Still from Pluribus of a woman with short light hair and a dark short-sleeved shirt standing in a Museum gallery with white walls and gazing at a painting of a winding road by Georgia O'Keeffe.

Insight

Museum

From Canvas to Camera

January 6, 2026

O’Keeffe Museum and Bella Donna, 1939 make an appearance in new Apple TV show

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum hit TV screens around the world in the new, critically acclaimed Apple TV show Pluribus. The dark sci-fi thriller, created by Vince Gilligan (best known for his work on The X-Files and for creating Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul), follows Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role.

In episode 7, Carol struggles with feelings of loneliness and isolation. (Why is she lonely and isolated? No spoiler alerts here—you’ll have to watch the show!) To cope, she enjoys the best the state of New Mexico has to offer. She plays golf, takes a dip in the Jemez Hot Springs, and visits the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. While in the Museum, she browses the galleries, taking in iconic O’Keeffe works including Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico/Out Back of Marie’s II, 1930, and Petunia No. 2, 1924, before pausing in front of Bella Donna, 1939. She stares at the painting and becomes inspired to take action.

Images Courtesy of Apple TV

However, the “Museum” exterior is actually the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Special Collections Library, and the interior is a replica set constructed in Albuquerque. The artworks, including the featured Bella Donna, are reproductions made specifically for the show.

The partnership between the Museum and Gilligan’s productions began more than 15 years ago. In 2010, O’Keeffe’s My Last Door, 1952–1954, was featured in Episode 11 of Season 3 of Breaking Bad, another Gilligan-created show that followed a chemistry teacher’s journey from cancer patient to methamphetamine maker and drug kingpin.

For Pluribus, discussions between the Museum and production teams began in December 2023 with an initial request from Clearance Coordinator Janine Fletcher. By August 2024, about a dozen paintings and six photographs had been selected for high-quality reproduction. Once the set was created, a small team from the Museum visited the production stage, approved the placement and orientation of the images, and ensured the overall look matched that of the actual Museum in Santa Fe.

Some fun facts from the process include:

  • A crew of about eight set constructors visited the Museum to create an accurate replica. The lighting, frames, floor colors, and even the benches for visitors to sit on were matched to how the Museum looks in real life.
  • On set, one photograph was initially hung horizontally by mistake. Museum staff noticed the oversight when visiting the set and crew made a last-minute adjustment to hang it vertically.
  • Reproducing Bella Donna’s exact shading was a challenge. Eventually, the show hired an artist to color-match O’Keeffe’s original using paint applied over a canvas print. This process not only corrected the colors but also made the reproduction appear more realistic.

The final product? A cinematically captivating cameo in what is now the most-watched television show in Apple TV history—and a Golden Globe nominee for Best Drama TV Series.

Stay in the know!

Click this link to subscribe to the Museum’s newsletter and be the first to know about possible panel discussions or programming related to Pluribus.

Get your own

Bella Donna prints are available for purchase so the iconic white blossoms can be part of your own home décor. Visit the Museum’s Custom Print Shop today!

Related Insights