The emotional, jaw-dropping novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart has remained a popular choice for readers of YA fiction since its 2014 publication, but you don’t have to be a young adult to be excited about the fact that we’re going to get to see that story come alive as a show on Amazon's streaming platform, Prime Video. If you’re unfamiliar with We Were Liars, or you’ve heard of it and wondered what all the fuss was about, we’re here to help. Let’s take a SPOILER-FREE look at the upcoming series’ release date, cast and showrunners, as well as what this E. Lockhart bestseller is and why we can’t wait to see its book-to-series adaptation.
When Will The We Were Liars TV Series Premiere On Amazon Prime?
There’s no official release date yet for the Amazon Prime series We Were Liars, as it was still in pre-production a little over a year after receiving a series order. However, the show will reportedly film in Nova Scotia, possibly going into production in Summer 2024. The book’s author E. Lockhart seems excited for the series, and she’s given us proof that the actors portraying the beloved Sinclair family (and friends) have started bonding. She posted to Instagram:
And that brings us to …
We Were Liars Cast
Fans of the We Were Liars book undoubtedly have pictured the Sinclair family and friends in their minds, and not only do we know who will be playing the titular “Liars,” but other cast members have been announced as well.
Emily Alyn Lind (Cadence Sinclair)
Cadence is the oldest grandchild of Harris Sinclair, who spends her summers with the “Liars,” aka her cousins and best friends, on a private island in New England. She will be played by Emily Alyn Lind, who most recently was seen as a ghost in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and in the 2021 Gossip Girl reboot as Audrey. Lind has been acting since a young age, recurring on ABC’s Revenge as Young Amanda Clarke.
Shubham Maheshwari (Gat)
Shubham Maheshwari will play Gat, the fish-out-of-water New Yorker who spends his summers with his friends on the island off Martha’s Vineyard. Gat has been pining for Cadence for years, but now he holds a secret that could drive her away. We Were Liars will be Maheshwari’s first major acting role.
Esther McGregor (Mirren Sinclair)
Another of Harris Sinclair’s granddaughters, Mirren, will be played by Esther McGregor, daughter of Ewan McGregor. Mirren is a study in contradictions as she craves new experiences but clings to her childhood — an artist too afraid to color outside the lines. The actress can be seen in the upcoming A24 thriller Babygirl, which stars Antonio Banderas and Nicole Kidman.
Joseph Zada (Johnny Sinclair)
Joseph Zada will portray the most reckless of the Liars, Johnny, who moves through life as if he is invincible (which his privilege has ensured is usually the case). However, this summer he’s about to collide with accountability for the first time. Zada is set to star in the upcoming Australian series Invisible Boys and has been immersed in Sydney’s theater, film and TV community his whole life.
Other Castings For We Were Liars
In addition to the four youngsters, Harris Sinclair and his three daughters also play a big role in the story we’ll see unfold on Amazon Prime Video. Here are the other actors who have been confirmed:
- Mamie Gummer as Carrie Sinclair
- Caitlin FitzGerald as Penny Sinclair
- Candice King as Bess Sinclair
- David Morse as Harris Sinclair
- Arsher Ali as Ed
- Wendy Crewson as Tipper Sinclair (recurring)
The Plot Revolves Around The Sinclair Family And Cadence’s Mysterious Head Injury
We Were Liars follows in the footsteps of other young adult fiction that’s been adapted for streaming in recent years, including Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and Peacock’s One of Us Is Lying. The story revolves around the wealthy Sinclair family who spends every summer on patriarch Harris’ private island. The titular “Liars” consist of Cadence, her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and Gat — the nephew of Carrie’s partner Ed — all of whom are the same age.
In this series, which is being billed as a tragic love story and amnesia thriller, Cadence experiences her first love, only to suffer a major injury that leaves her plagued with migraines and no memory of what happened. Unable to retain that information even when reminded by others, she and the Liars reunite two years later to try to help her remember the inciting incident, and they uncover some dark family secrets along the way.
The Amazon Series Is Coming From The Minds Behind The Originals And Roswell, New Mexico
In March it was announced, per Variety, that Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie had obtained the series order to develop E. Lockhart’s story into a series for viewers with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. They will serve as showrunners and executive produce alongside Emily Cummins and We Were Liars author E. Lockhart.
This isn’t their first time Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie will take the reins on a series with a passionate and established fanbase. The duo previously worked together on the CW’s The Originals, which Plec created as a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, with MacKenzie serving as a writer and producer. MacKenzie also adapted the book series Roswell High into the CW series Roswell, New Mexico, with Plec serving as an executive producer.
Julie Plec will write We Were Liars’ first episode, which will be directed by Nzingha Stewart, and Carina Adly MacKenzie will write Episode 2.
We Were Liars Remains On The YA Fiction Bestseller List A Decade After Publication
E. Lockhart has dozens of children’s books to her name, several YA titles and even a couple of adult fiction novels. We Were Liars, however, has struck a chord with readers, remaining at the top of must-read lists nine years after it was first released. In 2014 it received the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction, and was in the American Library Association’s Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults in 2015.
The book has also gotten a boost from TikTok recommendations in recent years, and fans who needed more were rewarded with a prequel in 2022 titled Family of Liars, which dives deeper into the Sinclair family's dynamics.
We Were Liars Explores Darker Themes That Appeal To Older Audiences As Well
Don’t let the “YA” designation scare you away from We Were Liars. The primary protagonists may be teenagers, but the challenges they face are quite complicated and relevant for adults of any age. In addition to themes about friendship and young love, We Were Liars has plenty to say about privilege, race and inheritance, and one can't help but try to piece together the clues to figure out what happened to Cadence.
Why I’m Excited For The TV Adaptation Of We Were Liars
It will be a treat for readers to see the Sinclairs’ island come to life, particularly the houses built for patriarch Harris Sinclair and his three daughters (the Liars’ mothers), since they are related to much of the story’s drama. But simply getting a visual of that exclusive world where the families spend their summers isn’t the biggest draw to this adaptation.
We Were Liars leans into the same “unlikeable rich people” theme that can be found in popular shows like The White Lotus and Succession, with the daughters scheming and fighting over Harris’ inheritance. The novel We Were Liars offers a mystery to solve, complex family dynamics, amnesia, young love and plot twists. What more could you even ask for in a series?
That Ending!
This is a true “IYKYK” situation, and the less I say about the ending of We Were Liars, the better for those who haven’t read the book. Without spoiling anything, just know that the book includes some big twists, and it will be interesting to see how the production handles those elements. Also, this is a story about liars, after all, so if you hear anything you think might be a spoiler, keep in mind it might not even be true! The book’s advice, which was echoed by Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie when the series was announced, is:
If anyone asks you how it ends… just LIE!
With book-to-screen adaptations, there are always changes made, so I’m also intrigued to see if the twists are the same, or if the showrunners make any major alterations to the source material.
If you’ve been hesitant to pick up the book We Were Liars and give it a read, you’ve still got plenty of time to do so before the Sinclairs’ story plays out on the screen, and the secrets surrounding Cadence’s amnesia are revealed.
In the meantime, see what other Amazon Prime Video original series are available to stream, and check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what new and returning series are coming soon. You can also find the We Were Liars book available for purchase on Amazon.
