TV is a competitive business, and some projects can't get off the ground without a big name attached to star. Well, one new project is bound to get a lot of attention thanks to not one but two big-name actresses signing on the star. Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up for a limited series adaptation of the Celeste Ng novel Little Fires Everywhere.
Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are attached to the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation as both stars and executive producers. Unsurprisingly, a number of networks and outlets are very interested in the project, and the bidding war for rights to the series is already heated up. THR reports that multiple network heads met this week at Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine to make a bid on the series.
The Little Fires Everywhere proves that Kerry Washington isn't looking to stay away from the small screen following the end of Scandal later this year. Furthermore, it's a sign that Reese Witherspoon has enjoyed the TV experience she gained from her work on Big Little Lies. It should be interesting to see these two ladies teaming up. Witherspoon is better known for her work on the big screen, and Washington will be fresh off leading her own primetime series for seven seasons.
Reese Witherspoon has been attached to Little Fires Everywhere for a while, as her production company bought the rights to adapting the book shortly after it was released back in 2017. The book is set in the wealthy Northeast Ohio suburb, Shaker Heights. It follows two very different families brought together by unexpected circumstances. The Richardsons are well-off and picturesque natives of Shaker Heights; the Warrens are a mother-daughter pair who rent a house from the Richardsons. Elena Richardson and Mia Warren discover their children growing quite close, but the two mothers are driven apart by a controversy when a custody battle forces the citizens of Shaker Heights to choose sides. There are secrets, there are lies, and there are undoubtedly plenty of opportunities for Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington to flex their acting muscles in the adaptation.
Little Fires Everywhere author Celeste Ng is on board the adaptation as a producer. Liz Tigelaar of Casual and Life Unexpected will contribute as screenwriter, executive producer, and showrunner. A strong team of women is bringing the story to the small screen, and it's no wonder that so many outlets are eager to land the show.
We'll have to wait and see what network is lucky enough to secure the rights to the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation. The cable-centric arm of ABC Studios is producing the series, which could point toward an ABC-affiliated network landing the project. Alternately, Reese Witherspoon has found success on HBO with Big Little Lies; perhaps HBO will scoop up the series. Then again, Witherspoon also has a project in the works with Jennifer Aniston at Apple. All things considered, Washington and Witherspoon may simply be able to go wherever they want.
Only time will tell. For what you can watch while we wait for news of the Little Fires Everywhere adaptation, take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule and our 2018 Netflix premiere guide.
