Meryl Streep to Star in ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2 for HBO
HBO’s Big Little Lies is upping its star power for season two.
Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress Meryl Streep has boarded the premium cable network’s second season of the drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
Streep will play Mary Louise Wright, the mother to the abusive Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgard), who (spoiler alert!) was revealed to have been the one who died during the Emmy-winning first season of the David E. Kelley drama based on the Liane Moriarty novel. (Skarsgard is said to be returning in some capacity for season two.)
Streep’s Mary Louise Wright is described as a woman who is concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren following her son Perry’s death. She arrives in Monterey searching for answers. (Fun fact: Kelley told THR in October that Streep — and Tom Hanks — were his dream casting goals for Big Little Lies.)
Big Little Lies took home eight Emmys and four Golden Globes and prompted the cabler to stretch beyond Moriarty’s book. Sources say season two, officially greenlit for seven episodes, will also feature the parents for Zoe Kravitz’s character, Bonnie. (Thus far, only Streep, Witherspoon and Kidman are confirmed to return as deals with the remainder of the cast are still being worked out. Sources note that the stars earned major salary bumps after Witherspoon’s sizable payday to star in and exec produce a morning show drama for Apple.)
Kelley is confirmed to return and has already penned all seven the scripts for season two, which is partially based on a story by Moriarty. HBO says season two will explore the “malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode … the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.” Exec producers on season two include Kelley via his David E. Kelley Productions banner; Kidman and her Blossom Films shingle topper Per Saari, Witherspoon via Hello Sunshine, Bruna Papandrea, Andrea Arnold, Jean-Marc Vallée, Nathan Ross and Gregg Fienberg. Moriarty will produce. Arnold will direct all seven episodes and replaces Vallée behind the camera.
Streep, meanwhile, is a three-time Oscar winner (The Iron Lady, Sophie’s Choice and Kramer vs. Kramer). She earned her 21st Oscar nomination this week for her role in Steven Spielberg’s journalism film The Post. She previously earned an Emmy win for her leading role in HBO’s miniseries adaptation of Angels in America. Big Little Lies will be her largest TV role to date after Angels. She is also attached to star in J.J. Abrams TV series The Nix, which has been in the works since September 2016 and is rumored to have been set up at Amazon. Streep is repped by CAA and Gendler and Kelly.
Season two of Big Little Lies is expected to premiere in 2019 on HBO.
As expected, Reese attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles last night. She was of course nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her performance in Big Little Lies – the award went to her co-star Nicole Kidman. Alexander Skarsgard also won his category for the show. We send a massive congratulations to the Big Little Lies winners, and the entire cast and crew for their phenomenal run at these awards shows! Reese walked the red carpet with Laura Dern, and was seen cheering for Nicole during the ceremony. Reese opted for a classic, elegant look of an emerald green dress by Zac Posen, with jewellery from Gismondi, Jimmy Choo shoes, and a bag from Tyler Ellis. Initially I wasn’t sure about this look on Reese, but it’s growing on me, and I particularly love her hair and accessories!
We have the first HQ photos for you in our Gallery, and this post will be updated with more coverage in the coming days. Thanks to our friend Sara for help with photos.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock”
Jeff Daniels, “Godless”
Robert De Niro, “The Wizard of Lies”
Geoffrey Rush, “Genius” Alexander Skarsgard, “Big Little Lies”
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies” Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies”
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette & Joan”
Susan Sarandon, “Feud: Bette & Joan”
Reese Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies”
Reese attended the Producers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills last night, where she and her Big Little Lies producing partners were nominated for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama. Unfortunately they lost out to The Handmaids Tale team, but it’s still fantastic to see Reese being honoured as a producer in her own right from such an important guild. Reese also presented her A Wrinkle In Time director Ava DuVernay with the Visionary Award during the event:
Each year, the Visionary Award recognizes film, TV or new media producers for their unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance. DuVernay is being recognized for her work in creating topical films and TV shows focusing on important social issues. They include the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning doc 13th about race and the prison system in America, and the critically acclaimed OWN drama series Queen Sugar.
Her upcoming Disney film A Wrinkle in Time makes her the first black woman to direct a film budgeted over $100 million. (Deadline)
Reese wore a sparkly brown beaded dress by Dolce & Gabbana with shoes by Chloe Gosselin for the event, and looked super chic on the red carpet. We have the first photos for you in our Gallery:
The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
“Big Little Lies” (Season 1) (Producers: David E. Kelley, Jean-Marc Vallée, Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea, Nicole Kidman, Per Saari, Gregg Fienberg, Nathan Ross, and Barbara A. Hall)
“The Crown” (Season 2) (Producers: Peter Morgan, Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Philip Martin, Suzanne Mackie, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert Fox, Andy Stebbing, and Martin Harrison)
“Game of Thrones” (Season 7) (Producers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger, Bernadette Caulfield, Bryan Cogman, Chris Newman, Lisa McAtackney, and Greg Spence)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Season 1) (Producers: Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Ilene Chaiken, Sheila Hockin, Eric Tuchman, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Joseph Boccia, Elisabeth Moss, Kira Snyder, and Leila Gerstein)
“Stranger Things” (Season 2) (Producers: Iain Paterson, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, The Duffer Brothers, Rand Geiger, and Justin Doble)
Reese attended the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica last night, where Big Little Lies was nominated for several awards – and won most of them! Congratulations once again to Reese and her cast and crew for their well deserved wins. Reese posed on the red carpet with Laura Dern and Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke; inside the ceremony she was snapped with Octavia Spencer and her husband. Reese was cheering on Nicole Kidman, and the producers posed with their co-star Laura Dern and other cast & crew from the show during the ceremony and backstage – lots more fabulous Big Little Lies cast shots for us! Reese wore a black beaded dress by Prada, with Roger Vivier shoes, and Nikos Koulis jewellery.
We have the first HQ photos in our Gallery for you today, thanks to our friends Alexa and Sara:
Best Limited Series
American Vandal (Netflix) Big Little Lies (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Godless (Netflix)
The Long Road Home (National Geographic)
Best Actress in a Movie Made for TV or Limited Series
Jessica Biel, The Sinner (USA)
Alana Boden, I Am Elizabeth Smart (Lifetime)
Carrie Coon, Fargo (FX) Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies (HBO)
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies (HBO)
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for TV or Limited Series
Johnny Flynn, Genius (National Geographic)
Benito Martinez, American Crime (ABC)
Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX) Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies (HBO)
David Thewlis, Fargo (FX)
Stanley Tucci, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie Made for TV or Limited Series
Judy Davis, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX) Laura Dern, Big Little Lies (HBO)
Jackie Hoffman, Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Regina King, American Crime (ABC)
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies (HBO)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Fargo (FX)
As expected, Reese Witherspoon attended the Golden Globe Awards last night, and was quite the star of the show not to mention an inspiration to all! Big Little Lies was nominated for 6 awards and won one award in every category it was nominated in, including Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television – this of course meant Reese was honoured for her work as a producer on the show. Glamour Reese sends a massive congratulations to Reese and the entire cast and crew for their well deserved wins last night and for the on-going success and love the show is receiving – we’re so proud of Reese! Reese used her speech to highlight the bravery of the women who have come forward in the last year with stories of abuse and harassment, and Reese vowed to continue telling their stories and raising awareness of the issue. Backstage, the cast talked about the reasons for wearing black tonight, the bond between the cast, and of course season 2 of the show! You can watch the acceptance speech and backstage interviews below.
In addition, Reese also presented her friend and A Wrinkle In Time co-star Oprah Winfrey with the Cecil B. de Mille Award.
Reese walked the red carpet with friend Eva Longoria, to show support for the Times Up movement. Reese also posed with Halle Berry, Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek, Emma Stone, Billie Jean King, Geena Davis and Sharon Stone. Most of the attendees – male and female – wore black, again to show their solidarity for those who have come forward with stories of abuse and harrassment. Reese wore a custom Zac Posen gown, with Jimmy Choo shoes and Bulgari jewellery.
The first 150+ HQ photos have been added to our Gallery, with thanks to friend of the site Sara. We’ll have more coverage for you in the coming days…
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television “Big Little Lies”
“Fargo”
“Feud: Bette and Joan”
“The Sinner”
“Top of the Lake: China Girl”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film
Jessica Biel, “The Sinner” Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies”
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette and Joan”
Susan Sarandon, “Feud: Bette and Joan”
Reese Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies”
Best Supporting Performance by an Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies”
Ann Dowd, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Chrissy Mentz, “This Is Us”
Michelle Pfeiffer, “The Wizard of Lies”
Shailene Woodley, “Big Little Lies”
Best Supporting Performance by an Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film
David Harbour, “Stranger Things”
Alfred Molina, “Feud: Bette and Joan” Alexander Skarsgard, “Big Little Lies”
Christian Slater, “Mr. Robot
David Thewlis, “Fargo”
Reese attended the AFI Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles yesterday, where Big Little Lies was honoured. The AFI announced their Top 10 Films & TV Shows of 2017 back in December, and yesterday the winners celebrated their work, with Reese and writer David E. Kelley representing Big Little Lies. Reese was snapped with fellow Hollywood stars Tom Hanks, Octavia Spencer, Patty Jenkins, Greta Gerwig and Gillian Anderson. The first HQ photos are in our Gallery for you:
Reese and her Big Little Lies co-stars and crew are named as one of Entertainment Weekly’s ‘Entertainers of the Year’ in their Best of 2017 issue. The show itself is also listed as one of the best of the year. We have scans in our Gallery and the issue is on news-stands now.
Big Little Lies cast and crew on their surprise hit of 2017
When Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman first got together to discuss bringing Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel Big Little Lies to television, they never predicted the critical love, awards, and audience adulation that would follow (including a recently announced season 2).
“This never happens! It’s been simply extraordinary,” says Kidman. “It’s been such a surprise because as much as we believed in it, we didn’t know whether it would connect.”
In fact, viewers flipped from the start over the story of three mothers (Kidman, Witherspoon, and Shailene Woodley) who become entwined when their small children are placed in the same class at a private school in tony Monterey, California. Each mother had a compelling story line: There’s Kidman’s Celeste — beautiful, with a seemingly perfect life and handsome husband (Alexander Skarsgård) — who hides her domestic-abuse truth; Witherspoon’s Madeline, a feisty ringleader who must contend with her ex-husband and his perfect new wife (Zoë Kravitz); and Jane (Woodley), a young single mom hiding a big secret, who ends up tangling with alpha mom Renata (Laura Dern).
Having TV veteran David E. Kelley write the entire series and director Jean-Marc Vallée behind the camera for all seven episodes gave Big Little Lies a sense of cohesion — to say nothing of the beautiful vistas, the aspirational real estate, the infectious soundtrack — that resulted in the feeling that this was one long feature film.
“I was just going to do the first couple,” says Vallée. But he quickly found he had become too emotionally engaged. “I felt like I couldn’t abandon it—or these women.” Us either.
Big Little Lies will return for a season 2 on HBO.
In a new interview with the LA Times, Laura Dern reflects on some of her past roles – including Wild and Big Little Lies:
Wild
“It’s where I found Reese [Witherspoon]. Reese and I were texting recently and I was like, ‘Who would have thought that I would have found my Bogart in Reese Witherspoon?’ We have this particularly exciting connection and chemistry — or whatever it is — to go to whatever places are offered us. This was a very emotional film, and we did difficult things together, and I couldn’t have a better time with an actor. But the larger gift of ‘Wild’ is that Cheryl Strayed enters your life and everything changes forever. She’s really a philosopher of how to take the broken and thrive. She has continued to teach me every day.”
Big Little Lies
“It’s the best time ever to be working on something that is about not only powerful but complicated women. Women with longings, who are searching to be stronger for themselves and their family. Exploring those themes was amazing, but to be doing it with a group of people who I now consider family is off-the-charts fantastic.”
The Morning Show (2019) Seasons 1 & 2 available now on AppleTV+
Season 3 coming in 2023 Role: Bradley Jackson Genre: Apple TV+ Series - Drama News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Your Place Or Mine (2023) On Netflix now Role: Debbie Genre: Romantic comedy News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Legally Blonde 3 (202?) In production Role: Elle Woods Genre: Comedy News / Info / Photos / Official Site
Glamour Reese Witherspoon is an unofficial fansite dedicated to supporting and promoting the career of Reese Witherspoon. We have no contact with Ms Witherspoon or her family or management. No copyright infringement is intended through the use of content within this website ...
The Morning Show (2019)
