Stream Tiny Beautiful Things now on Disney+ with a mth-to-mth no lock-in contract. Subscribe here.
Before she was a best-selling author, Cheryl Strayed was quietly one of the most popular self-help writers on the internet, anonymously dispensing advice in her Dear Sugar column. Much like her moving memoir Wild, Cheryl shared stories from her own life, detailing the deep hole she fell into after the death of her mother in her early 20s and her subsequent heroin addiction.
That column, which she still writes to this day, has been adapted into [new series] Tiny Beautiful Things. The Weekly chatted with Cheryl about how she copes with strangers knowing the most painful parts of her life and why she loves New Zealand.
Main character Claire shares many similarities with you, but her life trajectory is very different. How did you find writing a fictionalised version of yourself?
The fact that the parts of the character that are autobiographical are all the younger version of Claire actually made it easier. Those early events which really shaped me like my mother’s young death of cancer, my estrangement from my father who was abusive, and being poor and working class, are things I wrote about a lot as Sugar. But what Claire does in the present is not tethered to my life and that was really liberating. So, Claire’s trajectory is a combination of so many people’s stories.
The death of Cheryl’s mum led to addiction.
What’s it like watching some of the hardest moments from your life recreated on screen?
It’s very emotional and I feel profound gratitude. To be able to write a book and have it published was my dream; it was the most thrilling thing. But then to see it be extended beyond my own work, have it adapted by other artists and be turned into a TV show is really a thrill.
You’ve been played by Reese Witherspoon, Nia Vardalos and now Kathryn Hahn. Do you learn something about yourself watching these women interpret your life?
My main experience of it is disbelief. I’m eternally surprised and grateful my life has led me to these things. I do learn, both about myself and the universe. So often, we feel the pain we go through, we’re alone in it. Seeing these actresses play me but also bring themselves to the role that is me, reminds me how universal our life experiences tend to be.
Kathryn playing a version of Cheryl in Tiny Beautiful Things.
What is it like working with Reese again?
Reese and I are forever bonded by what we went through making Wild. We shared a lot of deep stories about our lives with each other over the course of making that movie and also had a lot of fun. So, to be able to do this show with her is not only fun on a personal level, but we really have a shared vision of the work we want to do in the world. She has this big vision of telling stories about strong, complicated women and girls, and it’s an honour to get to be a part of her work.
How did you get comfortable with the idea of strangers knowing your darkest secrets?
I’ve learned how to be vulnerable on the page, how to both protect myself and also be very transparent and open about things people would normally be afraid to write about. And what I found was every time I did, people would say “Thank you”, or “I relate.” And that made me stronger and braver. The way I’ve gotten comfortable with being public in this way is I understand it’s not just an act of exposure. The point of me telling those truths isn’t to be like, “Look at me!” But rather, I think we all benefit when we’re honest about our lives.
Can we expect a new book from you anytime soon?
I am working on a new book, but I can’t talk about it yet. When I’m in the process of doing something, it’s really impossible for me to describe it. So please be patient and I promise I will come to New Zealand on my book tour.
What are you excited about for the year ahead?
I’m very excited to see what happens with the show. And I really hope after all this hard work and the long journey of adapting this, I get a little vacation. I need one. Maybe you’ll see me in New Zealand.
Have you been here before?
I’ve only been there once, but it was enough for me to fall in love. I went with my husband and our two kids, and we hiked the Routeburn Track and the Milford Track, and we spent some time travelling around. I thought it was just a tremendous country. I love New Zealand so much, I want to move there!
With husband Brian and kids Carver and Bobbi.
Stream Tiny Beautiful Things now on Disney+ with a mth-to-mth no lock-in contract. Subscribe here.
