Catching up with Palisadians

The Post Goes Through Past Shows and Movies Featuring Locals

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

With more time on my hands under Stay at Home orders, I’ve finally gotten around to my watch-list that has accrued over the last few months—or, quite frankly, years.

Most recently I watched former Palisadians Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon showcase their acting chops in HBO’s series “Big Little Lies,” based on Liane Moriarty’s Sydney-set eponymous novel.

Truthfully, I seized the opportunity when HBO made both seasons of the series—a total of 14 episodes—available to watch for free without a subscription through the end of April “to provide some entertainment relief for those doing their part to keep everyone safe and healthy in this time of social isolation.”

The series’ first season was released back in 2017 and unveils a dark comedy along California’s northern coast in Monterey (with a few shots of Malibu).

Following the lives of the “Monterey Five,” the show introduces five women whose lives are entangled in a murder investigation. Alongside Kidman and Witherspoon are actresses Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern and Zoë Kravitz. Meryl Streep joins the cast in the second season.

I fell in love with the female-led cast, but was seriously impressed by Kidman’s performance as Celeste. Her ability to flawlessly execute such a complicated character kept me binge-watching episodes.

I have nothing but high praise for “Big Little Lies,” which speaks to the love it has received since its release. The show was nominated for 16 Emmy Awards in 2018 and won eight, including acting awards for Kidman and Dern. The show also won Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice and SAG Awards.

A third season is unfortunately unlikely, according to HBO president Casey Bloys. Another season was “not realistic” due to scheduling conflicts with the show’s actors.

“Big Little Lies” is available for streaming on HBO with a TV-MA rating for mature themes, graphic language and nudity.