Actressexual Alert: Big Little Lies Trailer Drops
Monday, October 17, 2016 at 9:46AM 
Manuel here starting our Monday with the best of news. "Who knows what lies there beneath the surface?" Reese Witherspoon asks us in the first trailer for her latest collaboration with her Wild director, Jean-Marc Vallée. Yes we finally get our first look at Big Little Lies, the HBO miniseries based on Liane Moriarty's best-selling novel (which I devoured in one day; it is that addictive and appropriately sudsy).
The project is a smorgasbord for us actressexuals with Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, and Shailene Woodley joining Reese in this suburban mommy thriller. As the trailer suggests, we'll be introduced to an idyllic seaside suburban enclave where certain revelations (it's best not to spoil, and thankfully the teaser doesn't really) send shockwaves throughout the community, leading to a violent, murderous end. It'll be a fine tonal balancing act but the show, written by David E. Kelley looks like it might just pull it off...
We won't do a full Yes/No/Maybe So since this is just as tease (and because we're all caps YES, but let's highlight the best shot of each actress because if nothing else, Vallée's miniseries is sure to make next year's Actress In A Mini-Series category at the Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG one to watch.
Who knew we'd grow so fond of tortured Reese?
Nicole-as-Audrey Hepburn (courtesy of the story's costume party) is a thing I didn't know I needed until this morning.
Laura Dern seems intent on refusing the "older actress" roles that would neuter her allure (see also: Certain Women). Good for her.
Do you "get" Shailene? I don't but perhaps her A-list co-stars will step up her game. Also, she plays the newcomer that wreaks havoc on the mommy circle she becomes a part of which should give her plenty to work with.
The trailer is hiding Kravitz and only gives us the barest of glimpses into Adam Scott and all-around hunk extraordinaire Alexander Skarsgård, but if you need more convincing that this David E. Kelley-scripted miniseries is worth your time, take a look at the best moment from the trailer, in all its lurid gif-tastic glory:
For those who haven't read the novel, what do you make of this female-fronted ensemble drama coming our way in 2017?
Reader Comments (14)
The book is delicious and soapy and fun... so I'm excited in that respect... but the casting is just a bit off. I hate to say it, because I love Nicole, but she would have been great for that role 15 years ago, Rosamund Pike would have been perfect. Anyway, I'll be watching, of course I will.
I am so ready for this! loved the book and I'll see that cast in anything. Nicole!!! Reese!!! The Face! and...Shailene...okay, I'll keep an open mind
But with this and GIRL ON A TRAIN, what's with Hollywood changing the settings of best-selling novels to America? Do they really think audiences won't see something set in London or Sydney? I was curious to hear Reese's Australian accent...
I agree with JB, Nicole would be perfect for Celeste 10 to 15 years ago, I always pictured her as Madeline. Casting Shailene seems to be the next best option for a role that has the "Jennifer Lawrence" type
Hey, IMDB says that Zoe Kravitz is Bonnie (spoiler)
Do you "get" Shailene? I don't...
The (physical) reincarnation of Norma Shearer, so no.
Yeah I had a similar reaction-Laura, Reese, & Nicole is a YES YES YES situation, but Shailene Woodley, even in films I like, tends to underwhelm. I can't tell if she's going to get better (she's clearly around for several more years), but unless she has an inner-Kristen Stewart waiting to come out, I'm not expecting to be a fan.
I'm with you on not 'getting' Shailene, with the exception of The Spectacular Now, which I think she's really rather wonderful in. But, of course, there are a lot of other names I'm more interested in in this project...
Big Little Lies was one of my favorite books! Can't wait for this one.
Nicole and Laura are all time favorites. Reese has really been stretching herself and can't wait to see her do more.
I want to defend Shailene a bit. She is one of my favorite new talents. She had this great arc in the background of The Descendants that elevated that film. Spectacular Now was an original, new take on the "good girl" archetype. Even in Divergent she tried her best against a shoddy script.
Will echo I wish this took place in Australia. That really added a lot to the tone and setting of the book.
Laura Dern seems intent on refusing the "older actress" roles that would neuter her allure
Whenever Dern participated in a conventional Hollywood production with the standard female role it was always for the sake of working with the director. So her avoidance of the regular fare means major directors aren't thinking of her to fill those slots. So she's working with the interesting outsiders who understands her legacy with the giants and idiosyncratic auteurs.
I'm digging Shailene (for one of the first times) in that shot with the kid and the music.
I thought Woodley was good in The Descendants, but I don't think I've seen much else with her... but I'm cold on her too, although I'll admit that's mostly based on the fact that I find her "sage new-agey" persona pretty unbearable.
Shailene was good in both The Descendants and The Spectacular Now, but she's fair to bad in everything else I've seen her in. I'm optimistic that there's more good work to come, but I'm also baffled as to why people love her so ardently.
YES!!!
I don't know the source material but it looks trashy.