Interpol agent and an American district attorney jointly investigate corruption within the IBBC (very creative rebranding) which is based in Luxembourg.

The bank is evil, working in the arms trade and kill anybody who gets in their way. We’re actually central to the plot here, how exciting.

Trainspotting (1996)

It may not be a direct reference to Luxembourg – not the most positive either, but the British cult classic can thank some of the junkies that hung around the Gare for the incredible acting that Ewan McGregor delivered in the film. In an interview with GQ, the Scot said:

“I was in Luxembourg doing the Greenaway movie, "Pillow Book," and, on my days off, I would go to the train station just to watch. I don't know why, there's a lot of addicts around train stations. There's something they call it, in Scotland, they call it gouching. When heroin addicts, they sort of like nod off... This guy, I was watching outside the train station, he just folded like a book. He was vertical, and then his head was down near his ankles. That's what I used in that opening sequence, where I'm standing, smoking, and do that similar movement.”

World-renowned addicts?

TV series

The Simpsons - Season 20 episode 10

What a mention this is – not only do we feature in the Simpsons, but we’re playing at the World Cup! Homer Simpson is the referee in a football match between Brazil and Luxembourg. The commentator says that the whole country has turned up and it cuts to a scene of the Springfield criminal, Snake Jailbird, plundering all of Luxembourg. We also only lose 1-0 to Brazil which would be a victory in itself.

Breaking Bad - Season 4 Episode 7

Another very brief mention, but a more specific one because it includes the city of Diekirch, or as Saul Goodman calls it “Di-kirk.” He’s talking to a client who has a great aunt who dies in the city and will receive inheritance. Very brief, very niche, but considering the global success of Breaking Bad – a fun one!

Scrubs - Season 4 Episode 4

Another very niche reference to a town this time, but one with a bit more substance to it. Mertert is the place in question and there is a mention of days spent along the Moselle river! One of the main characters, J.D, is making up tales of a Luxembourgish patient to his colleague Perry Cox. If only all Americans had this sort of Geography knowledge…

Brooklyn 99 - Season 2 Episode 18

Peralta and Boyle are posing as pilots and trying to convince a receptionist of their credibility when she asks “Where did you fly in from?” the former replies “Akron,” a city in Ohio, whereas the latter simultaneously says “Luxembourg.” Peralta smoothly rescues the situation by saying they connected in Akron. Who knew Luxair flew to the Midwest!

Never Have I Ever - Season 4 Episode 7

The Americans have discovered Bouneschlupp! A Netflix show based in a high school, during one of the classes they are discussing cuisines from around the world and draw Luxembourg from a hat. The teacher asks “Oh what the hell do they eat there?” and one of the students replies enthusiastically “dibs on bringing the Bouneschlupp.” If that’s how we spread our cuisine across the globe then so be it.

We have been mentioned in numerous hit shows, too many to cram into this list. The Crown, Patriot (a dark comedy set in Luxembourg), Ozark, The Blacklist, and even Fairly Odd Parents?!

Music

Ricky Gervais (as David Brent from the Office) & Doc Brown - Equality Street

In the name of Comic Relief, Ricky Gervais and rapper/comedian Doc Brown teamed up to write a song about equality. The song is all about people from different walks of life getting on with one another. It’s quite amusing, as you could expect.  Doc Brown raps “Today, loves the word, even for people from Luxembourg”. How nice of him to consider us, give it a watch because it is worth it.

Elvis Costello - Luxembourg

The English singer/songwriter doesn’t seem to have the best connotation with the Grand-Duchy as in his punchy song he sings “Don't start your morning moaning or you might wake up in Luxembourg." Well, Mr. Elvis Costello, you haven’t seen the right places, next time we can show you around.

The Smiths - Ask 

“Spending warm summer days indoors
Writing frightening verse
To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg”

Shyness didn’t quite stop you from saying all the things you wanted. What I ask you Morissey is why come for us? The stereotype goes that the English have bad teeth, so why come for little old Luxembourg?

Half Man Half Biscuit - Friday Night and the Gates are Low

Known for their satirical, and sometimes surreal songs, Half Man Half Biscuit gained a cult following in the UK singing about the one and only Jeunesse Esch. Quite bizarre, “new men run a creche. While home defeats by Jeunesse D’Esch in the Lux Familiar cup are rendered pointless”. This was in the days when Jeunesse Esch used to play in European qualifiers.

Bluetones - Luxembourg 

Finally, there’s a whole album dedicated to our small nation. One guardian critic wrote “Like the country of the same name, Luxembourg is likely to be overlooked, but is no less pleasant for that.” Finally, the praise that we oh so deserve.

If there any that have been missed, then make sure to comment them down below!