Kathryn Hahn on playing a character who is 'going through it' in Tiny Beautiful Things
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There's something wonderful about receiving advice from someone who's willing to admit that their life is also a mess.
That idea drives Tiny Beautiful Things, the upcoming Hulu series based on the Cheryl Strayed book of the same name. In Tiny Beautiful Things, Kathryn Hahn plays Clare, a struggling wife, mother, and writer who lost her mom (played by Merritt Wever) at a young age and is still dealing with that trauma years later.
"I was sent the pilot, written by Liz Tigelaar, and it was about this woman who is going through it, like we all go through it," Kathryn Hahn tells EW for our Awardist preview. "I'm realizing, especially at this age, that you never know what's going on behind the surface of any human being. You dig a little deeper and everyone seems to be going through something. So I really connected to this woman."
Jessica Brooks/Hulu Kathryn Hahn in 'Tiny Beautiful Things'
Hahn admits that she'd seen the Reese Witherspoon-led Wild, another adaptation of a Strayed novel, but wasn't familiar with this particular work from the author. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life From Dear Sugar is actually a collection of essays from Strayed's "Dear Sugar" advice column, which the author had written anonymously.
"I think the reason the letters touched people so deeply and were so relatable is because the responses are so deeply honest and human," Hahn says. "They draw so much from this writer's own life. They're unfiltered and raw."
Although Hahn makes it clear she's not playing Strayed, she is playing someone who's experienced tragedy. "She's experienced life-changing, world-altering loss," Hahn says of Clare. And through writing to strangers, she finds some solace.
Erin Simkin/Hulu Kathryn Hahn and Quentin Plair in 'Tiny Beautiful Things'
"I remember looking in the newspaper and seeing 'Dear Abby' and the warm feeling of feeling seen, that your problems are being recognized, that maybe you're not the only one that is going through something," Hahn says. "There's something about that, a balm to loneliness."
The series follows Clare as she attempts to mend many of the relationships in her life, including the one she has with her husband, Danny (Quentin Plair), and daughter, Rae (Tanzyn Crawford). But ultimately, it's a story about Clare's internal struggles. "When I read this book, I thought, 'This should be essential reading for all humans,'" Hahn says. "It moved me so much.
"There's such loneliness in the world, especially post-pandemic," Hahn continues. "So much of what moved me in Tiny Beautiful Things is that, in her writing, you really do feel less alone."
Tiny Beautiful Things premieres on April 7 on Hulu.
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