A stunned Reese Witherspoon watches her picture-perfect home burn to the ground in a new teaser for “Little Fires Everywhere.” An adaptation of Celeste Ng’s best-selling novel, the drama tells the story of two families whose lives are forever changed by one another.
“One day you wake up and your life is settled, and you know who you are, or at least you think you do,” says Elena Richardson (Witherspoon) in the spot. The journalist and mother of four has regular weigh-ins, color coordinates her kids’ lunches, and is a consummate rule-follower. She just can’t make sense of the enigmatic artist and single mother who is new to her town. She first spots Mia Warren (Kerry Washington) and her daughter Pearl (Lexi Underwood) when the pair are sleeping in their car. Elena offers to rent them a duplex — largely because it makes her feel good about herself to take them on as tenants — and suggests that Mia might want to work as the “house helper,” AKA maid, in Elena’s mansion across town.
Mia is skeptical of the privileged do-gooder’s intentions, and understandably so. It’s not long before tension between the two rises to the surface. We see the pair squaring off about what it means to be a “good” mother. “Have you really looked at yourself — the parts you’re afraid to look at?” Mia asks.
A two-time Oscar nominee, Witherspoon won for “Walk the Line” and received a nom for “Wild.” She received an Emmy nod for acting in “Big Little Lies” and won an Emmy for exec producing the HBO murder mystery. She was last seen in Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” which she also exec produced.
Washington scored two Emmy nods for her starring role in “Scandal.” She also landed a nomination for her portrayal of Anita Hill in “Confirmation” and for exec producing the HBO TV movie. Washington recently starred in and exec produced Netflix drama “American Son.”
“Little Fires Everywhere” premieres March 18. Witherspoon and Washington are among its exec producers. Liz Tigelaar (“Casual”) serves as showrunner. Lynn Shelton (“Sword of Trust”) directed two eps.
Check out the teaser to see Elena being questioned about who would set her house on fire — with her inside of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJc3yTOpNDA
