The thrilling finale to HBO’s Big Little Lies brought everything, from a conclusion to the show’s murder mystery, which we won’t spoil here, to a set of very impressive Elvis covers from members of the show’s cast (or, in Adam Scott’s case, whoever was dubbing him). The setting: Otter Bay School’s Elvis-and-Audrey-themed Trivia Night, a glitzy ball with some very easy trivia questions (in case you’re wondering, Audrey had the pet deer), which, because these people are very rich, provides an excuse to play some very expensive dress-up.
We’ve seen many of the leads’ costumes in the show’s opening credits, though they’re so dark you might not have realized they were in Audrey Hepburn costumes (or that the brunette woman is Laura Dern). Now that we’ve gotten a good look at everyone’s attire, here’s a quick guide to which Elvis and Audrey they’re referencing.
Audreys
Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley) — Audrey’s black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Like a college freshman decorating her dorm room, the misfit Jane sticks to the classics.
Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) — Audrey’s black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Celeste, who is caught in a violently abusive relationship with her husband, also dresses up in the classic Tiffany’s black dress, masking her potentially bruised arms with elbow-length gloves.
Madeline Martha Mackenzie (Reese Witherspoon) — Audrey in her sleep mask in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Madeline, a person far from “chill†in every sense of the word, wears Hepburn’s most relaxed look, an imitation of the sleeping mask she wore in Tiffany’s, with earrings in the place of earplugs.
Bonnie Carlson (Zoë Kravitz) — Audrey’s ball gown in My Fair Lady
The oh-so-granola Bonnie reverses and goes for glamour with a version of the ball gown Eliza Doolittle wears in My Fair Lady.
Renata Klein (Laura Dern) — Audrey’s Ascot hat and umbrella from My Fair Lady
Renata, who has the money and competitive spirit to really commit, goes brunette, and gets an umbrella and Ascot hat to complete her outfit.
Elvises
Ed Mackenzie (Adam Scott) — Blue Hawaii Elvis
Adam Scott did not sing live in Step Brothers, and and he’s not responsible for Ed’s very good cover of “The Wonder of You.†Still, it is a nice moment, and we get to see Ed without his trademark beard. Too bad he doesn’t wear the white Elvis suit he tried on in episode four.
Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgård) — Black-leather Elvis
Perry dresses in a form-fitting imitation of the black leather suit Elvis wore in his 1968 comeback TV special, complete with mutton chops.
Nathan Carlson (James Tupper) — “Jailhouse Rock†Elvis
Confusingly, Nathan does not sing “Jailhouse Rock†and instead goes with “How’s the World Treating You.â€
Gordon Klein (Jeffrey Nordling) — Gold-lamé-suit Elvis
Gordon, typically, puts the least effort into his costume. Renata is probably very frustrated by this.