Hulu’s upcoming adaptation of the acclaimed novel Little Fires Everywhere is coming together quickly and after landing Mad Men vet Rosemarie DeWitt for a lead role, the streaming service has recruited Lynn Shelton (Laggies) to direct half of the eight-episode series, according to Variety.
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Based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. The story explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
In addition to directing the well-received indie rom dramedy Laggies, Shelton is also known for having directed the indie dramedy Humpday, Touchy Feely and the upcoming Marc Maron-led Sword of Trust, as well as episodes of New Girl, Fresh Off the Boat, Love, GLOW and A.P. Bio.
DeWitt has signed on to star as Linda McCullough, best friend to Reese Witherspoon’s Elena who takes in a child abandoned at a fire station after years of suffering to have her own child. She names the child Mirabelle and comes to love her as her own child but she runs into trouble when Mirabelle’s biological mother, a Chinese immigrant in the country illegally, resurfaces.
“At Hello Sunshine, we strive to shine a light on female-driven stories that are rooted in inspiration, emotion and truth – all of which form the bedrock of Celeste Ng’s ingenious work,” Witherspoon said in a previous statement. “Hulu has a rich history of transforming groundbreaking literature into groundbreaking television, and we are confident that their talented team will use this story to spur a long-overdue dialogue around race, class, and what it means to be a mother. With Kerry Washington, Liz Tigelaar and now Hulu, Hello Sunshine has brought together a dream lineup of creative collaborators, and we are privileged and humbled to have the opportunity to work with them to bring this important project to life.”
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“As producers, we at Simpson Street are so proud to be part of this team to tell this extraordinary story inspired by Celeste Ng’s phenomenal novel and we are thrilled to be embarking on this journey with Hulu,” Washington stated in a previous statement. “As an actress, I am floored to have the opportunity to work alongside Reese Witherspoon exploring the rich themes of this story playing these dynamic characters.”
