Liane Moriarty says, after the success of Big Little lies, ‘we need more shows about mums’

The Aussie bestseller behind Big Little Lies reveals she feels “vindicated” after critics wrote it off — and says there is a “desperate need” for other stories about mothers.

Exclusive: When the TV adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel Big Little Lies became not only a global smash but also a cultural moment, the best-selling Sydney author felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.

“It was very gratifying and, in some ways, I felt very vindicated,” Moriarty told News Corp Australia in New York.

“Because I remember one journalist saying to me, ‘Well, why do we need this? Isn’t it just another Desperate Housewives?’

Liane Moriarty with Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Australian executive producer Bruna Papandrea. Picture: Getty Images

“And I always remember thinking afterwards, I should have said, ‘Well, why do we need however many versions of Law & Order?

“I mean, what a joke, that the first time in all these years we have something about mothers, as if mothers are some niche group.”

Big Little Lies, of course, told the story of four mothers: the highly strung Madeline (Reese Witherspoon,); the bruised and guarded Celeste (Nicole Kidman), outsider Jane (Shailene Woodley), and bohemian Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz) who is stepmum to Madeline’s daughter.

“I think it showed that there was a desperate need for other stories story about mothers,” Moriarty states.

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Sisters Liane, Jacyln and Nicola Moriarty are all authors. Picture: Supplied

“Which a vast majority of people experience parenting and it’s a big complex part of your life and so I find it funny that we look down upon that and in fact most people either have a parent or have children and it’s something that you care about.”

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the first season, a second season was almost assured except there was no story. Initially, Moriarty, who says she’s never written a sequel to any of her novels, was happy for the cast and producers to make it without her.

“I thought I was done,” she smiles. “I didn’t want to be involved but then I would keep saying, ‘But if you do it, you could do this’, so I did keep thinking of little ideas and then the more I thought about it, the more interested I got.”

Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep in New York. Picture: Getty Images

That also included the infamous “get me Meryl” call to Kidman, who did just that with the multiple Oscar winner joining the cast as Celeste’s prickly mother-in-law.

“Well, there’s nowhere to go from here but down, and it did set very unrealistic expectations for me, because now I’m like get me everybody!” chuckles Moriarty. “So they’re all just laughing at me. I’m not taking it for granted. It’s amazing.”

Moriarty also paid tribute to the “wonderful” Kidman, who serves as an executive producer on the show.

Your favourite Monterey women are back in season two of Big Little Lies. Picture: Supplied

“Nicole is just a pleasure to work with, as a fellow Australian she’s just made me feel so welcome and part of it from the beginning so it’s been wonderful.”

She’s also become close to Witherspoon and creator David E. Kelley.

“The thing I never expected about this was to make new friends. And everybody at Big Little Lies has made me feel so welcome so it’s just been really special.”

And the journey is continuing — Kidman, Kelley and Big Little Lies’ executive producer Bruna Papandrea are adapting Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers for US streaming giant, Hulu, where it received a straight-to-series order; and looking to adapt her Truly Madly Guilty for screen.