Naman Shrestha
A remake of the eponymous 1992 movie, Hulu’s ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ is a psychological thriller that centers on the Morales couple — Caitlin and Miguel — who reside in a luxurious house in an affluent neighborhood. When Caitlin gives birth to a newborn baby, she decides to hire a nanny to keep her life balanced. She comes across a sincere and caring nanny named Polly Murphy, who is given the responsibility to take care of the infant.
However, when Polly enters the Morales household, her true self comes to the surface, creating dangers for the couple as well as their newborn child. Upon learning about the nanny’s intentions of making their lives a living hell, Cailtin must take some extreme measures to protect her marriage and baby. Helmed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the horror thriller movie features a talented ensemble cast comprising Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Maika Monroe, Raúl Castillo, and Martin Starr. The story unfolds mostly inside the lavish Morales property, which figuratively transforms Polly’s hunting ground as she wreaks havoc on the lives of Caitlin and Miguel.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Filming Locations
‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ was filmed in its entirety in California, particularly in and around Los Angeles. According to reports, principal photography for the remake film got underway in December 2024, but had to be halted for a few weeks due to the tragic Southern California wildfires in January 2025. The production resumed and seemingly got wrapped up in March 2025. One of the crew members, Eleanor Sabaduquia, took to social media and expressed her gratitude for being a part of the team. She stated, “So ends #thehandthatrocksthecradle reboot, helmed by the ultra talented rad cool chick @mgarzacervera. I couldn’t have done this without the help of my right hand, @megan.v.brown, and the talents of @ralis_kahn, @studio_kofx (Koji Ohmura), @leyaoakleymua, @sweetpvaughn, @mahamimo1, and @aperrone89. Special shout out to amazing LP, @sethwilliammeier for bringing me on this job.”
Los Angeles, California
Almost the entirety of Hulu’s ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ was shot in the sprawling city of Los Angeles, situated in Southern California. An iconic property in the Studio City neighborhood of the southeast San Fernando Valley was used to tape the scenes set in the family home. In particular, the team settled on Laurel Hills Residence, nestled at the foot of Laurel Canyon, to stand in for the suburban family home in Seattle. Cinematographer Jo Willems and production designer Kay Lee creatively utilized the secluded modernistic dwelling to enhance the emotional depth and thematic symbolism of the narrative. The fact that the single-story residence features glass hallways also worked in their favor. However, they still ended up placing a few more mirrors to paint the visual canvas of the story.
Complementing the duo and also shedding light on the process, the filmmaker, Michelle Garza Cervera, told The AU Review, “They needed to find a house that was full of glass. And they brought more mirrors inside. And thinking so much of reflections, we had the element of fire (too). So if you watch the movie with that lens, it’s all around. There’s so many elements of the fire colour palette, like the colours inside the house. There was also a sense of coldness, as you’re saying. It’s supposed to be a safe, domestic, beautiful, harmonious place, but there’s something there that is off. And I love how this force comes in to challenge all of that.” Every element of the residence, from the minimalist interiors and neutral color palette to the large windows and outdoor space, was utilized to the optimum to infuse the film with the required intensity and mystery.
Read More: Where Was Black Phone 2 Filmed? All Shooting Locations
