Big Little Lies
Everything you need to know about Big Little Lies
Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies is a drama based around five women who live in Monterey, California.
Each woman is trying to depict their own version of a perfect life – complete with the perfect husband, perfect, well-achieving children, and esteemed positions on the PTA.
But they also can’t resist gossip in the schoolyard, and rubber-necking in the downfall of those around them.
At the start of the story, Madeline and Celeste take new mother Jane under their wing, with her son joining the prestigious elementary school of their town.
Soon, their lives all begin to unravel in ways none of them could have imagined - especially when they get entangled in a murder case.
The first season, released in 2017, became a huge international success. As a result, a second season was commissioned, with the show continuing on from the story originally told in the novel that inspired it.
Who starred in Big Little Lies?
The story centres around five women who are later dubbed the ‘Monterey Five’.
The ensemble cast is led by:
Reese Witherspoon (Little Fires Everywhere, The Morning Show) as Madeline Mackenzie
Nicole Kidman (Nine Perfect Strangers, Moulin Rouge) as Celeste Wright
Shailene Woodley (Divergent, The Fault In Our Stars) as Jane Chapman
Zoë Kravitz (The Batman, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Bonnie Carlson, Nathan's wife
Laura Dern (Jurassic Park, Marriage Story) as Renata Klein
Other key members of the cast include:
Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood, Infinity Pool) as Perry Wright, Celeste's husband
Adam Scott (Severance, Parks and Recreation) as Ed Mackenzie, Madeline's husband
James Tupper (A Million Little Things, The Hardy Boys) as Nathan Carlson, Madeline's ex-husband and Bonnie's husband
Jeffrey Nordling (24, Walker, Proven Innocent) as Gordon Klein, Renata's husband
Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon, Scoob!) as Ziggy Chapman, Jane's son
Darby Camp (Gaslit, NOS4A2) as Chloe Mackenzie
Joining the cast in season two were:
Kathryn Newton (The Society, Lisa Frankenstein) as Abigail Carlson
Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia, Doubt) as Mary Louise Wright
Will Big Little Lies return for season three?
Good news! A season three has been confirmed to be going ahead by Nicole Kidman, who is also an executive producer for the show.
She told Entertainment Tonight in January 2024 there “was a timeline” for filming, having previously noted to the Television Critics Association a big roadblock on season three was the hectic schedules of the lead cast.
She said the cast almost didn’t go ahead after the death of season one director, Jean-Marc Vallée, in December 2021.
She said: “We're obviously all devastated at the loss of Jean-Marc Vallée. That made us go, ‘Can we move forward?’ But Reese and I, and all of the other women have decided yes we can.”
It is currently not known when filming will begin, or when the season will be released.
How successful was Big Little Lies and what awards did it win?
Big Little Lies was a massive success, with season one in particular landing a string of awards. To date, the show has been nominated for 102 awards, winning 54.
Nominations include:
Eight Critics Choice awards (winning four - limited series, and acting gongs for Alexander Skarsgård, Laura Dern and Nicole Kidman)
21 Primetime Emmys (winning eight - acting for Alexander Skarsgård, Laura Dern and Nicole Kidman, best director for Jean-Marc Vallée, outstanding casting, outstanding limited series, outstanding costumes, and outstanding music supervision)
Nine Golden Globes (winning four – acting gongs for Alexander Skarsgård, Laura Dern and Nicole Kidman and best limited series)
Six Satellite Awards (winning two – one for Nicole Kidman, and best limited series)
Five Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards (with Alexander Skarsgård and Nicole Kidman each winning)
What is the age rating of Big Little Lies?
Big Little Lies’ official rating in the UK, as certified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), is 15 for the complete run.
This means scenes may not be suitable for a younger audience.
Reasons for the rating include:
Nudity – including one scene of full frontal
Depictions of sex and discussions of sex
Scenes of violence including frequent scenes of domestic abuse and child abuse
Scenes of peril including pillow smothering
Murder as a core story element
Use of profanity
Depiction of a dead body
How to watch Big Little Lies in the UK
Big Little Lies seasons one and two are available in full on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
