Tamara Deverell

Biography

Tamara Deverell is a world-class production designer whose work is defined by a mastery of atmospheric detail and practical, immersive architecture. She rose through the ranks of the Canadian art department scene, famously serving as an art director on David Cronenberg’s Crash and eXistenZ before beginning her decades-long partnership with Guillermo del Toro on Mimic (1997). Deverell is known for "building reality to house fantasy." Her breakthrough into the highest level of awards recognition came with the noir saga Nightmare Alley (2021), where she famously built an entire 1930s carnival from the ground up without the use of CGI. In 2025, she reached a new career peak with del Toro's Frankenstein, designing iconic sets like the Arctic ship and the reimagined laboratory. As of February 2026, she is a top contender for the Academy Award for Best Production Design.