One of the most anticipated releases of 2022 is the premiere of The Batman. Its cast includes Robert Pattinson, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Keoghan, and Zoë Kravitz, who will all appear as infamous characters from the DC Comics. All of these stars have shown their capabilities for fulfilling their respective roles and Kravitz is no different. Prior to being cast in the DC film as Catwoman, Kravitz starred as a different morally troubled character in the HBO series Big Little Lies.
Kravitz's character in The Batman is known for doing the wrong things for the right reasons. Her role as the free-spirited mom in HBO's Big Little Lies does not escape this moral dilemma. Like the expansive cast of The Batman, Kravitz is accompanied by some of Hollywood's biggest names over the course of Big Little Lies' two seasons. Joining Kravitz in the HBO series are Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, Jeffrey Nordling, and James Tupper.
Big Little Lies first aired in 2017 and is based on Liane Moriarty's novel of the same name. In its short span of 14 episodes, Big Little Lies has earned 8 Primetime Emmy Awards and 4 Golden Globe Awards. The series follows five moms in Monterey, California, as they navigate their separate but oddly intertwined lives in the midst of a sudden tragedy. Big Little Lies' first episode reveals that someone has been killed at the elementary school's fundraiser. Predictably, neither the victim nor the killer is revealed until the end of Big Little Lies' first season. Instead, the series uses its first 7 episodes to establish a motive for multiple characters to want another dead.
Of the five moms, there is no set leader, though Madeline Mackenzie (Witherspoon) seems to take that role on. She is married to Ed (Scott) and together, they have one daughter, Chloe (Darby Camp). The dynamic between these three is one of the series' most entertaining to watch because of the loving and sometimes embarrassing scenes they share. Madeline also has a teenage daughter in Abigail (Kathryn Newton) from her first marriage. Much to Madeline's dismay, her first husband has remarried and now acts as the perfect husband and father to his new family.
Madeline's first husband Nathan (Tupper) is now married to Bonnie (Kravitz). Together, Bonnie and Nathan parent their daughter Skye (Chloe Coleman) and eventually move Abigail into their home. Feeling as if she is in constant competition with Nathan, Madeline's animosity for Nathan and by extension, Bonnie, is clear from the first episode of Big Little Lies. As a youthful, well-beloved yoga instructor that so many people in Monterey naturally gravitate toward, Madeline finds it harder to hate the seemingly perfect Bonnie.
Madeline and Bonnie are joined by Celeste Wright (Kidman), who is married to Perry (Skarsgård). They share twin boys Josh (Cameron Crovetti) and Max (Nicholas Crovetti) and are considered to have Monterey's perfect marriage. The age difference between the two has led Celeste to be the subject of some suggestive talk, but they have not thwarted her love for her family. Fairly quickly, it becomes clear that Celeste's idealized marriage is far from as perfect as it seems, as Perry shows early signs of being overly aggressive with Celeste.
Renata Klein (Dern) is the fourth addition to the Monterey mom clique. Unlike the other moms, she proudly acknowledges the fact that she works outside of the home and she is well-known for her business accomplishments. Her husband Gordon (Nordling) is a successful man in his own right, but much like the other women in the elite group, their marriage grows rocky. Their daughter Amabella (Ivy George) is often caught in the middle of their problems and amongst the children, she is a notable standout. She keeps to herself but opens up over time, playing a focal role in the development of the characters (and secrets) around her.
The final mom to join the group is Jane Chapman (Woodley). She and her son Ziggy (Iain Armitage) shake things up upon their recent arrival in Monterey and change the lives of the moms forever. Much like many other characters in Monterey, Jane and Ziggy seem to harbor quite a few secrets. Shortly after their arrival, Ziggy is accused of hurting Amabella despite his sweet appearance, causing riffs between the moms. This accusation seems small but it is a detail that becomes critical knowledge over the course of Big Little Lies. Jane is also shown to sleep with a gun close by and this is explained once Jane reveals the truth with Ziggy's father. As a single mom, Jane also differs from the other moms in Monterey because she is not as rich as them. Instead, she struggles to find successful employment in order to keep her family afloat.
Increasing the drama between the moms and their children helps stir the pot in regard to what might've happened on that fateful night of the fundraiser. Secrets that the children and their parents have long since kept continue to come to light, making it nearly impossible to know who to trust and root for. Big Little Lies certainly delivers on the drama and offers some incredibly timed one-liners and memorable scenes. While it may not be as action-heavy as The Batman will be, but it still includes a lot of suspense.
Big Little Lies is now streaming on HBO Max.