The ensemble that crammed out Massive Little Lies, HBO’s hit collection based mostly on Liane Moriarty’s guide of the identical title, is arguably certainly one of TV’s greatest and went far past the world of the unique supply materials. Every actress is nearly as good because the final, and it’s laborious to think about that this solid might have appeared fairly totally different. Shailene Woodley, who performed the younger new mom within the two seasons of the collection, almost turned down the function till certainly one of her costars satisfied her to simply accept the half.
Woodley has been on a press tour for the brand new Starz collection within the 2024 TV schedule, known as Three Girls, based mostly on Lisa Taddeo’s guide of the identical title. She stopped in at Vainness Honest to take part of their well-liked “Scene Choice” section to rewatch and share some tales of her hottest titles.
Throughout the Massive Little Lies section, the 32-year-old revealed she was excited about discovering herself and almost turned down the hit HBO present although she wished to work with the present’s director. Woodley shared:
I obtained a name. I am going to always remember it. It was November or October of 2015. I used to be actually sick on the time, and I used to be under no circumstances exhausted by appearing or the artistry and the craft of storytelling. However I used to be actually exhausted by the act of Hollywood. And I obtained a name about Massive Little Lies, as a result of Jean-Marc Vallée — our stunning creator, director, who has since handed — had wished me to play Jane. And I used to be determined to work with him, I believed he was such an unbelievable artist and filmmaker. However I used to be actually dead-set on discovering myself.
It’s no shock that she wished to take a while to soul search on the younger age of 23. She already had a heavy-hitting resume with components in The Secret Lifetime of the American Teenager, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Descendants to call only a few. Woodley was tremendous to step away from Hollywood.
The Divergent alum then shared that if it weren’t for Laura Dern she would’ve been in India and we’d’ve had another person tackle Jane Chapman. She revealed:
After which I obtained a name from Laura [Dern] the day earlier than I left for India — or possibly I used to be really already in India and I hadn’t turned my telephone off but. And he or she simply mentioned, ‘Pay attention, I do know the place you are at in your life. I have been there earlier than too. It is rather a lot. This world is an phantasm, however what is not an phantasm is what you like to do. And what I see in you, Shai, is your function. No less than, on this second in your life, is to be a storyteller. And I feel it is a large mistake so that you can stroll away from this chance that you simply actually ought to lean into.’ It was due to that decision that I made a decision to go away India and are available again to america, and it eternally modified my life.
I feel it’s protected to say, thank goodness for Laura Dern! If Woodley wasn’t part of the coastal drama, it might have modified the tone of the present fully. The connection amongst the ensemble was key to each seasons, and the ensemble after all solely obtained stronger with the addition of Meryl Streep.
It’s nice to see the friendships amongst these ladies had been there from the beginning. The Spectacular Now star praised Dern for her honesty and bravado within the pivotal second:
And so, in so some ways, I am grateful for Laura, however that was a large second of brave friendship to say, ‘I feel that you simply’re making a mistake and I am gonna be courageous sufficient to inform you why, trigger I actually see you. And I see one thing you may’t see in your personal life proper now.’
Actually, this little bit of BLL behind-the-scenes info simply makes me hope that Season 3 is coming sometime, particularly with the solid buzzing about why it has been taking so lengthy. The passing of Jean-Marc Vallée might have one thing to do with it because it was heartbreaking for all concerned, with many honoring his reminiscence.
I’m very glad that Woodley finally listened to Dern, because it wouldn’t have been the identical if the Three Girls star had turned it down. You’ll be able to watch Massive Little Lies with a Max subscription and catch Three Girls on Fridays with a Starz subscription.