In 'The Drama', the "Emotional Meltdown" of a Plot Twist Hangs Like Artworks in the Protagonists' Apartment — Production Designer Zosia Mackenzie Reveals

If there is one thing that The Drama, Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli's hotly debated romantic comedy drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as the soon-to-wed Emma and Charlie, immediately got me thinking about when I watched it last week, it is our eternal struggle to keep up appearances.

As a high-achieving literary editor at fictional publisher Mission Publishing and the head curator of Boston's Cambridge Art Museum (the real Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts), respectively, the young, promising couple does that exceptionally well in the storied city apartment they share throughout the film. Until, days before the big 'I do', a long-kept secret leaves their perfectly imperfect nest unraveled...

Against an 1800s period architectural shell, a patchwork of iconic mid-century modern designs styled alongside contemporary canvases, hundreds of books, and countless collectibles paints their emotional dimension; the creative sensibility, interests, and subtle obsessions that keep the fiancés closer together.

From the Knoll Sofa and the Pollock and Cesca Arm Chairs they sit on in some of the movie's most heated moments to the Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculptures responsible for the house's dramatic chiaroscuro ambiance, and the many collector-worthy lamps and accessories by Flos, HAY, and Ettore Sottsass for Alessi that practically map out the entirety of its surface, the lovers' place oozes with the lust for inspiration, character, and ambition of an artistically inclined household at the dawn of both their professional and their married life.

Still, the very objects of affection that embody Emma and Charlie's shared universe also signal what risks tearing them apart, production designer Zosia Mackenzie warns. The Canadian creative first joined forces with Borgli on the mind-bending Dream Scenario (2023), where an ordinary family man (Nicolas Cage) is forced to reckon with the aftermath of his unforeseen rise to stardom when he begins to appear in millions of people's dreams.

Far less surreal than that earlier release yet charged with an equally revealing moral, The Drama sees Mackenzie foreground empathy — the drive behind all of her work — to capture the tangible aspects of Emma and Charlie's characters. "Because you can't build a believable world without putting yourself in their shoes," she says.

What Criteria Should a Home Fit to Work as a Film Set? What Did the Plot of 'The Drama' Call for Specifically?

"There are tons of factors that influence the locations we select — floor space, natural light, and the willingness of a homeowner to accommodate a full crew. Because The Drama was shot entirely on location, we spent a huge portion of our prep scouting; when you aren't on a stage, you don't have the luxury of moving walls for the camera, so finding a floor plan with the right flow and sightlines is everything.

"For The Drama, we specifically wanted a home that evoked a sense of history and had natural light that felt honest to how the characters actually live and move through the day. Ultimately, it's about working closely with the director and cinematographer to ensure the architecture supports the blocking, lighting, and the character's emotional journey. It's a delicate balance between the technical requirements of a film set and the emotional needs of the script, but once those two things align, you just have to trust your instincts."

I Love How the Spiral Staircase of the Boston Home You Picked for the Film Foretells a Twist in the Story. What Other Decorative Elements Make the House an Unsung Protagonist of 'The Drama'?

"The spiral staircase was definitely a major selling point when we were narrowing down our shortlist. We wanted something with history — in this case, an 1800s Boston Victorian — to establish a dialogue with Charlie's background as a British-born museum curator. Once we knew the 'bones' were there, it was all about finding ways to bridge the gap between his and Emma's characters by adding the books, art, and furniture that spoke to both of their lives.

"For Emma, we actually designed and produced a series of custom books that her company, Mission Publishing, would have put out, and tucked them onto the shelves and side tables. For Charlie, we created bespoke gallery posters and gathered little mementos and exhibition invites from his past shows to crowd the fridge. While the camera doesn't always linger on these details, they really inform the atmosphere. It's those 'hidden' elements — a specific book spine or a scribbled note — that allow the actors to truly inhabit the space. The house had a very refined palette, which gave us the perfect canvas to use this personal clutter to reveal the messier, more human parts of their lives."

'The Drama' Reminds Us There Will Always Be a Side to Our Partners That Escapes Us. Which Object Captures Emma and Charlie's Emotional Dimension and 'Shade' Best From Those Styled in the Set?

"If I had to pin it down to one piece, it would be Tristan Unrau's oil painting Shambolic Figure (2022). We placed it right above the mantle in the living room, and it acts as a sort of mascot for Emma and Charlie's internal state.

"It really does feel like it best connects all the dots in showing how a one-of-one painting by an up-and-coming Canadian artist goes from just a winky signifier of Charlie and Emma's implied taste and ambition (what Warhol has referred to as "money on the wall") into something far more metaphorical and, in a way, tragically omniscient.

"Kris is friends with Tristan, so when we were discussing artwork for the apartment, his name came up early on. We reached out to see some options, and as soon as we saw this one, we knew we needed it. It perfectly encapsulates that specific 'shade' of a relationship that is internally dissolving. There is something poignant about having a beautifully executed painting of a total emotional meltdown sitting right in the middle of their home."

What Is the Most Important Thing the Apartment Understands About Emma and Charlie That They Don't Understand About Themselves?

"I think both Charlie and Emma have a solid sense of the art, clothing, and literature that they feel represent themselves as a couple or as individuals. But what they haven't yet faced is a scenario that forces them to dig beyond their own preferences or 'likes' and engage with their personal histories and experiences on a deeply fundamental level. Perhaps the apartment itself (being from the 1800s) understands that aesthetic trends are fleeting without the support of a truly solid foundation."

As the Plot Thickens, the Functional Beauty of the Home's Iconic Mid-Century Furniture Meets the Couple's Inner Turmoil. Was This Clash Intentional in Your Approach to Decor?

"Everyone was just trying to create an environment or aesthetic for our two lead characters that felt like an accurate reflection of what we see in our own lives, personally, whether in our own homes or apartments or those of our friends and colleagues. There's a big difference between a space that's staged for a design magazine and one that's staged for a film like this, which aims to show the day-to-day of a creative couple rather than a hyper-idealized or tidy one.

"Bills and books inevitably pile up. Lamps and chairs change position or simply swap out entirely. For example, Charlie's bedside lamp for most of the film is Isamu Noguchi's Akari 2A UKAI, but in an earlier flashback scene, he's got a postmodern-looking option we found while thrifting in Boston. There are all sorts of little details like that throughout the film if you look closely."

Was There Any Specific Find You Felt Deeply About Among the Ones You Sourced That Didn't Make the Cut? What's One Item You Didn't Think That Hard About That Ended Up Playing a Key Role on Set?

"There was a great Vladimir Kagan asymmetrical swivel chair that we'd initially placed in a corner of the living room that Kris ultimately felt was a bit formal so we replaced it with a slouchily padded vintage rattan option. Emma throws up in this very chair in a scene where she and Charlie are starting to unpack her backstory. Ultimately, having a few furniture pieces that exist outside of the branded designer world can help a space feel more relatable, and in this case, I think we all made the right call.

"If there's anything that comes to mind we didn't stress too much over, it's likely the two large Noguchi pendant lamps hanging in both the dining and living rooms. They're lightweight, organic, and cast a really warm diffuse light over everything, which is essential for the sort of naturalistic cinematography a film like this requires."

Once the Home Was Ready, Were the Actors Free to Interact With It as They Pleased, or Were There Instructions on How to Engage With the Space?

"I always strive to design sets that provide opportunities for the cast, director, and cinematographer to modify the space in a way that feels most authentic to them, whether on or off camera. On this particular shoot our team collected tons of amazing artist books and monographs that were brought in to line the shelving in the apartment, and it became commonplace to see Robert Pattinson reading from his own character's library pretty much anytime he was on set. It's always a good sign when that sort of action or interaction comes naturally."

Was There Anything 'The Drama' Had You Do That Represented a First For You? What Did That Add to the Film?

"Thankfully, nothing brought me too far out of my comfort zone, but one thing I did find challenging was accumulating a collection of real artworks for the apartment, the museum, and many of the other sets, such as the marketing or publishing offices. Where artwork is concerned, it's common in film for teams to use 'precleared' art. This tends to be more generic but saves you time in terms of securing legal permission while also helping you avoid printing and framing.

"Given Charlie's profession, our team really pushed to ensure every painting, sculpture, or photo had a 'real world' equivalent and was reproduced using the exact dimensions and substrates as the originals. In addition to Tristan Unrau, you can spot work by Bjarne Bare, Sara Cwynar, Jason Boyd Kinsella, Eirik Sæther, and Danielle Orchard among many others. This approach obviously took far more time but in the end was far more rewarding, as these details make for a more unique and lasting film."

What's One Detail Viewers Should Be on the Lookout for Early in the Plot That Hints at Its Evolution?

"One of the Polaroid photos featured in an early insert shot shows Emma making a gesture that implies or alludes to what could be deemed a spoiler alert. It's featured twice in the film (once at the very beginning and once again after the central plot twist is revealed). I've noticed some folks picking up on it via Instagram already, which is always nice to see!"

What Did 'The Drama' Teach You About Love, the Role That the Domestic Sphere Fulfills in It, and How to Survive It All?

"I'd sum it up as 'double empathy'. You'll have to watch the film to fully get the reference [winks], but for me, it means being able to see the world — and the home you share — through your partner's eyes, even when it feels totally at odds with your own. Surviving it all comes down to whether you can still find the beauty in those messy moments."

Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama is out now, playing exclusively in theaters as of April 3, 2026

2026 has been a big year in drama so far, and Borgli's latest hit isn't the only one turning to design to capture the intensity of life. Just take a look at the lighting schemes of Netflix's horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen — and how they unite gut-wrenching suspense and style.