Rebecca Sugar

1st December 2023

Rebecca Sugar is behind some of the most magical shows on Cartoon Network. They started as a storyboard artist on Adventure Time. And went on to create the acclaimed cartoon Steven Universe in 2013. This year is the show’s 10th anniversary! We’re celebrating by revisiting our interview with Rebecca in 2019. They chatted with us about the process behind making Steven Universe and their favorite cartoons as a kid. Plus, how they deal with feedback from fans.

Episode notes

Rebecca Sugar speaks on stage during Steven Universe presentation at New York Comic Con in 2019 (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for ReedPOP)

Rebecca Sugar is behind some of the most magical and acclaimed shows on Cartoon Network. 

They’ve earned seven Emmy nominations for their work. First, as a storyboard artist on Adventure Time — the fantasy cartoon that dominated the 2010s. And most recently, as the creator of a very special series by the name of Steven Universe

The show follows Steven, an 11-year-old boy living in a seaside town with his Dad. Everything seems normal. Until Steven realizes that there’s something special about him: he’s half human, half Gem. 

While most Gems want to destroy earth, he teams up with three other Gems to save it. But, the show is about more than a fight for earth’s future: it explores the town Steven’s growing up in, it explores queer romance and friendship, what it’s like to be neurodivergent and more. 

This year is Steven Universe’s 10th anniversary! We’re looking back at our interview with Rebecca Sugar in 2019 to celebrate. 

On the show, Rebecca chatted about the process behind making Steven Universe and their favorite cartoons as a kid. Plus, they tell us about how they deal with feedback from fans who don’t always see things the same way they do.

Rebecca Sugar also released their first album in November. It’s called Spiral Bound. You can stream it here. 

A version of this interview originally aired in December of 2019.

In this episode...

Senior Producer
Producer
Maximum Fun Producer
Maximum Fun Production Fellow
Video Editor

Guests

  • Rebecca Sugar

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Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney’s, which called it “the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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Senior Producer

Producer

Maximum Fun Producer

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Video Editor

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