REESE WITHERSPOON and Nicole Kidman have signed on to star in a TV series based on Liane Moriarty’s book “Big Little Lies.”

    Published in July, the novel centers on three mothers to kindergartners whose seemingly perfect lives unravel to a murder-mystery that takes place during a disastrous parents’ night at an elementary school fundraiser.

    David E. Kelley, who recently served as showrunner on CBS’ Robin Williams-Sarah Michelle Gellar comedy “The Crazy Ones,” is attached to pen the series. Kidman and Witherspoon will both exec-produce alongside Kelley, who currently is exploring the marketplace free of a studio-based overall deal.

    Australian novelist Moriarty will serve as a producer on “Big Little Lies.” She previously penned best-sellers “What Alice Forgot,” “Three Wishes,” “The Hypnotist’s Love Story” and “The Husband’s Secret.”

    For Oscar winners Kidman and Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies” will mark their biggest TV roles to date. “Big Little Lies” comes as A-list talents have been flocking to TV as limited fare serves as a way to segue to the small screen with a reduced time commitment while still juggling feature films.

    Broadcast and cable networks have found both ratings and awards season cache with limited fare/anthologies including HBO’s “True Detective,” starring Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams; and “Fargo,” starring Billy Bob Thornton and Jessica Lange. Halle Berry also segued to TV this year with CBS’ Steven Spielberg-produced summer drama “Extant.”

    (SD-Agencies)