Latest news with #Summer16
Forbes
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Exploring Class And Character In Costumes For Prime's ‘We Were Liars'
The Liars on the beach during Summer 16. Jessie Redmond Amazon Prime's We Were Liars is a very good show. But please know, though it may feel like the streaming equivalent of a beach read, this story is ancient and close to universal. Cadence, Cady if you prefer, our main character in We Were Liars , has an awful lot of overlap with Cordelia, the doomed favorite daughter in William Shakespeare's King Lear . It's the same way in the novel this show is based on. I cannot promise that E. Lockhart, author of the 2014 novel on which this series is based, wrote it as a modern take on King Lear, but I very much suspect that it was. I also suspect that Lockhart is familiar with the work of Marian Roalfe Cox, but that is far too much to get into. The stories that people tell each other, the ones we cherish most, have not changed very much over the centuries. The details have, absolutely, but the broad strokes are the same and they are what allow us to find and leave Easter Eggs. Storytelling is about connections and stories remind us that we are all connected. As We Were Liars opens and we meet our cast of characters, it was immediately obvious that time and effort had been invested in making certain that it would be impossible to confuse any of these blonde ladies. It's all very Ralph-Lauren-American-Aristocracy, but the five women are distinct, even if their collective costumes all ascribe to a (very) particular aesthetic. When I met with the costume designer for the series, Amanda Riley, I explained that the process of working it all out fascinated me, that I very much wanted to know how it had been accomplished. The younger generation of Sinclair's play croquet outside Clairmount house on Beechwood island, off Martha's Vineyard. Jessie Redmond 'Each of the individual characters felt so different as people,' Riley explained. 'So, it didn't feel like work as much as it was effortless. Once an actor steps into the fitting room, you start to realize this is truly the embodiment of this character. Caitlin FitzGerald, she was Penny Sinclair, all of the things that we gravitated towards in the fitting room had these long lines and elegant colors. Her palette was extremely clean and very refined, a lot of it was architectural, but didn't feel too stuffy. Bess Sinclair, Candice King,' the designer continued, 'her clothing was harder to source than one would think because how she dresses, it's not who she really is on the inside. She ends up being this woman that's just somehow thought that she was doing the right thing. But her clothes, what I loved is it felt like it embodied somebody else, like its just this idea that she's sweet, that's not really who she is. And then Carrie Sinclair, Mamie Gummer, as a designer, pulling all this stuff together, it does take a while to be able to find the exact fabric, but then you find it, you finally see it. And when the actor looks at the rack and says, 'oh, this is exactly that person.' Carrie had all this vintage YSL, all of these really great pieces. And her jewelry was made by a friend of mine, CKD Design Studio, we had made that jewelry from scratch for her.' I was very impressed by the cast, perhaps especially Emily Alyn Lind who portrays Cadence "Cady" Sinclair Eastman. This young woman did an excellent job. All the young actors on this series did very good work. Cadence "Cady" Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind) with dark hair in Summer 17. Jessie Redmond 'This was a challenging shoot,' Riley told me, 'because of where we were located. Nova Scotia is far out, there are great white sharks right in the water right there. I mean, locations were really far out. Sometimes you're driving with no reception for an hour and a half, but wow, the heart and soul that people gave to it. I feel like that's what filmmaking is all about. Being able to tell the story in that way where everyone's coming together to make it. I mean, that's why I love the industry. This was a project where, for me, all of the actors became people that I respected as such wonderful, wonderful human beings. And that really helped when we were in a situation where it's not as warm as you're hoping it would be. People were cold out there, and the showrunners and executive producers could feel that these people were in it. Everybody was into the story, into the project and from behind the camera and what you see in front of the camera, everybody gave it a hundred percent. And I think you see that.' There is a lot that this show does well, after all, shows don't become number 1 hits for no reason. Transitions between timelines, differentiation between characters then and now, keeping what happened when straight is a place where even the best work can falter. We Were Liars never does, to Riley's immense credit, because the costumes she designed will not allow it. Before and After are distinct and the transitions between the two extremes are easy to follow. I asked the designer about maintaining the integrity of the story when it was divided between past and present. Cadence "Cady" Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind) tries to piece together what happened last summer. Jessie Redmond 'We start in Summer 17 and it's really intense,' she explained, 'but as Cady starts to feel a little bit more into what could have happened, her new relationship and what changes with the Liars; there is an evolution of Cadence's look. So, we start to see some of the dresses return. And in the later episodes, she's got boots on, some of the little floral dresses and cardigans are returning, she's got some jewelry. She wants to feel attractive in front of Gat. And part of her essence, who she always has been, especially in Summer 16, is starting to come back. So the colors are a little bit different and there's a lot more subtlety. But she's starting to wake up and you can see it in her clothing subtly. That first outfit that she wears in Summer 17, when she sees the Liars for the first time, it is really representative of how she is at that moment, how cloudy and dark she is. Even the shirt she's wearing is this blue, it almost has a cloudy nature to it. The shirt speaks to where she is most emotionally.' There are subtle transitions in this narrative, carefully plotted points of reference which keep the story from ever feeling disjointed or abrupt. This is a place where costumes do a lot of heavy lifting, and Cady is a great example, her wardrobe shows us what is happening to her inside. 'She's coming back to herself,' Riley explained. 'When she's on the dock with Gat and wearing this beautiful floral dress, it's the first time that she dresses up for Gat because they're going on a date. Carina Adly MacKenzie, our amazing showrunner and executive producer, along with Julie Plec, are so involved in the story and the costumes. We worked together. And one of the things we discussed was how we manage that change. Because one of the style points that we used for Cady was the fact that she wears these high tops, which are so cute and flirty, but still show that she's a teenage girl. We decided to use that same element, but something that's a little bit edgier because Cadence is really questioning all that's going on around her subconsciously. I believe she knows when she's out with Gat that something is off. She just can't figure out what it is. To show the rebellion she's got these boots on, even though she's wearing the dress.' Harris Sinclair (David Morse) and his wife Tipper Taft Sinclair (Wendy Crewson). Jessie Redmond 'Harris,' Riley said with a laugh, 'with his idea of his Sinclair women, they're well-dressed and tanned and put together. And we never see what's happening on the inside.' Harris Sinclair (David Morse), Grandfather to the Liars, who gives off creepy vibes immediately, has very specific ideas regarding the women in his family. 'Love, and be silent' is not much of a stretch. There's a whole underlying theme related to the difference between material wealth and honest emotional connection, between perception and reality, that all feels very timely, given the state of, well, everything in 2025. 'For the Sinclairs,' Riley told me, 'it was important for me to be able to have a handful of really key pieces. But I believe that the people like Sinclairs, they're not throwing their money away. Even if she's buying a pair of $5,000 pants, those $5,000 pants, they're going to probably last, that's one piece she'll wear throughout the entire summer because they understand the value of investing in these things. The Sinclair Sisters; Bess (Candice King), Penny (Caitlin FitzGerald), and Carrie (Mamie Gummer). Jessie Redmond 'As a costume designer,' she continued, 'knowing that every single thing that we touch on the planet as humans, as people, as living beings, affects other people. Being able to work on a show like this that I think is the content itself feels really important to share. I think we're seeing a lot of change, especially in fashion, because something has to happen about the world of fast fashion. I believe that designers need to start speaking up, we need to start. And this was a huge goal of mine too, like, how can I find things that are beautifully made, designer, but don't necessarily come right off the rack of a department store. How can we use things that are secondhand or gently used or designer consignment? Especially here in Europe, it's amazing the stuff you can find, and why pay that much money for clothes?' I asked the designer if she had seen the finished episodes, what she thought about the show as a whole. 'Every time I watch any of the episodes I cry, ' Riley told me. 'I'm savoring a few of them because I wanted to watch with a couple of other people, but the last scene where she's running in that dress, I mean, that's Cady, she's becoming herself. Even though she's tanned and bronzed as Harris would like her, the woman that has gone through this incredible tragedy, the person that she has always been inside, looking for answers, she knows that this life that she's born into is something to be questioned and where does she fall in it? Where are her values? How can she make a difference? It is a fairy book story, and even though the ending is tragic, there is something so beautiful about remembering that, and using that as a guidepost.' The Liars: Cady (Emily Alyn Lind), Mirren (Esther McGregor), Johnny (Joseph Zada), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari). Jessie Redmond/Prime The ending to this story is sad, but it is also powerful and deserves to be seen. This is not Nahum Tate and we are not in the 19th century convinced we can 'fix' Shakespeare's work so that a tragedy becomes a happy ending. Today's audiences, even our youngest adults, want the devastating emotional assault. Perhaps all of us should think about why that is a little more. As with many enormous ideas, it's summed up rather perfectly in a line by Shakespeare, one he gave to Cordelia aptly enough Bard: 'We are not the first Who, with best meaning, have incurred the worst.' All episodes of 'We Were Liars,' with gorgeous costumes designed by Amanda Riley, are now available to stream on Amazon Prime. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes All Hail Qveen Herby: A Conversation About Costume Versus Clothing By Rachel Elspeth Gross Forbes Creating Costumes For Teen True Love In Netflix's 'Forever' By Rachel Elspeth Gross Forbes 'Dressed To Kill': PBS' 'Human Footprint' Examines Apparel And Evolution By Rachel Elspeth Gross
The Advertiser
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
You're not prepared for the wacky twist in We Were Liars
Continuing the trend of rich families who spend their summers on islands while harbouring secrets (looking at you The Perfect Couple and Sirens), We Were Liars arrives with a twist that will leave you reeling. Not to say it's an especially well-made or deep series, but the desire to get to the end and unravel the mystery is strong and will keep you engaged for the full eight episodes. Based on the buzzy 2014 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars takes place on the wealthy Sinclair family island - Beechwood - over two summers. The first summer, labelled Summer 16 by our lead character Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind, Gossip Girl), is filled with drama and questions. Cadence remembers the first few weeks, and then it's all a blur until she wakes up alone half-naked and bleeding on the beach with no memory of how she got there. So the next year, Summer 17, she wants to piece together what happened to her and why no one in her family will talk about it. And the other big question - why hasn't she heard from her cousins (her best friends in the world) all year? What are they keeping from her? Watching We Were Liars is a completely different experience for those who know about the twist, and those who don't, and there's certain enjoyment to be gained from either experience. Young Aussie actor Joseph Zada (Invisible Boys) plays Cadence's cousin Johnny, and will soon be seen in the Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping, while Ewan McGregor's daughter Esther McGregor (Babygirl) is a standout as another cousin, Mirren. The cast also includes David Morse (The Green Mile), Mamie Gummer (True Detective), Candice King (The Vampire Diaries), Rahul Kohli (The Haunting of Bly Manor) and Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex). We Were Liars was co-created by Julie Plec, responsible for TV shows of varying success including The Vampire Diaries and its spin-offs, Vampire Academy and The Girls on the Bus. This documentary feature from National Geographic takes a look at the life of the first American woman in space, Sally Ride. For a time, Ride was one of the most famous names on (and off) the planet, but even though her face was ubiquitous, her private life was strictly off limits. In an industry that was such a boys' club, in a time when women in anything but domestic roles was still something of a novelty, Ride wanted the focus to be purely on her capability and intellect. So you have to wonder how the astronaut would feel about this documentary, which shares her life outside of her work with the world. Ride was a lesbian, and had a loving but largely secret relationship with her partner Tam O'Shaughnessy for 27 years. Her sexuality wasn't something that she discussed with anyone, even her family, as her sister Bear says in the film. Her family and closest friends knew about their relationship, but Ride never wanted to spend time talking about it. Perhaps she thought her sexual identity was not one of the more interesting parts of her life, or perhaps she was worried about being outed in a time when that would mean her career would suffer. US tennis great Billie Jean King shares her own experience with being publicly outed and having to basically put her reputation back together from square one in this film, highlighting just how difficult it would have been for Ride to share her life with the world in that era. So much of Ride's story is marked by incredible achievement, perseverance and triumph, and Sally does detail the big milestones - being selected for the NASA program, becoming the first woman in space, sitting on a committee examining the Challenger disaster, starting her own science academy - but these are overshadowed by the amount of time spent dissecting her relationships. Anna and Elsa get the stage treatment in this filmed version of a London production of the Frozen Broadway musical. The musical takes all the beats you know and love from the 2013 Disney animation and brings them to life in on stage with spirited performances from the London cast. The staging is rich and detailed and the performances are largely overplayed (as one would expect). Olaf is an unexpected delight, losing none of his charm in the move from screen to stage. Noted West End performer Samantha Barks (who gave a devastating performance in the Les Miserables film) steps into Elsa's icy shoes and is predictably dazzling. If you're looking for late 1800s period drama, then AppleTV+ and Paramount+ have you covered, with The Buccaneers (season 2) and The Gilded Age (season 3) both making their returns. Over on Netflix you can dive into new North Carolina fishing drama The Waterfront, starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello and Melissa Benoist from Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. The streamer also has a new animated kids film for fans of K-Pop: KPop Demon Hunters. If docos are more your style, Netflix has the truly devastating Grenfell Uncovered, which looks into the list of failures and oversights that led to the inferno which claimed 72 lives in London in 2017. The doco action continues with Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie on Max, a four-part series with episodes dropping weekly. And on Stan you can catch the Aussie documentary film Joh: The Last King of Queensland, about politician Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Continuing the trend of rich families who spend their summers on islands while harbouring secrets (looking at you The Perfect Couple and Sirens), We Were Liars arrives with a twist that will leave you reeling. Not to say it's an especially well-made or deep series, but the desire to get to the end and unravel the mystery is strong and will keep you engaged for the full eight episodes. Based on the buzzy 2014 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars takes place on the wealthy Sinclair family island - Beechwood - over two summers. The first summer, labelled Summer 16 by our lead character Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind, Gossip Girl), is filled with drama and questions. Cadence remembers the first few weeks, and then it's all a blur until she wakes up alone half-naked and bleeding on the beach with no memory of how she got there. So the next year, Summer 17, she wants to piece together what happened to her and why no one in her family will talk about it. And the other big question - why hasn't she heard from her cousins (her best friends in the world) all year? What are they keeping from her? Watching We Were Liars is a completely different experience for those who know about the twist, and those who don't, and there's certain enjoyment to be gained from either experience. Young Aussie actor Joseph Zada (Invisible Boys) plays Cadence's cousin Johnny, and will soon be seen in the Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping, while Ewan McGregor's daughter Esther McGregor (Babygirl) is a standout as another cousin, Mirren. The cast also includes David Morse (The Green Mile), Mamie Gummer (True Detective), Candice King (The Vampire Diaries), Rahul Kohli (The Haunting of Bly Manor) and Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex). We Were Liars was co-created by Julie Plec, responsible for TV shows of varying success including The Vampire Diaries and its spin-offs, Vampire Academy and The Girls on the Bus. This documentary feature from National Geographic takes a look at the life of the first American woman in space, Sally Ride. For a time, Ride was one of the most famous names on (and off) the planet, but even though her face was ubiquitous, her private life was strictly off limits. In an industry that was such a boys' club, in a time when women in anything but domestic roles was still something of a novelty, Ride wanted the focus to be purely on her capability and intellect. So you have to wonder how the astronaut would feel about this documentary, which shares her life outside of her work with the world. Ride was a lesbian, and had a loving but largely secret relationship with her partner Tam O'Shaughnessy for 27 years. Her sexuality wasn't something that she discussed with anyone, even her family, as her sister Bear says in the film. Her family and closest friends knew about their relationship, but Ride never wanted to spend time talking about it. Perhaps she thought her sexual identity was not one of the more interesting parts of her life, or perhaps she was worried about being outed in a time when that would mean her career would suffer. US tennis great Billie Jean King shares her own experience with being publicly outed and having to basically put her reputation back together from square one in this film, highlighting just how difficult it would have been for Ride to share her life with the world in that era. So much of Ride's story is marked by incredible achievement, perseverance and triumph, and Sally does detail the big milestones - being selected for the NASA program, becoming the first woman in space, sitting on a committee examining the Challenger disaster, starting her own science academy - but these are overshadowed by the amount of time spent dissecting her relationships. Anna and Elsa get the stage treatment in this filmed version of a London production of the Frozen Broadway musical. The musical takes all the beats you know and love from the 2013 Disney animation and brings them to life in on stage with spirited performances from the London cast. The staging is rich and detailed and the performances are largely overplayed (as one would expect). Olaf is an unexpected delight, losing none of his charm in the move from screen to stage. Noted West End performer Samantha Barks (who gave a devastating performance in the Les Miserables film) steps into Elsa's icy shoes and is predictably dazzling. If you're looking for late 1800s period drama, then AppleTV+ and Paramount+ have you covered, with The Buccaneers (season 2) and The Gilded Age (season 3) both making their returns. Over on Netflix you can dive into new North Carolina fishing drama The Waterfront, starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello and Melissa Benoist from Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. The streamer also has a new animated kids film for fans of K-Pop: KPop Demon Hunters. If docos are more your style, Netflix has the truly devastating Grenfell Uncovered, which looks into the list of failures and oversights that led to the inferno which claimed 72 lives in London in 2017. The doco action continues with Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie on Max, a four-part series with episodes dropping weekly. And on Stan you can catch the Aussie documentary film Joh: The Last King of Queensland, about politician Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Continuing the trend of rich families who spend their summers on islands while harbouring secrets (looking at you The Perfect Couple and Sirens), We Were Liars arrives with a twist that will leave you reeling. Not to say it's an especially well-made or deep series, but the desire to get to the end and unravel the mystery is strong and will keep you engaged for the full eight episodes. Based on the buzzy 2014 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars takes place on the wealthy Sinclair family island - Beechwood - over two summers. The first summer, labelled Summer 16 by our lead character Cadence (Emily Alyn Lind, Gossip Girl), is filled with drama and questions. Cadence remembers the first few weeks, and then it's all a blur until she wakes up alone half-naked and bleeding on the beach with no memory of how she got there. So the next year, Summer 17, she wants to piece together what happened to her and why no one in her family will talk about it. And the other big question - why hasn't she heard from her cousins (her best friends in the world) all year? What are they keeping from her? Watching We Were Liars is a completely different experience for those who know about the twist, and those who don't, and there's certain enjoyment to be gained from either experience. Young Aussie actor Joseph Zada (Invisible Boys) plays Cadence's cousin Johnny, and will soon be seen in the Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping, while Ewan McGregor's daughter Esther McGregor (Babygirl) is a standout as another cousin, Mirren. The cast also includes David Morse (The Green Mile), Mamie Gummer (True Detective), Candice King (The Vampire Diaries), Rahul Kohli (The Haunting of Bly Manor) and Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex). We Were Liars was co-created by Julie Plec, responsible for TV shows of varying success including The Vampire Diaries and its spin-offs, Vampire Academy and The Girls on the Bus. This documentary feature from National Geographic takes a look at the life of the first American woman in space, Sally Ride. For a time, Ride was one of the most famous names on (and off) the planet, but even though her face was ubiquitous, her private life was strictly off limits. In an industry that was such a boys' club, in a time when women in anything but domestic roles was still something of a novelty, Ride wanted the focus to be purely on her capability and intellect. So you have to wonder how the astronaut would feel about this documentary, which shares her life outside of her work with the world. Ride was a lesbian, and had a loving but largely secret relationship with her partner Tam O'Shaughnessy for 27 years. Her sexuality wasn't something that she discussed with anyone, even her family, as her sister Bear says in the film. Her family and closest friends knew about their relationship, but Ride never wanted to spend time talking about it. Perhaps she thought her sexual identity was not one of the more interesting parts of her life, or perhaps she was worried about being outed in a time when that would mean her career would suffer. US tennis great Billie Jean King shares her own experience with being publicly outed and having to basically put her reputation back together from square one in this film, highlighting just how difficult it would have been for Ride to share her life with the world in that era. So much of Ride's story is marked by incredible achievement, perseverance and triumph, and Sally does detail the big milestones - being selected for the NASA program, becoming the first woman in space, sitting on a committee examining the Challenger disaster, starting her own science academy - but these are overshadowed by the amount of time spent dissecting her relationships. Anna and Elsa get the stage treatment in this filmed version of a London production of the Frozen Broadway musical. The musical takes all the beats you know and love from the 2013 Disney animation and brings them to life in on stage with spirited performances from the London cast. The staging is rich and detailed and the performances are largely overplayed (as one would expect). Olaf is an unexpected delight, losing none of his charm in the move from screen to stage. Noted West End performer Samantha Barks (who gave a devastating performance in the Les Miserables film) steps into Elsa's icy shoes and is predictably dazzling. If you're looking for late 1800s period drama, then AppleTV+ and Paramount+ have you covered, with The Buccaneers (season 2) and The Gilded Age (season 3) both making their returns. Over on Netflix you can dive into new North Carolina fishing drama The Waterfront, starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello and Melissa Benoist from Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. The streamer also has a new animated kids film for fans of K-Pop: KPop Demon Hunters. If docos are more your style, Netflix has the truly devastating Grenfell Uncovered, which looks into the list of failures and oversights that led to the inferno which claimed 72 lives in London in 2017. The doco action continues with Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie on Max, a four-part series with episodes dropping weekly. And on Stan you can catch the Aussie documentary film Joh: The Last King of Queensland, about politician Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
Elle
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
What the Sinclair Family Tree Reveals in 'We Were Liars'
Among the books that dominated the year 2014—and then enjoyed a resurgence during the COVID pandemic—was E. Lockhart's bestselling young-adult novel, We Were Liars, a psychological horror story with a deadly plot twist. Lockhart's story, which has since been adapted for a new TV series on Prime Video, centers the Sinclairs, a wealthy Kennedy-esque family who spend each summer on Beechwood Island, a private haven off the coast of New England. There, protagonist Cadence Sinclair Eastman flits between the four homes on her grandfather's property: Clairmont, where patriarch Harris Sinclair and his wife, Tipper, spend their summers; Windemere, bestowed to middle daughter Penny and her family; Red Gate, for eldest daughter Carrie and her crew; and Cuddledown, for youngest daughter Bess and hers. The three Sinclair daughters are all either married with children or divorced with children. (Or, in the case of Carrie, divorced with children and practically engaged to a new partner, who brings his nephew along each summer). Given the many faces and names in We Were Liars—both the novel and the series—you might find yourself questioning who's who as Lockhart's mystery unfolds on screen. Are Cady and Gat related? (Mercifully, no.) Are Mirren and Johnny related? (Yes, but as cousins, not siblings.) Why is everyone but Gat and Ed so blonde? (The Sinclair genes, apparently, run strong.) The branches of the family tree reveal how wide-spread Harris and Tipper's brood have how difficult it might become for Harris to control them. Below, peruse our quick guide to the Sinclair family—and keep your Liars in a row. The protagonist of We Were Liars, Cady suffers from amnesia caused by a traumatic event that took place during Summer 16. She's the eldest Sinclair grandchild; her parents are divorced; and she's been in love with Gat Patil for years. Parents: Penny Sinclair and Sam Eastman Siblings: None Grandparents: Harris Sinclair and Tipper Taft Sinclair Cousins: Johnny, Will, Mirren, Liberty, and Bonnie Family base on Beechwood Island: Windemere The eldest son of Carrie, Johnny is one of the four oldest cousins, known collectively as the Liars. Parents: Carrie Sinclair and William Dennis Siblings: Will Cousins: Cadence, Mirren, Liberty, and Bonnie Family base on Beechwood Island: Red Gate The eldest daughter of Bess, Mirren is one of the four Liars and an artist. Parents: Bess Sinclair and Brody Sheffield Siblings: Liberty and Bonnie Cousins: Cadence, Johnny, and Will Family base on Beechwood Island: Cuddledown Although Gat is himself not a Sinclair, nor is he related to the Sinclairs (by blood or marriage), he spends his summers with their brood on Beechwood, thanks to his Uncle Ed's long-term relationship with Carrie. Although not their cousin, he is one of the Liars. Parents: Maya and unknown Uncle: Ed Patil Carrie is the eldest daughter of Harris and Tipper, as well as a jewelry designer and mother to Johnny and Will. She is divorced and currently dating Ed Patil, uncle to Gat Patil. Parents: Harris Sinclair and Tipper Taft Sinclair Siblings: Penny and Bess Children: Johnny and Will The middle daughter of Harris and Tipper, Penny is a dog breeder and divorcée, as well as Cady's mother. Siblings: Bess and Carrie Ex-husband: Sam Easton Children: Cadence Bess is the youngest daughter of Harris and Tipper and a philanthropist. She seemingly has a happy marriage to Brody Sheffield, and is mother to eldest daughter Mirren and younger twin daughters Bonnie and Liberty. Siblings: Carrie and Penny Husband: Brody Sheffield Children: Mirren, Liberty and Bonnie An art curator and lawyer in Brooklyn, Ed is dating Carrie and is a paternal uncle to Gat. Partner: Carrie Sinclair Nephew: Gat Patil Harris Sinclair is the family patriarch and a successful businessman with a media empire—and very distinct ideas about how the Sinclairs ought to live. Wife: Tipper Taft Sinclair Children: Bess, Carrie, and Penny Grandchildren: Cadence, Johnny, Will, Mirren, Liberty, and Bonnie Family base on Beechwood Island: Clairmont Tipper is the Sinclair family matriarch. Her black pearls are coveted amongst her daughters and play a central role in Cady's story. Husband: Harris Sinclair Family base on Beechwood Island: Clairmont
News18
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
We Were Liars Review: A Tragic, Twisty Teen Mystery With A Haunting Final Episode
Last Updated: We Were Liars Review: Prime Video's new series is a tragic, twist-laden teen thriller that explores trauma, privilege and memory, ending with a finale that leaves a lasting impact. We Were Liars Review: We Were Liars, the new psychological YA thriller streaming on Prime Video, is a brooding, sun-soaked mystery set against the backdrop of wealth, trauma and generational secrets. Based on E. Lockhart's best-selling 2014 novel, which found renewed popularity through BookTok, the series explores the fragility of memory and the dark truths hidden beneath a gilded family legacy. With Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie at the helm, this eight-part adaptation strikes a balance between teen angst and slow-burning tragedy, even if it stumbles occasionally along the way. The story centers on Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind), a teenager from an elite American family known as the Sinclairs. Every summer, they retreat to their private island, Beechwood, near Martha's Vineyard – a place of tradition, wealth, and carefully constructed appearances. But something traumatic happened during Cadence's Summer 16 which she can't remember. A year later, she returns to the island, determined to piece together the events that led to her brain injury and her unraveling reality. As Cadence reconnects with her cousins Johnny (Joseph Zada), Mirren (Esther McGregor), and family friend Gat (Shubham Maheshwari) – the self-named 'Liars" – the series toggles between two timelines: the golden, romanticised Summer 16 and the somber, uncertain Summer 17. The intercutting is visually distinct but not always seamless; though the intention is to mirror Cadence's fractured mind, the frequent timeline jumps can feel jarring rather than immersive. Still, what We Were Liars does best is build atmosphere. From moody monologues to dreamy Fourth of July parties, the series captures the eerie allure of adolescent summers tinged with privilege and unease. Director Nzingha Stewart's vision leans into the poetic tone of the novel, supported by voiceovers that range from introspective to slightly overdone. Emily Alyn Lind brings vulnerability and resilience to Cadence, anchoring the series even when the writing gets murky. However, the romantic chemistry between Cadence and Gat feels undercooked. While their storyline hints at deeper discussions of class and race, with Gat being the outsider challenging Sinclair elitism, those ideas are barely skimmed and the show misses an opportunity for sharper commentary. On the other hand, the adult cast is a revelation. Mamie Gummer, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Candice King, playing the feuding Sinclair sisters, bring electric tension to every scene. Their fraught dynamics, layered with unspoken resentments and decades of rivalry, offer some of the show's most engaging moments. Rahul Kohli as Ed, Gat's uncle and the voice of moral clarity, adds depth to an otherwise insular world. Visually, the show excels from sunlit beaches to ivy-covered mansions and haunting dream sequences create a setting that feels both idyllic and suffocating. The voiceovers, though sometimes too lyrical, help paint the emotional dissonance of a girl who once thought her life was perfect. Yet We Were Liars is not without missteps. Some episodes meander, particularly in the middle, and the slow pacing risks losing viewers who aren't already familiar with the book's twist. The show's flirtation with horror through disorienting edits and eerie visuals, meant to symbolise Cadence's mental state, doesn't always land and feels out of sync with the emotional tone. But what ultimately saves the series is its final act. As Cadence's memories return, the pieces fall into place with a gut-punch that, while softened slightly by uneven buildup, still delivers emotionally. The last two episodes are haunting and heartbreaking, reminding us why Lockhart's original twist left readers stunned. We Were Liars is not a flawless adaptation, but it's a deeply affecting one. Its exploration of generational trauma, loss of innocence, and the facade of perfection resonates even when its structure falters. It may leave some viewers yearning for tighter storytelling or a clearer narrative focus, but its emotional payoff, especially for those going in unspoiled, is worth the ride. Whether you're a fan of the book or stepping into Beechwood for the first time, We Were Liars offers a melancholic mystery that lingers after the credits roll. And if a second season is on the cards, it's the Sinclair sisters not just the Liars, we hope to see more of. First Published:
Elle
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
That ‘We Were Liars' Plot Twist Leaves a Major Question Unanswered
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Spoilers below. In an addendum published in the deluxe edition of E. Lockhart's 2014 bestseller We Were Liars, the author mentions The Sixth Sense as one of several inspirations for the memory loss that protagonist Cadence Sinclair endures throughout Lockhart's story. As it turns out: Cady does, indeed, see dead people. This revelation will come as little surprise to fans of the book. The plot twist is exactly what propelled We Were Liars to infamy amongst readers, especially BookTok acolytes, who pushed the title back onto the bestseller list during the pandemic. But for those watching the new Prime Video adaptation without this context, the finale is likely to land much harder. Episode 10, 'My Friends Are Lying in the Sun,' at last pulls the curtain away to reveal a horrible truth: There's a simple reason the Liars—Gat, Johnny, and Mirren—didn't call Cadence for months after the events of so-called Summer 16. They weren't alive to do so. Short answer: As Johnny later puts it, the Liars 'really didn't know how to do arson.' Long answer: By the end of the Summer 16 timeline, the Liars have uncovered enough family secrets, backstabs, and betrayals to convince them they can no longer willingly participate in the Sinclair legacy. They decide they want to make a statement. They want to prove the family's obsession with inheritance is fickle, cruel, and unjustified. They want to, literally, burn it all down. They decide to set Clairmont—the main house on Beechwood Island—ablaze. (It's worth mentioning that they are also a little drunk.) As they wipe the wood floors with gasoline and craft Molotov cocktails on the gleaming marble countertops, they execute a reckless plan. Gat takes up his position at the boat station. Mirren turns her mother's bedroom into a tinderbox, while Johnny tackles the attic and Cadence the downstairs. At midnight, they strike their matches, but both Johnny and Mirren get distracted: Johnny by a picture of their grandfather, Harris, and Mirren by a painting in her mother's bedroom. By the time they attempt to run out of their rooms, the smoke has become too thick for them to see where they're going. Meanwhile, Cady successfully escapes the house, only to go charging back when she hears her family's golden retrievers whining from inside. The Liars have forgotten that Cady's mother locked the dogs in Clairmont to keep them calm during the evening's planned fireworks. By the time Cady reaches the goldens, everything around her is burning. A falling wooden beam smacks her across the head—likely causing the injury that will trigger her memory loss—and she can only listen to the dogs' cries as they succumb to the smoke. (If I can go through life without ever having to watch a scene like this again, I'll be thankful.) The loss of the dogs is horror enough on its own. It's an unspeakable, avoidable mistake, a terrible act of negligence and a betrayal of the animals' trust and innocence. Remembering this tragedy in the Summer 17 timeline, Cady is overcome with grief, sobbing as the Liars hold her close. But it doesn't take her long to recall the rest, and somehow, it's worse. Not only did Cady forget to let the dogs out, but she wasted precious time stealing her grandmother's black pearls from Clairmont's clutches. Doing so means Gat doesn't see her when he comes sprinting inside the building, desperate to save his would-be step-cousins. Soon, Gat, Johnny, and Mirren are all trapped inside the smoke and fire, while Cady runs out onto the beach. 'We didn't even think about the gas line,' the ghost version of Gat says in the Summer 17 timeline. And so we watch in flashbacks as the house blows up, and the force of the explosion knocks Cady back into the ocean, likely compounding her brain injury and the resulting amnesia. Gat, Johnny, and Mirren all die in the blast. They are definitely not flesh-and-blood humans, but—as Johnny makes clear—neither are they figments of Cady's imagination. They seem to be ghosts, 'haunting' Cady because she is not yet at peace with their deaths, and neither are they. No one but her seems capable of seeing these spirit-Liars (at least until the final scene, when we learn Johnny appears before his mother, Carrie). Cady interacts with each Liar once more after learning their fates: with Johnny, who admits his own fear of hell but believes Cady will spend the rest of her life doing good things to earn a tier in heaven; with Mirren, who wishes they would have 'let themselves be messy sometimes' so that they 'actually could have seen each other'; and with Gat, who isn't sure if he's 'real' but knows he loves her still. The ghosts only finally disappear after all four Liars jump off the dock together one last time. Cady's grandfather, Harris, has eyed Cady as the next heir of the Sinclair empire. When she rejects his gift—her grandmother's black pearls—she thereby rejects his symbolic passing of the baton. Harris decides, then, to threaten her. He reveals that a Time reporter will soon arrive on the island to interview him about his legacy. If Cady does not accept her place in the Sinclair family tree, Harris claims he will tell the journalist what he knows about what happened that fateful night in Summer 16. Cady's relatives believe she was a tragic heroine, the sole survivor who attempted to save her cousins from a terrible (accidental) fire. Harris knows the truth: The 'arson, animal cruelty, and involuntary manslaughter' will characterize the rest of her life, should it become known to her family, her friends, and the general public. 'When the reporter comes on Saturday, you keep that in mind,' he tells her. But after bidding the ghost-Liars goodbye, Cady doesn't seem to care what comes next. When the reporter eventually asks for her take on the Sinclair story, Cady says she's 'just really not into fairytales anymore,' and runs off to steal her family's boat and flee the island. Her mother and aunts watch from afar, proud to see her breaking free. We Were Liars ends its first-season run not with a scene between Cady and her Liars but between Aunt Carrie and the ghost of her son, Johnny. As Carrie prepares to leave Beechwood at the end of the summer, she walks back inside her kitchen, only to find Johnny—or, rather, his presence—waiting for her. When she says she'd thought he'd 'left' by now, he replies, 'I don't think I can.' The screen then cuts to black. That leaves one major question unanswered. Forget whether or not the Liars are 'ghosts' or 'spirits' or hallucinations. We know they're dead. But if one of them 'can't leave' Beechwood, does that mean he's stuck forever? And if Johnny is stuck, are the other Liars stuck, too? With Cadence gone, can they 'pass on' without her? Or will Carrie take up the mantle as their sole witness? Such a cliffhanger is certainly set up as a lead-in for a potential We Were Liars season 2, which could draw material from Lockhart's prequel novel, Family of Liars. (That book indeed centers Carrie and her sisters as teenagers on Beechwood.) Still, there's no guarantee yet whether Prime Video will end up renewing the series. For now, Johnny will just have to wait.
