In today’s crowded entertainment landscape, key art has the power to do more than attract attention—it can tell a story all on its own. Nowhere is that more evident than in the evolving visual identity of The Cleaning Lady, FOX Entertainment’s gripping drama about a mother pushed to the moral edge. As the show dives into increasingly complex themes of sacrifice, survival, and transformation, its marketing—developed in collaboration with Rhubarb—has mirrored that depth through bold, symbolic imagery. Across Seasons 2 and 3, the creative team has crafted distinct yet unified campaigns that chart the protagonist’s evolution from reluctant cleaner to calculated anti-heroine, not by showing what she does, but by revealing who she’s becoming.

By: Michael Bassett, Vice President of Key Art, Creative, and Production, FOX Entertainment

As FOX’s The Cleaning Lady delves deeper into themes of survival, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity, its key art has evolved to meet the moment. Across Seasons 2 and 3, the show’s marketing—developed in collaboration with Rhubarb—has taken a conceptually unified but visually distinct approach to portraying its protagonist, Thony De La Rosa (Élodie Yung), as she transforms from reluctant cleaner to anti-heroine.

For Season 2, the creative direction centered around the question: When it comes to protecting your family, do the ends justify the means? Our answer is a powerful portrait of Thony, wiping a blood-soaked rag across a mirror clouded in soap suds. Her reflection—partially revealed through the wipe—stares out with piercing intensity. The image, photographed by Kurt Iswarienko, is a metaphor for Thony’s dilemma: no matter how hard she tries, the moral contamination won't be scrubbed away. We know from the determination on Thony's face that she is willing to sacrifice anything for her family.

In Season 3, that reflection motif continues, but the tone shifts from internal conflict to quiet control. Photographed by Robert Ascroft, the key art depicts Thony lying at the edge of a pool of water, her blood-stained fingers grazing the surface. Her face, calm and confident, is mirrored in the water below. It differs from the Season 2 art in that we see that Thony has not only decided to continue this precarious adventure, but now she has accepted that this is her life. The composition is arresting in its stillness—less reactive, more resigned. The tagline, “It’s a dirty business,” offers a darkly ironic reinforcement of her situation.

Together, these campaigns trace a character’s descent not through action, but through visual symbolism. Season 2 confronts the self; Season 3 accepts the consequences. 

In both posters, the creative direction leverages minimalism, metaphor, and Élodie Yung’s compelling screen presence to craft imagery that is a character study that goes beyond promoting the show to give the viewer a deeper sense of The Cleaning Lady. For Graphis to recognize both with a Gold award is encouraging, because it reinforces that restraint and compelling portraiture can be powerful and beautiful tools to create compelling key art. 

Advice to fellow creatives: You don't need to tell the whole story with a single piece of key art—in fact, it's impossible to do. Instead, find the essence of the series or movie, think about it, and explore the emotional impact you wish to convey. And don't be afraid to embrace negative space and exercise tasteful restraint.

Michael Bassett is a creative director with nearly two decades of experience in entertainment marketing, specializing in key art with a compelling visual narrative. Over the course of his career, he’s been fortunate to work at Disney, Prime Video, and FOX, contributing to the successful launches of properties like How to Get Away with Murder and The Goldbergs at ABC and The Boys at Prime Video. Currently serving as the vice president of key art, creative, and production at FOX Entertainment in Los Angeles, Michael has developed award-winning creative for shows like The Cleaning Lady.

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