It's hard to wrest attention away from Angelina Jolie. But for her new film, Maria, based on the days preceding the death of Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas, the actor is immersed in a series of exquisitely detailed backdrops that effortlessly support each emotional glance, quivering lip and tussle of a perfectly curled mane. Dare we say they steal the show?For the film, now streaming on Netflix, Chilean director Pablo Larran and two-time Academy Award Nominated production designer, Guy Hendrix Dyas, shot across Hungary, Italy, France and Greece, also building environments like Maria's chic Parisian apartment. Each set was created to be both historically accurate and reflective of the singer's complex emotional states throughout the course of her life.Such efforts involved meticulous research and coordination. Luckily for us, Dyas kept a detailed book throughout the production, noting his research, materials and other shooting needs. Here's what he shared with us.Marias Parisian Apartment Was Built on a StageCourtesy Netflix//NetflixAngelina Jolie as Maria Callas in Netflixs Maria.Callas had been living in Paris since the early 1960s and at the age of 53 lived in a chic apartment at 36 Avenue Georges-Mandel in the 16th arrondissement. For the film, Larran and Dyas built a replica of the apartment on a sound stage, filling it with historically accurate items that Callas would have brought into her home.Courtesy Netflix//NetflixDyass notebook shows early sketches for the vanity mirror he designed especially for the film.Dyas tracked down auction catalogs from 1978 for the furnishings. "Studying these, you notice that she favored classical furnishings and had some very rare pieces from all over the world," he explains. The two also visited the Maria Callas Foundation in Paris, where they were allowed to examine her personal items, from letters and cigarette lighters to books and vinyl records.We voluntarily mixed time periods and furniture styles," Dyas says. "For example, in Marias living room youll notice a matching pair of Art Deco cylindrical vitrine cabinets that contrast the timeless neoclassical tables and 17th-century Baroque giltwood mirrors."Courtesy Netflix//NetflixMarias vanity table was inspired by a backstage photograph of Callas at the Civic Opera House in Chicago during her 1954 Debut.Many elements, like her tabletop mirror and the collection of busts in her dressing room, were fabricated for the film. The busts, paralleling the antiquities that her lover, Aristotle Onassis, kept aboard his yacht, were designed to reflect both Marias appreciation for art history, "but also act as a visual metaphor, suggesting a broken heart and damaged personality, Dyas adds.Especially impressive was her collection of 16th century paintings by French, Italian and Spanish artists, something Dyas says they were keen to bring into the set. Certain paintings and etchings in her apartment were among her most cherished possessions," Dyas explains. "These works became lifelong companions, moving with her from one residence to another and staying by her side until her passing."Larran and Dyas treated every art work and collectible as an extension of Marias character, carefully considering its significance within the story. Titians Diana and Actaeon, which they recreated on set, was a treasured gift from her late husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, that said much about what that relationship meant to her.Courtesy Netflix//NetflixA suite of busts were designed to act as a visual metaphor for Callass emotional state.When Jolie first stepped into the apartment while filming, Dyas says it was a moment to remember. We felt a great sense of achievement, he Dyas. She moved softly through the space, absorbing its atmosphere. Within moments, it seemed as though the space had yielded to her, transforming by some quiet magic. The set was no longer our creation; it had effortlessly become her home.The Piano in Maria's Apartment Is Actually Two PianosCourtesy Netflix//NetflixThe Steinway piano in Callass apartment.As one might imagine, "Maria had very specific tastes when it came to the pianos she owned," says Dyas. The famous soprano singer kept a full concert grand Steinway in her apartment, which is exactly what the team brought on set for the film. However, to allow for scenes in which Callas tells her staff to move the piano to different parts of the apartment, a second, narrower, piano was built to be moved by the actors."It was much thinner and lighter for ease of movement from one room to another," Dyas explains. "This second piano was only shot at specific angles so as not to give away its very narrow proportions."Famously, Callas had another Steinway housed on Onassiss yacht during their relationship, though it wasn't shown in the film.Much of the film was shot in Budapest, HungaryCourtesy Netflix//NetflixDirector Pablo Larran on set with Jolie.While much of the film takes place in Paris, where Callas lived, the streets of Budapest made a convincing Paris in many scenes. The challenge was to transform both Budapest and Paris into a convincing representation of Paris in the autumn of 1977, says Dyas. This feat required designing portable set pieces like flower stands, bouquiniste stalls, phone booths, Art Nouveau Metro entrances, and street lampselements that could be used seamlessly in both Paris and Budapest.Dyas's team also curated a collection of period-accurate vehicles, including cars, bicycles, and scooters. Of course, one necessity couldn't exactly be recreated: a rare, stretched Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine with a striking red leather interior, as Marias personal car.The Crew Filmed on Location at the La Scala Opera HouseCourtesy NetflixSketches from Dyass notebook.Perhaps the most iconic moment of Callas' life was her legendary 1957 performance of Anna Bolena at the La Scala Opera House in Milan. For Dyas and Larran, re-staging this performance at the actual site at which it took place was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was profoundly moving for the entire crew to be able to experience this moment of connection between our film and Marias real life, says Dyas.The crew also recreated Callas's 1956 performance as Medea, a feat that Dyas says was quite a challenge. "Only minimal photographic reference exists for some of Marias early performances, so there wasnt much to draw upon," he explains. "I spent some time studying the operas themselves, channeling as best as I could the style of the stage designers of the period. It was a fascinating exercise to design a set within a set.The Original Aristotle Onassis Yacht Was Refurbished for the FilmCourtesy NetflixThe Aristotle Onassis yacht, Christina O.In 1954, Onassis acquired a former Canadian warship that served in World War II, further investing millions of dollars to transform it into the world's first luxury superyacht, famously featuring a mosaic-tiled swimming pool that could convert into a dance floor alongside sumptuous cabins.As Dyas and his team starting asking how they would recreate this set, they learned that the ship is still afloat today. Through our research we discovered that the Christina O was still an active vessel and was currently used for luxury cruises," Dyas says. The film's producer, Jonas Dornbach, arranged a scouting trip to assess the ship as a potential filming location, a success that sent Dyas and Larran to Greece to meet with the current owners and pitch their vision of renting the vessel and restoring it to its original 1959 design and layout.The set was no longer our creation; it had effortlessly become her home. Guy Hendrix Dyas"The owners, who had rescued the ship from a scrapyard years prior and lovingly modernized it, were enthusiastic about the proposal." Dyas says. "They shared a deep appreciation for its rich history.The restoration work was meticulous: carpeting was replaced, fiberglass walls were redone with authentic wood paneling, and curtains and furniture, both indoors and on the deck, were updated to match the original designs. Special attention was given to wall art, where recreations of Onassiss cherished Renoir and El Greco paintings were installed. In the casino, the team recreated a 1950s atmosphere by adding a large roulette table, a jazz quartet bandstand, a bar area, and buffet tables equipped with heated platters.Courtesy Netflix//NetflixJolie on set off the coast of Greece with Haluk Bliginer as Aristotle Onassis."All of the colors and materials were carefully selected and tested on film to ensure their appearance in black-and-white, as most scenes on the Christina O yacht were shot in this format," Dyas explains. Of course, vivid color footage was additionally captured to provide options.The production used Katakolo, Greece, as its home port, a filming location the team wasn't mad about. "Each day, we sailed approximately 30 miles along the coastline to maintain the Greek shoreline as a consistent, picturesque backdrop, Dyas says.Sean SantiagoDeputy EditorSean Santiago is ELLE Decor's Deputy Editor, covering news, trends and talents in interior design, hospitality, travel, and luxury. He writes the So Courant! column for the magazine and elledecor.com.