Decoding coifs of ‘Big Little Lies’ stars
Welcome to Monterey, land of scenic highway bridges, crashing waves and beachy, windswept locks that say, “Life is complicated: My hair is effortless.” Or is it? The characters on HBO’s “Big Little Lies” may look like California lifestyle catalog models, but their lives are so full of dark secrets that all the repressed fear, rage and overachievement has to come out somewhere. The hairdos of the “Monterey 5” in season two of the hit drama tell audiences almost as much as the dialogue does in any given episode. Here’s The Chronicle’s analysis of each “Big Little Lies” star’s hair for a more complete insight into their journeys so far this season. (Warning: There may be spoilers ahead.) Celeste and Mary Louise Wright: This daughterinlaw and motherinlaw duo have been opposing forces since Mary Louise Wright, played by Meryl Streep, joined the cast this season. It doesn’t help that Mary Louise is suspicious of how her son Perry (Alexander Skarsgard) died and doesn’t quite believe Celeste’s revelations about being abused by her late husband.
Here’s where the hair speaks louder than the arguments between the two characters: Celeste (Nicole Kidman) has gone a lighter shade of strawberry since last season that looks less like a restyled version of her Diane Arbus wig from the film “Fur.” Celeste’s long, Californiacool gingery locks are a highstyled take on boho beach hair, but don’t be fooled, every sunkissed and flipped end is highly controlled — and there with purpose. Mary Louise’s formidable, gray curledunder bob is in complete opposition to Celeste’s outwardly flipped ends. It isn’t so much a hairdo as a helmet for Mary Louise’s upcoming battle(s) against Celeste. This season has shown us Mary Louise isn’t just a motherinlaw, she’s a psychological gladiator.
Madeline Martha Mackenzie and Renata Klein: Whoever said “blondes have more fun” hasn’t met the uber Type A, highachieving and highstrung Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) and Renata (Laura Dern). At odds most of last season, the two have become allies in season two and their similarities are even more evident.
Both are under big stress (Madeline’s infidelity revelations, Renata’s husband’s legal troubles) and yet their hair has not suffered. Actually, their hair has barely even moved. Their impeccable manes — Madeline’s razor straight, Renata’s justso wavy — are outwardly trying to hold it all together even though we all know it takes a world of maintenance to keep both women and coifs from bursting out in unbridled rage.