Celeste Ng’s acclaimed novel “Little Fires Everywhere” will be adapted into a television series, set to star Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. While the novel takes place in Shaker Heights, where Ng spent most of her childhood, it has yet to be determined whether or not the TV adaptation will be shot in the same area.
While Shaker Heights is merely the setting of Ng’s novel, she claims that the “perfection of the community” sets the plot into motion, as chaos ensues when an artist and her daughter move to town.
In an interview with NPR last year, Ng claimed that Shaker Heights acts as its own character in the book, and allows for readers to truly visualize the setting of the novel. In fact, the first two chapters of the novel have vivid Shaker Heights details throughout, such as “two-family homes to built like one” and “Heinen’s employees who will carry your groceries out to your car”.
Shaker Heights natives have also claimed that Ng’s representation of their hometown is extremely accurate.
“(This kind of exposure) helps our community form an even stronger national presence,” said Shaker local Kristen Deramo, “I think people are pleased and excited about it.”
Both Witherspoon and Washington are currently pitching the show to streaming services and cable networks.
With two renown actresses a local city (potentially) in the mix, “Little Fires Everywhere” is certainly a show to lookout for!