NEED TO KNOW
Diane Kruger’s “illusion stars to crumble” in the new trailer for Little Disasters — and things quickly fall apart.
PEOPLE has an exclusive look at Kruger’s forthcoming six-part limited series, which follows a mother named Jess Carrisford (Kruger), who learns that her good friend, Dr. Liz Burgess (Jo Joyner), called social services on her over something she can’t exactly explain.
Per a synopsis from Paramount+, the series follows a group of expectant mothers seemingly at odds after one makes the “excruciating decision,” setting up “a chain of events that ripples, fractures and nearly destroys not only their families but their entire friendship group.”
In the intense new trailer for the psychological thriller, Jess must watch her admittedly imperfect life snowball as she deals with an “unexplained injury” for one of her children, a hospital visit and the reality that her kids might not always be by her side.
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The preview kicks off with a group of longtime pals toasting 10 years of friendship, when Jess admits that her “life’s not perfect.” The trailer then cuts to a scene of chaos in Jess’ household, crying babies and an eventual trip to the emergency room. “I’m a bad mother,” Jess says, before fans get a look at doctors apparently operating on her child.
That’s when her husband, Ed (J.J. Feild), demands for her to “speak to me” and explain herself. But she can’t do it. “Any unexplained injury of this nature triggers an investigation,” Liz tells Jess after its revealed that she called social services on the family.
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“How could you make that call,” Jess asks her friend.
The remainder of the clip finds Ed apparently exploring life beyond his wife, Jo claiming that she and Jess have drifted “apart” and Kruger giving a riveting, teary performance of a woman who still isn’t sure what has gone down.
“Parents can do some terrible things in moments of frustration,” Jo says at the end of the trailer.
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The series, directed by Eva Sigurðardóttir, arrived earlier this year on Paramount+ in the U.K. Ben Bailey Smith, Patrick Baladi and Stephen Campbell Moore also star in the show, which is based on the bestselling 2020 novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan.
Kruger previously told The Hollywood Reporter at the Little Disasters U.K. premiere that Jess is a “very complex” character. “I was incredibly drawn to her — the type of mother that she is aspiring to be,” the actress said. “I felt a lot of compassion for [Jess]. She is incredibly fierce, and would do anything for her children… It’s rare that you get offered a part that is equal parts strength and vulnerability and out of my own personal life, I could also bring a lot to the table.”
Kruger added that those not familiar with the novel “will be taken on a journey that is really quite wild,” describing the series as “a slow-burn, but as the episodes unfold, it accelerates in a way that leaves you breathless.”
Little Disasters arrives in full on Dec. 11 on Paramount+ in the U.S.
