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Behind-the-scenes Big Little Lies battle outrages fans

GOOD MORNING AMERICA - 5/29/19 - Deborah Roberts interviews the cast of "Big Little Lies" on "Good Morning America," airing Thursday, May 30, 2019 on Walt Disney Television via Getty Images. (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images) ZOE KRAVITZ, NICOLE KIDMAN,  REESE WITHERSPOON, MERYL STREEP, DEBORAH ROBERTS,  SHAILENE WOODLEY, LAURA DERN
Deborah Roberts interviews the cast of Big Little Lies on Good Morning America (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)

Everyone thought it would be the new storyline that would start people tweeting about Big Little Lies this season. But it turns out that’s not the case. What’s setting social media on fire is the news that season 2 director Andrea Arnold’s work was recut after she handed it over to HBO.

Read more: Everything You Need to Remember From the Big Little Lies Season 1 Finale

The rumour started circulating after an article in IndieWire. The piece speculated that HBO, show creator David E Kelley and executive producer (and first season director) Jean-Marc Vallee had put their own stamp on the second series after Arnold had handed over her work to the network. Apparently they had always intended to follow this was plan from the beginning. It’s just it appears no one told the British director.

HBO are standing by Big Little Lies, but keeping tight lipped on what did and did not happen. Only issuing the following statement.

“There wouldn’t be a Season 2 of Big Little Lies without Andrea Arnold. We at HBO and the producers are extremely proud of her work. As with any television project, the executive producers work collaboratively on the series and we think the final product speaks for itself.”

Read more: HBO ‘Extremely Proud’ of Andrea Arnold’s Work Amid ‘Big Little Lies’ Dust-Up

Industry professionals on the other hand are not keeping schtum. Award-winning director Ava DuVernay took to Twitter to throw her support behind the Oscar-winning director. While not commenting on the current controversy, she did write “Dear Andrea Arnold. Thank you for all of your beautiful work. Can’t wait to experience more and more. We are lucky to have you. Your fan, Ava”.

Rachel Bloom, creator and star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, was less diplomatic in her social post. She targeted the “weird Hollywood robots” who hadn’t opened their “flesh mouths and communicated” what they wanted to Arnold.

Arnold herself has stayed quiet, as has the rest of the Big Little Lies cast. The second season is on Monday nights on Sky Atlantic.