Susie Cullen is a production designer whose work blends visual storytelling with practical builds. From large scale studio productions to intimate character driven films, she creates environments that feel both authentic and emotionally precise. She has worked on projects for Universal, Blumhouse, Netflix, Paramount and the BBC, and filmed throughout Ireland , the United Kingdom and Europe.
In the twelfth episode of Apotheosis, Susie Cullen and Alexander Whittenberg discuss how small details, often rooted in instinctive mark-making, are filed away and later resurface to shape design in subtle ways.
Cullen reflects on her path through the art department and how curiosity has led her across a range of projects. She describes recreating Sardi’s for Blue Moon, focusing on a sense of history and lived-in authenticity while scaling the space to support Ethan Hawke’s performance as Lorenz Hart.
The conversation shifts between practical concerns and broader ideas as Cullen examines the collaborative nature of filmmaking. She explains how production design operates in dialogue with performance and how the tone of a script can function as its own character. Cullen also addresses the differences between stage builds and location work, including her approach to the tension-driven world of Abigail.
Throughout, Cullen emphasizes the importance of trust within the art department. She and Whittenberg return to the idea that effective design rarely calls attention to itself, instead embedding meaning in texture and space to create environments that feel grounded and human.
Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) and bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale) converse at Sardi's in Blue Moon.
"You’re always adding to the mental library that you'll draw on later.”
The sophisticated interior of Palate in Drop.
Jo March (Maya Hawke) is green with envy at the dance in Little Women.
"The tone of the script is a character."
The titular Abigail (Alisha Weir) performs a haunting dance in an isolated mansion.
