Tag: Entertainment – Variety

Owen Thiele has a lot more riding on “Adults” this time around.

The FX comedy returned for its second season Aug. 27 with an audience now invested in its messy, co-dependent group of twentysomethings. Thiele, who plays Anton, says the cast spent much of the wait for renewal worried the show might not come back at all. “But I feel like now we have a little, tiny, beautiful cult following that hopefully will stick by us and get us that third season..”

That was the mood when Thiele sat down with Variety at an Instagram-hosted dinner at Palma in New York celebrating the new season. It can be hard to wrangle even the closest friends to a weeknight event, especially only one day after a booze-heavy premiere the previous night. But Thiele is unquestionably popular. Bowen Yang, Molly Gordon and Mary Beth Barone were just a few of his bold-faced friends who made their way to the West Village for a multi-course Italian meal and many, many dirty martinis.

Instagram also used the dinner to spotlight Instants, its newer feature for sending spontaneous photos through DMs, while Thiele is set to share behind-the-scenes content from the event on the platform’s @notfit4main account.

One reason for Thiele’s bursting-at-the-seams friend group is his growing list of Imdb credits. The 29 year-old also appears in Prime Video’s “Overcompensating,” where his character George represents a very different kind of queer friendship than Anton does, and he’s headed to the big screen in “Peaked,” Molly Gordon’s upcoming comedy, alongside Connor Storrie and Dua Lipa.

He’s also writing “Off Color,” a semi-autobiographical Amazon comedy inspired by his experience growing up Black and gay in a white Jewish family. The project pulls from his fascinating family history: Thiele is the son of music producer Bob Thiele Jr. and the grandson of iconic record producer Bob Thiele (“What a Wonderful World,” which Thiele co-wrote for Louis Armstrong, might ring a bell.) Susie Essman, known for her iconic role in “Curb Your Enthiusiasm,” is set to play Owen’s mother.

Below, Thiele talks to Variety about portraying queer friendship on screen, being a “nepo grandchild” and working with Connor Storrie and Dua Lipa:

What can we expect from Season 2 of “Adults” — and Anton and Paul?

Well, a lot happened. A lot happened. So I’m invested too. When I got those scripts, I was immediately reading. I was hoping that the kiss was addressed and it is but it’s addressed in a way that I think people wouldn’t expect.

Like avoidant-attachment vibes?

Sort of, sort of. It’s sort of like me in a relationship.

I feel like you pull from your own life a lot for the character.

Yes, I do, I do, I do. A lot of people would say I can’t act because of that. But the writers did such a brilliant job crafting this season because it doesn’t feel at all expected, and there are so many twists and turns that when I was filming it, I was like, “What? This is happening?” I couldn’t believe it.

You’re in “Overcompensating”, too: the two shows reflect very different types of queer friendships. What do you think might have been missing in representations of queer friendship before, and what do those two separate arcs bring to it?

I think “Overcompensating” does such a brilliant job of showing someone who isn’t comfortable with themselves finding solace and space in people who are comfortable with themselves. And I think what “Adults” does is show this immediate comfortability and coziness. Sexuality isn’t even uttered.

But I think they’re two very important stories to tell. One is what I felt in high school. I came out in high school, and I was very much looking for somebody who I could relate to in that way, which is Benny [Benito Skinner] to George [Thiele]. And I feel like in “Adults,” I’m kind of where I am now, where it’s just unspoken and unsaid and it doesn’t really matter.

I have to ask about “Off Color.” I imagine the “nepo baby” conversation is going to come up. How are you feeling about putting something this personal out there?

One hundred percent. Everyone thinks I’m a nepo baby. I don’t think my dad was successful enough for me to be a nepo baby.

But your grandpa was successful. I was on his Wikipedia today!

No, my grandpa — I am. No, no, he was successful. I am a nepo grandchild, for sure.

I’m scared, and I’m also ready. I’m like, you know what? I want to put myself out there in every way possible and see what happens. Some things will not be received well, and I’m ready for that. And hopefully other things will be.

What have the conversations with your family been like while writing?

It’s hilarious. It feels like therapy. It’s family therapy. My mom will be like, “I never said that.” And I’m like, “You definitely said that.” We’re all working through things, and I’m working through things as I write this show.

I’m not running things by them. I’m more like sending them scripts, and my mom being like, “Why’d you make me a bitch?”

Susan Essman is playing her. How did she get involved?

I met with her. I sat with her and explained my life story to her, and she, for some reason, wanted to be involved, which is so crazy to me still. She’s Jewish, my parents are Jewish. But more than that, she’s an idol. She’s one of my comedy idols. She’s a comedy legend. So I feel very lucky.

I can only think of her as her character in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” What kind of energy does she bring playing your mom?

My mom is a helicopter mom, but Owen in the show is front seat in the helicopter. He is obsessed with her being that way. So it’s the back-and-forth. It’s the enabling. It’s the codependency. She’s not really a yeller. She’s definitely a crier. She cries at everything. It’s a lack of boundaries. I haven’t seen Susie play this, which I think will be fun.

Going back to “Peaked,” what was it like working with Connor Storrie?

Connor is a dream. He is not only a very attractive man, he is so beyond talented. I interviewed him for my podcast, and afterward I was like, “Oh God, you are a dream.” And then I got to work with him after that.

He was just down to play. Everyone on “Peaked” was just down to fucking clown. We were all down to do whatever Molly [Gordon] wanted us to do. Molly has such a great, beautiful, clear vision.

What was it like being directed by Molly, who you’re so close to?

She’s my best friend. It felt like we were kids again. I’ve known her since I was two. I’ve been in plays with her. She has directed me before. When I auditioned for “SNL,” she was very involved and was kind of directing my [audition] sketches for “SNL.” She’s been directing me for years, so this just felt like a natural progression.

What’s your overall vibe with posting on social media?

Oh my God, I love Instagram. I posted on Instagram twice today. In-feed. I think people are sick of me. I think people are unfollowing. I’m also like, who the fuck cares? Post when you have a hot photo. You have a hot photo, you want people to see it — post that shit. Who cares? Let’s not be precious with our dumps. Let’s just post when we like something.

I want to go back to 2016 Instagram, where you’re posting a photo of something you like.

The BBC has a new comedy head.

Chris Sussman, formerly director of scripted series at Netflix U.K. and prior to that head of comedy at BBC Studios, has rejoined the broadcaster as its director of comedy, where he’ll be responsible for leading what the BBC says is the “U.K.s largest generator of original British scripted comedy.”

Sussman replaces Jon Petrie, who in June announced he would be stepping down after five years in the role to join Hat Trick Productions as its new creative director.

Sussam will report directly to chief content officer Kate Phillips and lead the BBC comedy commissioning team. He will be responsible for overseeing a wide range of comedies including current shows “Ludwig,” “Amandaland, “Small Prophets,” “Ann Droid,” “Here We Go” and “Black Ops” alongside new series including “Bill’s Included,” “The Reluctant Vampire,” Better Later,” “Hopley Hall,” “Push” and “Opening Up.”

At Netflix, Sussman helped build the U.K.scripted slate, working across series such as “Man Versus Bee”, “Baby Reindeer,” “Stay Close,” “Bodies” and “Black Mirror.” At BBC Studios, he oversaw both the TV and radio comedy slates, including series such as “This Country,” “Inside No 9,” “W1A,” “Famalam,” “Upstart Crow,” “Ladhood,” “Two Doors Down,” “Vic & Bob’s Big Night Out” and “Mrs Brown’s Boys.” He was also responsible for winning BBC Studios’ first commissions with Apple (“Trying”) and Amazon (“Good Omens”).

“What a dream job! I’ve loved BBC comedy since I was a young boy listening to tapes of ‘Hancock’ and ‘The Goons,’ and the thought of trying to make more classics for a new generation to fall in love with is a daunting but irresistible one,” said Sussman. “I’ll be joining a brilliant team who are already producing some fantastic series, so I’m looking forward to carrying on where Jon left off and defining British comedy in the coming years.”

Added Phillips: “After a highly competitive interview process I’m delighted that Chris will be taking up the role of the BBC’s Director of Comedy. With a wealth of experience across multiple indies and broadcasters he has the smarts and skills needed to lead us into a very funny future.”

Sussman starts his new role next month and Emma Lawson will continue as acting director in the interim.

Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and directors Isabel Coixet and Matteo Garrone are among signatories of an open letter issued on Friday calling for the Venice Film Festival “to take concrete action in support of Palestine.”

The open letter comes from the Venice4Palestine collective that took a similar initiative last year, albeit with more specific requests such as urging the event’s organizers to withdraw invitations to Gerard Butler and Gal Gadot over their previous support for Israel.

“One year after its first appeal, Venice4Palestine is once again calling on the Venice Biennale [the festival’s parent org], the Venice International Film Festival and professionals across the film, audiovisual and cultural sectors to take concrete action in support of Palestine,” the collective wrote in the open letter.

The Venice Film Festival had no immediate comment.

The Venice4Palestine letter also calls for the Palestinian flag to be flown throughout the festival to underline the presence in the event’s official selection of two Palestinian films: Ahmed Hassouna’s “Citizen Osama,” which portrays a photographer as he attempts to juggle his roles as father and a journalist while capturing the realities of war in Gaza, and Muayad Alayan’s “Conversation with the Sea,” about a 60-year-old Palestinian man named Kamal who becomes entangled in a tendentious web of Israeli bureaucracy.

Venice has never shied away from political controversy, or from films that put the plight of Palestinians on screen.

Kaouther Ben Hania’s Gaza-set “The Voice of Hind Rajab” won the Silver Lion last year after eliciting a 22-minute standing ovation, which stands as the fest’s longest.

“Naza,” a new hot-button documentary from “No Other Land” directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was added on Monday to the Venice competition lineup. Expect it to spark up some political heat.

The doc, which was shot at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, shows “in detail the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” according to its official synopsis.

Signatories of the Venice4Palestine letter also include Nan Goldin, Paul Laverty, Teona Strugar Mitevska, Saleh Bakri and Céline Sciamma as well as Italy’s Anna Foglietta, Fabrizio Gifuni, Greta Scarano, Jasmine Trinca and Luigi Lo Cascio.

The collective also announced the panel “And Yet Gaza Continues to Burn – What Is the Point of Seeing if We Do Not Act?,” which will take place under the aegis of the fest’s separately run section Giornate degli Autori, also known as Venice Days.

The panel on Sept. 8 will gather international law experts as well as representatives of the Global Sumud Flotilla group, which has tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.

The 83rd Venice Film Festival runs from Sept. 2 to 12.

India’s Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios have partnered on a new slate of films, beginning with “Daayra,” a crime thriller starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran and directed by Meghna Gulzar.

The tie-up pairs Junglee’s development-focused, story-driven approach with Pen Studios’ production and theatrical distribution strength in the Indian market. “Daayra” is inspired by true events and centers on a crime and its aftermath, weighing guilt, punishment and moral accountability, and how far the boundaries of law and public expectations of justice diverge.

Junglee Pictures has backed titles including “Haq,” “Raazi,” “Badhaai Do,” “Badhaai Ho” and “Talvar.” Pen Studios has supported films such as “Gangubai Kathiawadi” and “RRR,” and has “Tumbbad 2” upcoming, alongside a track record of taking Indian films to audiences overseas.

Vineet Jain, managing director of the Times Group, which owns Junglee Pictures, said: “What better way to begin this association with Pen Studios than with the gripping crime drama ‘Daayra,’ helmed by Meghna Gulzar? Collaborating with Meghna is always creatively rewarding. Our work together on ‘Raazi’ and ‘Talvar’ reflects our shared commitment to strong, story-first cinema. Joining forces with Jayantibhai and Pen Studios, whose nuanced understanding of the Indian audience is unparalleled, adds a dynamic layer to our broader vision. We’re truly looking forward to exploring the possibilities this collaboration unlocks for the future of Indian storytelling.”

Jayantilal Gada, chair and managing director of Pen Studios, added: “The combination of Junglee’s creative prowess and our robust distribution network creates a truly powerful team. ‘Daayra’ is a terrific film to begin with. Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity. With Kareena and Prithviraj leading the cast, this is the kind of theatrical film that can create both curiosity and conversation. We are excited to bring it to audiences and to build a long-term association with Junglee.”

The partnership arrives as Indian theatrical business gains momentum. Hindi cinema posted its biggest year yet in 2025, grossing $577 million at the box office, and original Hindi-language films made up 93% of Hindi box-office revenue. The first half of 2026 kept up that pace, with Indian theaters logging their best opening six months since the pandemic era began winding down and with Hindi films collecting $295 million.

Recent box-office cycles have also shown films across genres finding audiences, pointing to opportunities for projects built on narrative strength rather than scale or star power alone.

“Daayra” releases in theaters on Sept. 18.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled its Carte Blanche lineup, featuring personal film selections from actor Fan Bingbing, director Kim Jeewoon and cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo.

Carte Blanche, a French term meaning complete freedom of choice, invites prominent figures from film and culture to pick titles that shaped their own sensibilities and discuss them with audiences after each screening.

Fan, whose commanding screen presence has carried a wide range of roles, has also served on juries at international festivals. She chose Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden.” “‘The Handmaiden’ weaves together desire, deception and power through its exquisite aesthetic, while following two women trapped in their own predicaments as they confront one another, ultimately saving themselves and breaking free from the constraints of fate,” Fan said. “The women captured through director Park Chan-wook’s lens are both dangerous and free. I was deeply captivated by its clarity, boldness and vitality.”

Kim, who made his directorial debut with “The Quiet Family” in 1998 and went on to direct “A Tale of Two Sisters,” “A Bittersweet Life” and “The Age of Shadows” before crossing into Hollywood with “The Last Stand” and returning to Cannes out of competition with “Cobweb,” picked George Miller’s “Mad Max.” “‘Mad Max’ is the beginning of a great legend and the wildest, toughest, and most instinctive film in the entire series,” Kim said. “The shock and fear I felt from the sheer force of its energy when I first saw this film are still vivid. It is a film that proves what true ‘cinematic cinema’ can be.”

Hong, whose cinematography credits include “Snowpiercer,” “The Wailing” and “Parasite,” selected Krzysztof Kieslowski’s “Three Colours: Blue.” “Every time I watch ‘Three Colours: Blue,’ the loss and solitude captured in its blue hues feel new, and it reminds me once again of how deeply images can convey emotion,” Hong said.

Elsewhere at the festival, the Busan Story Market (BSM), operated by the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), has added nine more titles across two new tracks: four Hong Kong IP selections, which bring its official selections count to 29, and a newly launched Remake IP section debuting with five Thai films tracked separately from that tally. The Remake IP section, covering rights to remake completed films, draws its inaugural lineup from Thailand, this year’s ACFM Country of Honor: horror mystery “Midnight Incense,” coming-of-age comedy “Happy Monday(s),” family thriller “Home for Rent,” horror-romance “My Boo” and wedding comedy “Congrats My Ex!” A pitching session for the five Thai titles takes place Oct. 10, followed by business meetings running through Oct. 13.

The Hong Kong additions were picked by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) and comprise three animated shorts plus one comic, spanning genres from culinary drama to AI detective thriller. They include “Blacky the Metal Arm Cat,” about a warrior displaced by alien technology; suspense drama “Cirkillation”; family restaurant story “Tai Lung Fung – Full Throttle Kitchen”; and comic “Disposable Dolly,” centered on an AI detective investigating a string of murders. BSM’s organizers see potential across the four titles for expansion into animated series, feature-length films, merchandise and digital content.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will Oct. 6-15, at the Busan Cinema Center and venues throughout Busan, with the 21st Asian Contents & Film Market is held Oct. 10-13.

REMAKE IP THAILAND

“Congrats My Ex!” – Prueksa Amaruji – Fearfolks – Romance, Comedy – 2023
“Happy Monday(s)” – Chakorn Chaiprecha – Shinesaeng Ad.Venture – Comedy, Drama – 2025
“Home for Rent” – Sophon Sukdaphisit – GDH559 – Thriller, Horror, Drama – 2023
“Midnight Incense” – Worarit Nilklom – True CJ Creations – Horror, Drama, Mystery – 2026
“My Boo” – Khomkrit Treewimol – Jungka Plus Studio Co., Ltd. – Romance, Comedy, Horror – 2024

HONG KONG IP

“Blacky the Metal Arm Cat” – Nic Ho – Intoxic Studio Limited – Drama, Action – Animation
“Cirkillation” – Tsang Fung Chi Kevin – Queenkong Land ACG., Co., Ltd. – Drama, Suspense – Animation
“Disposable Dolly” – Ben Liu – Catnip Comic Studio Co. – Action, Sci-Fi, Suspense – Comics
“Tai Lung Fung – Full Throttle Kitchen” – So Yat Man Rock, Poon Chi Wai Tony – Fanflare Creative Limited – Drama, Fantasy – Animation

Millions of viewers are saying “I do” to Season 20 of “Married at First Sight.” The Kinetic Content relationship reality series, which moved to Peacock during Season 19 after 15 seasons on Lifetime, underwent a few changes this year.

The finale and reunion dropped on Peacock on Thursday, revealing that all but two couples chose to break up on decision day. While Mecca Amen and BelléJolie Force said yes, they revealed at the reunion they ended their marriage shortly after. Cameron Mitchell and Michelle Le stayed together and, at the reunion, were still happily married. Unfortunately, all others split, and most are not on good terms.

Since the Season 20 premiere on July 12 — purposefully scheduled after the conclusion of Peacock’s culturally dominant “Love Island USA” — “Married at First Sight” has amassed over 1.8 billion minutes viewed, per Peacock. It’s ranked as the No. 4 highest-reaching original reality season on the app, with total streaming up +153% from Season 19.

Although the show aired on Peacock for Season 19, the 20th season is the first fully produced for Peacock, and it seems that the changes made really worked as it became a Top 3 reality title on streaming for five consecutive weeks, according to Nielsen.

“When we first acquired it, I was super excited — this is one of the great formats in unscripted history,” says Noah Samton, SVP of current production for Bravo and Peacock unscripted. “To have an opportunity to try to improve on what has already been established as something really strong, an opportunity to try to upgrade that and make it even better, is the most exciting challenge for me.”

Below, we dive more into those changes and upgrades with Samton — including the reunion that featured an audience for the first time.

Talk to me about what you first did when Peacock acquired “Married at First Sight.”

Normally, if we acquired a show like this, I would try to watch every single episode. It just is impossible with this one. So I watched about 40 episodes, and it became very clear to me that there were some things that we could do to make it work better for a Peacock audience, make it a more fun, more exciting show, and just kind of revitalize it without losing what made it special and magical in the first place.

Can you detail some of the creative changes?

It falls into two buckets for me. One of which is we wanted to elevate production value across the board, and that starts right with the weddings. To me, it’s a fantasy for the viewer. “That’s a crazy thing to do, but would I do it?” You’re kind of playing along as you watch the show, and you want to see yourself in a beautiful wedding, in a beautiful setting and incredible decor. That was really important to help the viewer immerse themselves in the fantasy by making the weddings even more beautiful.

Then, we wanted to make the cast a more aspirational cast. Traditionally, the most important thing for the cast is authenticity. But you can be authentic and aspirational. You shouldn’t have to choose between those two. That was a really big goal for us — to have a cast that really wanted to be there for the right reasons, and was still exciting and fun for a viewer to watch.

Did you see the casting process?

I went out west to Seattle. We spent five days with hundreds of cast members, and there’s a combined process of the experts looking for people who are suitable matches, and producers and network executives looking for people who make sense on television, and then, collaborating with those people to try to come up with the best cast possible. It’s extremely challenging, but also really fun.

This was the first time a former reality TV star was cast on “MAFS” with Nick Uhlenhuth. Was that something you set out to do — bring in a familiar face?

There were a lot of conversations around that one, and I wanted to do something that would get viewers to pay attention. In a crowded television landscape, it’s hard to get anybody to even think about your show. There are so many shows out there. So somebody that maybe viewers knew already [could help]. That was the original idea. Maybe there’s somebody who was on “Love Island,” who didn’t find love, and now they’re willing to get “Married at First Sight.” We looked at a lot of people on “Love Island,” and there wasn’t anybody that really made sense. And then the team at Kinetic said, “Let us look for some,” and the No. 1 qualifier for the whole thing was it has to be somebody who genuinely wants to get married, somebody who really makes sense. We’re not going to do it just for the sake of doing it.

After talking to a whole lot of people, a lot of former reality cast members, they pitched Nick to me. At first I was like, I don’t know about this guy. But then they sent me a really long interview with him talking specifically about the show, and he really did seem to make sense. I’m just a little sad that we couldn’t find the right match for him.

So would you bring back another former reality star?

Maybe at some point. They have to be somebody who is there for the right reasons, and who makes sense with the show. We don’t want to do it just as a gimmick. But if there is the right person at the right time, who knows? I was talking to Lindsey Hubbard from “Summer House” the other day, and she has struggled a little bit to find the right relationship. So I said, “Why don’t you come on ‘Married at First Sight?’ And she said, “Yeah, no. In about 20 years, I think I’ll be ready for that!”

We’ll be ready at Season 41! You also changed up the experts this year, replacing Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Cal Roberson and Dr. Pia Holec with Paul C. Brunson and Dr. Lisa Paz. What were you looking for with that change?

Initially, we were really looking for three experts. We wanted to find experts who spoke more to a Peacock audience, which was a little younger than the show when it was on Lifetime previously. We wanted people who felt younger, fresher and spoke to our audience. After meeting all these people, we realized the two of them stood out head and shoulders above every other expert we met with, and so we said, “Why do we need three? We have two great experts. Let’s just let them take the reins.”

Were there other changes you wanted to implement?

It was very important to me that we have seven couples instead of five. Originally, I wanted eight. I know it’s a lot for people to process, but I think one of the things that I struggled with in the 40 episodes that I watched of “Married at First Sight” is that you would see a couple who was clearly not right for each other. They didn’t like each other and didn’t want to be there, and because of the necessities of making a TV show, they were kind of strung along for every episode. I didn’t want that. If somebody was done with the relationship, they should walk away from the show. So that was one of the reasons we wanted to have more couples.

Before we get to the reunion, can you talk about Felipe Cruz choosing to tell Tori Dahl that he thought about cheating all the time off-camera? How do you avoid that happening?

This is the bane of the television producer’s existence. It’s something that happens on most shows. It’s a constant message from producers to cast members: Have those conversations on camera. I oversee all the “Below Decks” and “Summer House,” and one of the great things about those franchises is we have cameras rolling on the yacht 24/7 and in the house all weekend. So there are no conversations that happen off camera. On most shows, cameras shut down — they go home, they have the conversation. We’ve learned over the years a lot of ways of getting the information out, and you saw it in the diary cam with Tori. Good producers need to be on top of every situation, and they have to be able to sense when something is different in the dynamic. One of the biggest job requirements when you’re cast on a reality show is to be open and honest on camera and to share everything. That is literally what you’re hired for, and yet, still, people try to avoid it. And then the flip side, the job of a producer is to make sure that everything that happens is able to come out on camera.

Let’s get into the reunion a little — why invite an audience in for the first time? “MAFS” reunions have never had that.

I was really hesitant about that. Kinetic and Ally Simpson over there really wanted to bring in a live audience. She thought it would bring a different dynamic, a different energy to the show. I was resistant. I was worried about leaks. I was worried about the production logistics of having a live audience during the show. She pushed hard. I gave in, and she was absolutely right. I thought the energy was great as a result. I thought the show looked great. It just gave a different dynamic to the reunion.

It was kind of wild to see Adam Dehmlow’s new girlfriend claim the show was fake, which gave the experts an opportunity to defend it.

Look, it’s something that we battle with, right? People are always like, “Well, it’s reality TV. It’s not real.” It’s all real. It’s produced at times, but everything I do on every one of my shows, what you’re watching, is real. It’s great to be able to show that this is the cast’s lived experience, and that they will support that. Because it’s endlessly frustrating for me to hear that from people. It’s real!

Lastly, there have been some conversations online and rumors that the couples didn’t actually get married this season. What do you say to that?

I would say that their experience is that they are a married couple, and they are living their lives as a married couple, and every aspect of what they experience on that is a marriage. They have a wedding at the beginning, and then they have a divorce if they want to go their separate ways at the end.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “Big Little Truths,” the follow-up novel to “Big Little Lies.”

It all starts with a mysterious finger sent to the school principal.

Liane Moriarty is back with “Big Little Truths,” a book set 10 years after the events of her novel “Big Little Lies,” which was adapted into an Emmy-winning HBO series back in 2017, with a second season in 2019.

While Moriarty has confirmed this book will lay the groundwork for “Big Little Lies” Season 3 (which has yet to be ordered officially by HBO, go into production or set a release date), there are key differences between the world in the books and the show’s universe: the main one being the HBO adaptation is set in Monterey, California and Moriarty’s books are set in the fictional Pirriwee Peninsula in Australia.

Additionally, Moriarty incorporates elements of “Big Little Lies” Season 2, like the introduction of Meryl Streep’s show-only character, Mary-Louise, into “Big Little Truths.”

In the sequel book, which hit shelves on Aug. 25, Moriarty picks up with Madeline (played by Reese Witherspoon on the HBO series), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Renata (Laura Dern) and Bonnie’s (Zoë Kravitz) lives as they experience a whirlwind of life changes following a 10-year time jump.

As their 15-year-old kids navigate the complicated emotions that come with being high-school students, the past also comes up like a current, leading the moms to reckon with what they haven’t told their kids about the circumstances under which Celeste’s husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), was killed by Bonnie all those years ago.

Throughout “Big Little Truths,” Moriarty cuts back and forth between the moms’ perspectives and the months leading up to one big event: “D-Day,” which is revealed to be the infamous day on which Jane’s son Ziggy and his classmates give a presentation that reveals the true intentions of their new red-haired history teacher, Melody.

The presentation serves as a wake-up call for the moms as they find out that their new friend Melody has actually been preying on young kids, setting up her brightest students with a job prospect that lands them squarely in the lap of her predator husband, Seth Montclair. And she’s been doing it for years at different schools.

While the book starts off teasing a potential death with the implication of somebody’s finger getting cut off, it turns out that Clara Long, a former student of Melody’s, was the one who sent the finger. In order to get the attention of the school and the community turned toward Melody, the cremation consultant cut off the finger of town local Ewan Drew, who was already dead. In a conversation with Detective Adrian, Clara even goes on to call Melody “the best teacher” she’s ever had. But that’s precisely why she is able to have so much influence over her students.

Ahead of the highly anticipated eventual release of “Big Little Lies” Season 3, read below for Variety’s character-by-character breakdown of the main plot in “Big Little Truths.”

Madeline

Madeline, now working part-time in a local hotel’s events department, is just trying to get through her 50th birthday intact with all the emotions that come with hitting 50. Her party is a huge hit (not that it was a competition to anyone but Madeline), and it becomes a successful effort to get her daughter Chloe back talking with Jane’s son Ziggy and the rest of the kids after they found separate friend groups over the years. Madeline, however, is quickly riddled with guilt after her mom (who was supposed to show at the party) faints at home and was waiting all day for somebody to call and realize.

On top of that, Madeline finds out that her eldest child, Abigail, who is now 25, is getting married to “Picture Perfect Boyfriend,” as Madeline calls Luka. Madeline is also privately struggling with a lump on her chest that she fears could turn out to be breast cancer. However, after she gets tested and finds out she is cancer-free, it turns out Ed is the one that actually has cancer, which completely throws Madeline’s life into disarray as she takes on all responsibility in caring for both Ed and her mom (as only Madeline could).

Behind closed doors, Chloe gets hired by Melody under the pretense that Chloe is helping her teacher’s illiterate husband learn how to read. Abigail ends up canceling her wedding, which she spent so much time preparing only because she thought that’s what would make Madeline happy. Madeline learns that “Picture Perfect Boyfriend” has flaws too, and accepts him into the family. Ed starts having memory issues and ends up in a psychiatric ward. By the end, Ed’s chemo is a success and he is on the road to being cancer-free. After Chloe opens up about her sexual encounter with Seth, Madeline has to reckon with the fact that she let Melody into her child’s life — Melody will forever be a chapter in their family’s history.

Jane

While Jane is now married to Tom, owner of the beloved Blue Blues coffee shop, the two face new unspoken tensions about Jane’s declaration she no longer wants to have biological kids together. After Madeline’s birthday, Jane is forced to have a difficult conversation with Ziggy after Amabella, Renata’s daughter, tells her that Perry raped Jane. She opens up in the conversation, but falls short of labeling it rape, trying to maintain some sense of innocence within Ziggy. As Melody worms her way into Jane’s close-knitted friend group, she takes Jane out clubbing (just the two of them!) and they almost kiss, which leads Jane to wonder whether there’s any attraction there when Tom asks about it later. Tom, however, is open to Jane having sexual attraction to women, although Jane falls short of ever labeling herself or exploring what happened there.

Ziggy is the one who ends up giving the big presentation that takes down Melody; Jane knows that he was right to not clue her in as Melody was getting close to the moms. Jane opens up to Tom about her traumatic childbirth experience with Ziggy. Although Tom doesn’t pretend to be happy about not getting a kid of his own, especially after his mother suggests to Jane that they break up, he accepts this life with her. He tells Jane to take a trip and finally get a break from her chaotic life.

Celeste

Celeste is now raising two teenage sons, Max and Josh, on her own, but of course Mary-Louise is still in the picture. After moving to town to live closer to the boys, Mary-Louise begins questioning why her grandsons aren’t closer to their half brother, Ziggy. Celeste begins worrying about her mother-in-law after her credit cards are declined and her outfits are increasingly out of place, but things begin to click when Mary-Louise gives Max, Josh and Ziggy expensive cars. Max and Josh’s emotional reactions after Celeste demands they give the keys back serve as a sad reminder that Perry’s violent outbursts aren’t just a distant memory.

Celeste realizes that Mary-Louise needs to be evaluated for dementia after she begins forgetting things, although this is later revealed to be due to her allergy medication’s side effects. While Celeste describes her wild sex years after Perry’s death, she has her first real relationship in 10 years with Marco, who is new to town. She gets suspicious of Marco after she learns that he is the man who has been driving around town and talking to underage girls (even being nicknamed “Pedo Pete” for it), but she later learns that he arrived in town because his daughter, Betty, had gotten close to Melody years prior — and suffered the consequences for it. By the end, Celeste ends up staying with Marco, realizing he’s the one for her.

Renata

Relishing the single life after her ex-husband went to prison, Renata hits a low point when her estranged mother dies. The other moms all then learn about Renata’s troubled family history; when she was 12, an uncle inappropriately touched her, but no one in her life believed her, leading them to shun her forever. That explains why all those years ago she was so protective of Amabella during the kindergarten incident. On the way home from the funeral, Renata seems to be holding it together until she pulls over and screams into a steering wheel. It’s a sight the other moms have never quite seen from her.

Renata starts dating fitness instructor Brody, who teaches all the moms at a beach bootcamp, and takes motorcycle lessons in the spirit of her teenage rebellion years. Out of all the moms, Renata is the most suspicious of Melody, especially after they all go away for a weekend together. When speaking to Jane later on, Ziggy explains that Amabella likes girls, although it’s unclear if she’s out as queer to Renata.

Bonnie

For the first time in Bonnie’s life, she begins feeling a divide between her and and her daughter Skye after Skye learns more about Bonnie’s role in Perry’s death. Bonnie connects with Madeline over their shared distrust of Abigail’s “Picture Perfect Boyfriend,” but silently struggles with the weight of Perry’s death all these years later, realizing that she’s never quite gotten over it. During the retreat with Melody, she opens up to the other moms.

While Mary-Louise makes snarky quips at Bonnie’s expense at a few different public gatherings, she starts to take a liking to Syke by the end. Bonnie formally apologizes for Perry’s death and gives Mary-Louise some closure. Bonnie ends up admitting herself to rehab and seeking help after developing a drinking problem.

Netflix dropped 27 minutes of new “Grand Theft Auto 6″ content Thursday at 3 p.m. ET in a collaboration with Rockstar Games ahead of the highly anticipated title’s November release.

The event, which was first announced earlier this month, comes as Rockstar continues to suffer ongoing “GTA 6” gameplay leaks.

The “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look” content was captured entirely from in-game footage on PlayStation 5 (the game will be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X and S on Nov. 19), per Netflix and Take-Two Interactive-owned publisher Rockstar. It marks the lengthiest look fans have gotten at “GTA 6” thus far, following two trailers released over the past three years.

The special features “GTA 6” protagonists Jason and Lucia in both cinematic and gameplay scenes throughout the fictional Vice City, and teases the overall narrative of the game.

Per the official description for “GTA 6”: “Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida – forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.”

Netflix says the “GTA 6” “extended look” event represents “the next evolution of storytelling and content” on the streaming platform: “This trailblazing partnership with Rockstar Games elevates games to the center of modern culture — bringing an in-depth look at one of the most anticipated releases in the history of entertainment to Netflix subscribers first.”

Rockstar has stated Netflix will be the exclusive home of the “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look” special for six hours before the content is released on YouTube and across other platforms at 9 p.m. ET. It seems that exclusivity has had an impact as user error reports for Netflix spiked just prior to the Netflix “GTA 6” reveal, hitting 3,129 at 2:49 p.m. ET, according to service-monitoring website Downdetector.com.

Several “GTA 6” gameplay videos have been released over the past week by a hacker group calling itself CyberLeek, which claims to have obtained a playable build of the game. The videos have been posted across multiple websites and subsequently removed and continued to appear in new locations.

Rockstar Games — which last week filed subpoenas related to the “GTA 6” leaks — issued its first statement about the situation on Wednesday, just ahead of Netflix’s big gameplay footage debut.

“Dear all,

We know that many of you have been waiting to hear from us regarding the events of the past week. It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time. We are very sorry that everything has taken as long as it has — from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay, and providing the community with everything you want to know.

We are very excited for everyone to see the extended look tomorrow. It has taken longer than we wanted to get it ready, but as with everything we do, we know we need to exceed your expectations, and we are determined to deliver at the level you expect and deserve. While it is unfortunate that the intended game experience may now be impacted by some spoilers, we hope that everyone will wait a bit longer to experience the game for themselves on November 19.

We want to thank everyone in the community who has reached out with messages of support this past week — your words meant more to this team than you can imagine. Ultimately, we are making this game for you, and without you, we would not have the privilege of making games.

We look forward to sharing more with you soon.

Sincerely,

Rockstar Games”

Later Wednesday, Rockstar posted two messages on X noting its preferences regarding how fans go about creating content based on the Netflix event amid the outside leaks, writing: “Once Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look debuts on Netflix, creators can share their reaction content across social and video platforms.”

In a followup, Rockstar added: “Quick clarification: you are free to livestream An Extended Look from 3 p.m. ET on August 27 providing you adhere to platform-specific guidance and you do not simply restream or repost the unedited video in full without context or commentary.”