Production begins on a new giant TV hit The Last Anniversary

They’re the best of Aussie talent, set to star in our own Liane Moriarty’s latest TV adaptation - and the only project the best-selling author insisted be filmed right here in Australia - because she can.

Miranda Richardson, Teresa Palmer, and Danielle Macdonald backstage on the set of the new BINGE original series - The Last Anniversary. PIcture: Justin Lloyd

They’re the best of Aussie talent, set to star in our own Liane Moriarty’s latest TV adaptation - and the only project the best-selling author insisted be filmed right here in Australia - because she can.

Australian actor Nicole Kidman, Bruna Papandrea’s production company Made Up Stories and best-selling author Moriarty are teaming up for a third time to bring novel The Last Anniversary to the screen.

And while they could have made it anywhere in the world, producers are filming it here in Australia because it’s so close to Moriarty’s heart.

“This is something that has been a long passion of ours and it is something that is really meaningful because it’s the only book that Liane has ever insisted be shot in Australia,” Jodi Matterson, from Papendrea’s production company Made Up Stories said.

“It was really important to her. This is one of her early books and this is really meaningful to her.

“And where she set it, on the Hawksbury River, for her is a real character of the story. She wanted to see one of her books turned into a television series where it really truly reflected the accents and the landscape that she intended.”

The trio will bring Liane Moriarty’s book The Last Anniversary to the screen. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“The Last Anniversary is a project that we are so excited to have underway. It is something that we at Made Up Stories, have been developing in collaboration with Blossom Films for many years.”

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal Teresa Palmer, Miranda Richardson, Helen Thomson, Susan Prior, Claude Scott-Mitchell, Danielle Macdonald, Charlie Garber, Uli Latukefu and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor started filming The Last Anniversary last week, with Kidman touting the series as “an Australian project with Australian accents.”

“What we love about working on Liana’s novels is that it provides is the kind of show we actually just want to watch,” said Matterson.

“It’s like chicken soup for the soul.

“You just fall in love with her characters, it’s so warm, you are leaning in because she always has this incredible mystery thread over all of her work so you are engaged with these characters.

Actress Nicole Kidman, author Liane Moriarty, actress Reese Witherspoon, and executive producer Bruna Papandrea. Picture: Getty

“It is the kind of show I want to turn on the television and watch and be thoroughly entertained and engaged.

“That’s what our goal is. To hopefully deliver on that for all the people who love Liane’s writing but also viewers globally.”

Based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, The Last Anniversary is a wickedly funny, heartfelt dramedy wrapped in a gripping mystery about family, motherhood and the women who define the generations that come after them. Samantha Strauss serves as head writer, with John Polson directing all six episodes.

is set on Scribbly Gum Island, a place of many secrets. The one that made it famous – the disappearance of a young couple decades ago – might have made the island a destination for true crime tourists but when it comes to secrets, the three generations of women that call Scribbly Gum home hold far more.

Nicole Kidman with Big Little Lies producer Bruna Papandrea

Moriarty and Kidman first worked together in 2017 on the television adaptation of Motiarty’s book Big Little Lies; Nicole starred in the series alongside Reese Witherspoon, Zoë Kravitz, Shailene Woodley, Adam Scott and Laura Dern.

Then in 2021, Nicole starred in Nine Perfect Strangers, based on Liane’s book of the same name.

Considering both Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers were smash hits, with Big Little Lies received 19 major nominations in 2018, winning 13 awards.

“I don’t think that anyone anticipates that any TV show be as big as Big Little Lies,” Steve Hutensky said.

Nicole Kidman and Big Little Lies' Australian author Liane Moriarty on the Emmys red carpet in Los Angeles. Picture: AAP

“Given that it won the Emmy and Golden Globes and a million other awards.

“I think we certainly hope that like Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers it’s a series that entertains people in the way that Liana’s books entertain people through out the world.

“While this is a quintessential Australian story, it is also a quintessential international story.”

The series will air on Foxtel streaming service Binge.

“It was really important for us to do this show with Foxtel,” Matterson said.

“Not only are they great partners....but this was a project that the late great Brian Walsh was incredible passionate about. He was such a big art of making this a reality. For us it is a very special project to be doing in holding up Brian’s memory.”

Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky are executive producing and Casey Haver co-executive producing for Made Up Stories with Per Saari and Nicole Kidman executive producing for Blossom Films alongside Alison Hurbert-Burns and Lana Greenhalgh for BINGE.