Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington’s adaptation of the Celeste Ng novel “Little Fires Everywhere” has landed at Hulu with a eight-episode series order.
The project, from Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and ABC Signature Studios, was first announced earlier this month with the two actresses attached to star and executive produce. “Casual’s” Liz Tigelaar will write and serve as showrunner.
“Celeste wove a beautiful, riveting story that spoke to all of us, and when we heard the vision Reese, Kerry and Liz have for the series, we knew immediately that we had to bring it to Hulu,” Hulu Chief Content Officer Joel Stillerman said in a statement. “We’re honored to bring this powerful story to the screen with Hello Sunshine, in their first studio project. This is exactly the type of compelling and culturally relevant content that embodies our Hulu Originals brand.”
“Little Fires Everywhere” — which Witherspoon chose as her book club pick when it was released last September — follows the controversy that ensues when a Chinese-American baby is adopted in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The story focuses specifically on the drama surrounding a mysterious single mother, Mia, and her landlord.
Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter will executive produce for Hello Sunshine, with Washington also executive producing alongside her Simpson Street head Pilar Savone. Ng will receive a producing credit.
“At Hello Sunshine, we strive to shine a light on female-driven stories that are rooted in inspiration, emotion and truth – all of which form the bedrock of Celeste Ng’s ingenious work,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “Hulu has a rich history of transforming groundbreaking literature into groundbreaking television, and we are confident that their talented team will use this story to spur a long-overdue dialogue around race, class, and what it means to be a mother. With Kerry Washington, Liz Tigelaar and now Hulu, Hello Sunshine has brought together a dream lineup of creative collaborators, and we are privileged and humbled to have the opportunity to work with them to bring this important project to life.”
“As producers, we at Simpson Street are so proud to be part of this team to tell this extraordinary story inspired by Celeste Ng’s phenomenal novel and we are thrilled to be embarking on this journey with Hulu,” added Washington. “As an actress, I am floored to have the opportunity to work alongside Reese Witherspoon exploring the rich themes of this story playing these dynamic characters.”
“We’re thrilled to be in business with these incredible women, each a powerhouse in her own right. This is another example of an exciting partnership for ABC Signature as we continue to build our production slate in the streaming space. We’re excited to have another project with our friends at Hulu, which is an ideal home for this project,” said Patrick Moran, president, ABC Studios/ABC Signature.