Alexander Skarsgard, James Tupper Join HBO’s Nicole Kidman-Reese Witherspoon Drama (original) (raw)
The premium cable network also confirms Shailene Woodley's co-starring role and announces the limited series' supporting cast.
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
HBO’s Big Little Lies is firming up its cast.
The premium cable network on Tuesday confirmed that Shailene Woodley will play the third leading role and cast True Blood alum Alexander Skarsgard as Nicole Kidman’s on-screen husband. Additionally, Revenge grad James Tupper has been tapped to play Reese Witherspoon’s ex.
The comedic drama centers on three mothers (Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Woodley) of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder. Based on Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name, Big Little Lies hails from David E. Kelley (Boston Legal, Ally McBeal), who is writing the seven-episode limited series. HBO landed the project in May following a bidding war with Netflix.
Woodley, whose casting leaked in December, will play Jane, a single mom of modest means and a mysterious past who is new to not only Monterey but to the complicated social hierarchy of Mesa Elementary School, where her son is a student.
Skarsgard will return to HBO after rising to fame in the cabler’s vampire drama True Blood and portray Perry Wright, a successful businessman, father and devoted husband to Celeste (Kidman).
Tupper is set as Nathan Carlson, Madeline’s (Witherspoon) ex-husband, who remarried a beautiful and younger yoga instructor named Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz), who is tasked with co-parenting his teen daughter with his ex.
Additionally, HBO announced the supporting cast for the limited series:
Jeffrey Nordling as Gordon Klein, a high-powered executive, married to Renata (Laura Dern).
Santiago Cabrera as Joseph Bachman, who runs the local Monterey theater company and has an extramarital affair with Madeline (Witherspoon).
P.J. Byrne as Principal Warren Nippal, who runs the school in Monterey where the children of characters played by Witherspoon, Kidman, Woodley and Dern all attend first grade.
Kelen Coleman as Harper, a Monterey parent and neighbor of the lead characters.
Sarah Burns as Gabrielle, a Monterey parent and neighbor.
Darby Camp as Chloe Mackenzie, the 7-year-old daughter of Madeline.
Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti as Max and Josh Wright, 7-year-old twin sons of Celeste and Perry.
Ivy George as Amabella Klein, the 7-year-old daughter of Renata and Gordon.
Chloe Coleman as Skye Carlson, the 7-year-old daughter of Nathan and Bonnie.
Virginia Kull as Ms. Emily Barnes, the first-grade school teacher for the children.
Sarah Baker as Thea, a Monterey parent and neighbor.
Kathreen Khavari as Samantha, a Monterey parent and neighbor.
Larry Bates as Stu, a Monterey parent and neighbor.
Hong Chau as Jackie, a Monterey parent and neighbor of the leading characters.
Gia Carides as Melissa, a Monterey parent and neighbor of the leading characters.
They join a cast that also includes previously announced Adam Scott as Ed, Madeline’s husband, and Kathryn Newton as Abigail, Madeline’s teen daughter.
Kelley is attached to pen the series via his David E. Kelley Productions banner. Executive producers include Kelley, Pacific Standard’s Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea and Blossom Films’ Kidman and Per Saari. Jean-Marc Vallee will also exec produce and direct all seven episodes of Big Little Lies. Gregg Fienberg will also exec produce, while Australian novelist Moriarty will serve as a producer_._
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