Witherspoon, Kidman, Woodley and More All Return With BIG LITTLE LIES This Sunday

On the surface, in the tranquil seaside town of Monterey, California, everything seems the same. The mothers continue to dote, the husbands support, the children remain adorable and the houses are just as beautiful. But the night of the school fundraiser changed all that, leaving the community reeling, as the "Monterey Five" - Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie - bond together to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

Created by David E. Kelley, teleplays by David E. Kelley and story by Kelley and Liane Moriarty, and based on the novel by New York Times #1 bestselling author Liane Moriarty, BIG LITTLE LIES returns for its seven-episode second season SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. The new season explores the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode...and the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.

The new season will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

With all seven episodes directed and executive produced by Andrea Arnold ("Red Road," "Fish Tank," "Wuthering Heights," "American Honey"; Oscar® winner for "Wasp"), BIG LITTLE LIES features teleplays by David E. Kelley ("Goliath," "Mr. Mercedes"; 11-time Emmy® winner for "Picket Fences," "LA Law," "The Practice," "Ally McBeal" and "Big Little Lies").

The stellar cast includes: Reese Witherspoon (Oscar®, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner for "Walk the Line"; Oscar®, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominee for "Wild"); Nicole Kidman (Emmy®, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner for "Big Little Lies"; Oscar® winner for "The Hours"; Golden Globe winner for "To Die For," "Moulin Rouge!" and "The Hours"); Shailene Woodley (Independent Spirit Award winner, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominee for "The Descendants"; "Adrift," "The Fault in Our Stars"); Laura Dern (Oscar® nominee for "Wild" and "Rambling Rose"; Golden Globe winner for HBO's "Big Little Lies," "Enlightened," "Recount" and "Afterburn;" Emmy® winner for "Big Little Lies"); Zoë Kravitz ("Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "High Fidelity," "Mad Max: Fury Road"); Meryl Streep (21-time Oscar® nominee; three-time Oscar® winner, for "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Sophie's Choice" and "The Iron Lady"; four-time Golden Globe Award winner, for "The Iron Lady," "Julie & Julia," "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Adaptation"; Emmy®, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner for HBO's "Angels in America"; Adam Scott ("Parks and Recreation," "Black Mass"); James Tupper ("Men in Trees," "Revenge"); Jeffrey Nordling ("Sully," "Motive"); and Douglas Smith (HBO's "Big Love"; "The Bye Bye Man").

BIG LITTLE LIES is executive produced by the Emmy® and Golden Globe-winning team of Nicole Kidman; Reese Witherspoon; David E. Kelley; Jean-Marc Vallée ("Big Little Lies," HBO's "Sharp Objects," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Wild," "Demolition"); Bruna Papandrea ("Big Little Lies," "Gone Girl," "Wild," "Milk"); Per Saari ("Big Little Lies," "Rabbit Hole," "The Family Fang," "Monte Carlo"); Gregg Fienberg (five-time Emmy® nominee, HBO's "Sharp Objects," "Big Little Lies," "True Blood" and "Deadwood"); and Nathan Ross ("Big Little Lies," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Wild," "Demolition," HBO's "Sharp Objects"); Andrea Arnold; and New York Times #1 bestselling author Liane Moriarty ("Big Little Lies," "Truly Madly Guilty," "What Alice Forgot," "Three Wishes," "The Hypnotist's Love Story," "The Husband's Secret," "Nine Perfect Strangers"). BIG LITTLE LIES is a Hello Sunshine/Blossom Films/David E. Kelley Productions production for HBO.

Cast of characters:
Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Martha Mackenzie

Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright

Shailene Woodley as Jane

Laura Dern as Renata Klein

Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson

Meryl Streep as Mary Louise Wright

Adam Scott as Ed Mackenzie

James Tupper as Nathan Carlson

Jeffrey Nordling as Gordon Klein

Douglas Smith as Corey Brockfield

The Families

The Mackenzies: Madeline, Ed, Abigail (Kathryn Newton) and Chloe (Darby Camp)

The Wrights: Celeste and the twins, Max and Josh (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti)

The Carlsons: Nathan, Bonnie and Skye (Chloe Coleman)

The Kleins: Renata, Gordon and Amabella (Ivy George)

The Chapmans: Jane and Ziggy (Iain Armitage)

Additional cast members include: Robin Weigert (Dr. Amanda Reisman), Crystal FOX (Elizabeth Howard), Martin Donovan (Martin Howard), Denis O'Hare (Ira Farber), Poorna Jagannathan (Katie Richmond), Sarah Sokolovic (Tori Bachman), P.J. Byrne (Principal Nippal), Merrin Dungey (Detective Adrienne Quilnlan) and Mo McRae (Michael Perkins).

BIG LITTLE LIES was filmed in and around greater Los Angeles and the Monterey Peninsula.

Episodes include:

Season 2, episode 1: "What Have They Done?"
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Following first-day-of-school events, Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) is worried by Bonnie's (Zoë Kravitz) behavior and, later, is shocked when Abigail (Kathryn Newton) says she doesn't want to go to college. Mary Louise (Meryl Streep), Celeste's (Nicole Kidman) mother-in-law, offers her unvarnished assessment of Madeline's character. Jane (Shailene Woodley) learns from her new coworker, Corey (Douglas Smith), that she's known in town as one of the "Monterey Five."
Teleplay by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold.

Season 2, episode 2: "Tell-Tale Hearts"
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Renata (Laura Dern) faces an uncertain future when Gordon (Jeffrey Nordling) lands in legal trouble. Corey (Douglas Smith) asks Jane (Shailene Woodley) out on a "practice" date. After a challenging therapy session with Dr. Reisman (Robin Weigert), Celeste (Nicole Kidman) opens up to Mary Louise (Meryl Streep) about her relationship with Perry. Bonnie's (Zoë Kravitz) mom, Elizabeth (Crystal Fox), arrives. Ed (Adam Scott) confronts Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) about her secrets.
Teleplay by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold.

Season 2, episode 3: "The End of the World"
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Mary Louise (Meryl Streep) tries to get closer to Jane (Shailene Woodley). Rather than address her troubles at home, Renata (Laura Dern) focuses her wrath on Principal Nippal (P.J. Byrne). Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) is forced to confront her issues at a COUPLES THERAPY session with Dr. Reisman (Robin Weigert). Celeste (Nicole Kidman) remains conflicted by her memories of Perry.
Teleplay by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold.

Season one of BIG LITTLE LIES was a critical and awards success, garnering 16 Emmy® nominations and eight wins: Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Nicole Kidman); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Laura Dern); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Alexander Skarsgård); Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special (Jean-Marc Vallée); Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or Special; Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series, Limited Series or Movie; and Outstanding Music Supervision.

BIG LITTLE LIES also garnered four Golden Globes: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TV; Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Nicole Kidman); Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgård); and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern).

In addition, Jean-Marc Vallée won the Directors Guild of America Award for Movies for Television and Mini-Series, and David E. Kelley won the Writers Guild of America Award for Long Form - Adapted.

Image courtesy of HBO

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