There are too many talented women in Hollywood to have their roles reduced to that of "the wife" or "the girlfriend." Reese Witherspoon has had enough, and her new HBO series Big Little Lies is a step in the right direction.
Witherspoon stars in the new series and acts as an executive producer, meaning her influence can be found all over the highly-anticipated drama. Based on Liane Moriarty’s 2014 novel of the same name, the limited-series' cast is comprised of a squad of seriously talented women. Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoe Kravitz star in the upcoming show, in addition to Witherspoon.
At the Television Critics Association (TCA) winter press tour, Variety reports that Witherspoon revealed why this show mattered so much to her.
“I think what was great about reading the novel for the first time is that I saw myself in different stages of motherhood all through my life. I was a mom at 22; I was a mom at 40… I’ve been divorced; I’ve been re-married... They showed every spectrum and color of a woman’s life. I thought it was incredible to have so many parts for women in one piece of material.”
While Big Little Lies may not represent all women's experiences, it's giving many different women a voice. The sad thing is, it shouldn't be considered groundbreaking or unique — women make up half the world's population, so why aren't their stories told an equal share of the time? Women have gotten the short end of the stick in Hollywood for so long that a TV show that expresses more than one woman's viewpoint feels revolutionary.
It's important to Witherspoon that Hollywood diversify. The actress told the TCA press tour that she chose projects to produce based on the unique stories that they told. She decided to adapt this novel because it showcased many different voices while giving them a common ground.
"With this piece, I feel like it was such a unique opportunity to have women at every age, every color talking about motherhood. That is the common denominator. Motherhood is the great equalizer. Parenthood is a great equalizer."
Big Little Lies premieres February 19 on HBO.
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