Okay, so today I decided to mess around with the characters on “Big Little Lies.” I’ve always been fascinated by how different they all are, so I wanted to do a deep dive into each of them.
First, I re-watched a few key episodes. You know, just to get a feel for the characters again. I wasn’t taking notes or anything, just soaking it all in. Then I did a little online research to read character introductions and their relations.
My Exploration Process
- Madeline Mackenzie: I started with Madeline. God, she’s a force of nature. I spent like an hour just listing all the things she does in the first few episodes. She’s involved in everything!
My next step was I jotted down everything that came to my mind about her “personality”, “motivations,” and “relationships”.
- Celeste Wright: Celeste… oh, Celeste. Her story is just heartbreaking. I actually had to take a break after watching some of her scenes with Perry. It’s just so intense. I really focused on her internal struggles, you know? The way she presents herself to the world versus what’s going on inside.
I mainly focused on her behavior during the show. And then, I jotted down every detail I wanted to describe about her.
- Jane Chapman: Jane is the newcomer, and it’s clear from the start she’s carrying a lot of baggage. For her, I really tried to get into her head. What’s she thinking? What’s she feeling? Why is she so guarded?
I tried to understand her better from the perspectives of others, taking notes on what other characters thought of her.
- Renata Klein & Bonnie Carlson:Then you’ve got Renata, the power mom, I tried to understand her ambition and anxiety. And Bonnie, so calm and zen, I looked at her peaceful demeanor, but also the underlying tension.
I spent more time finding resources to analyze them. I listed what made them special and what they were looking for.
After all that, I felt like I had a much better handle on each of the characters. It’s amazing how much depth there is to these women. It’s not just a show about rich people and their problems – it’s about real human struggles. This whole exercise really made me appreciate the writing and the acting even more.