Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

About Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Olive Kitteridge is a critically-acclaimed HBO miniseries that debuted in 2014. The four-part drama is based on Elizabeth Strout's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The narrative weaves together the tale of Olive, a complex woman who is both relatable and unpredictable, and her relationship with the inhabitants of a small New England town over the span of 25 years.

Making / Production

'Olive Kitteridge' is directed by the famous Lisa Cholodenko and written by Jane Anderson, who has adapted the script from Elizabeth Strout's novel. Olive's life narrated in a sequence of 13 stories in the novel has been translated into a four-part miniseries by HBO, maintaining its tragicomic essence.

Actors

• Frances McDormand as Olive Kitteridge - McDormand's Olive is resilient, curt, stern, yet deeply empathetic. She forms the epicenter around which the other characters revolve in the town.
• Richard Jenkins as Henry Kitteridge - Jenkins plays Olive's dutiful and loving husband, who often finds it difficult to penetrate his wife's tough exterior.
• Zoe Kazan as Denise Thibodeau - Kazan plays a young woman who owns a quirky sense of humor, her character providing a contrast to Olive's stern demeanor.
• Bill Murray as Jack Kennison - Murray plays a widower who develops an unexpected relationship with Olive, later becoming an unlikely confidant.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The entire series was shot in Massachusetts, primarily in the town of Gloucester.
• Frances McDormand purchased the rights to the novel and spearheaded the project as both star and executive producer.

Awards

'Olive Kitteridge' won multiple awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of thirteen nominations. It also won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Miniseries or Television Film and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for Frances McDormand.

Quotes

• "You're just a kid, you don't know what it means to be alone yet." - Olive Kitteridge
• "I'm waiting for the dog to die so I can shoot myself." - Jack Kennison

Music, Soundtrack

• "Let's Get Lost" by Chet Baker
• "Paper Moon" by Paul Whiteman & Orchestra