‘The Hunting Wives’ Stars Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow Say The Show Made Changes From The Book To Surprise Fans: “A Few Twists And Turns That Nobody’s Going To See Coming”

If you find yourself sitting down this week to watch Netflix‘s new must-see drama, The Hunting Wives, and expecting for the story to go exactly as it does in the book, you’re in for a surprise.

According to Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow, the two leads of the adaptation of May Cobb’s bestselling novel, the show is not attempting to be a shot-for-shot, word-for-word copy of the original source material.

“I think that the book was really the blueprint for us taking it and making it our own,” Snow told DECIDER during a recent interview. “And May Cobb, the author, was there a lot on set and with us every step of the way and she was so supportive and so excited by it all. We really got her blessing to take these characters that she wrote in the book and then make them sort of an amalgamation of all these different things that we kind have found along the way shooting.”

In the series, Snow stars as Sophie, an educated New England liberal who moves to East Texas with her husband and son to hit the reset button on their lives after a devastating event. There, they encounter a tight-knit group of uber-conservative, uber hospitable Southerners, including the affluent Jed (Dermot Mulroney) and Margo Banks (Akerman). Things are going well until a body is discovered that leads to secrets being unearthed and harsh truths coming out.

For fans of the book who are starting to hyperventilate right about now, take a deep breath. The actresses say that not only did creator Rebecca Cutter work with Cobb to maintain the integrity of the story, they collaborated to create some twists and turns that will ensure readers who tune in will be in on the fun of the show’s need to create drama and intrigue.

“I think fans of the book are really going to be surprised by some liberties that we took while also staying really true to the characters. I think that we have a few twists and turns that nobody’s going to see coming because they definitely weren’t in the book,” Snow added.

Akerman agreed with her co-star and refused to give spoilers, but said that every change that was made was done so with Cobb in on it. The goal for the group was to create the best show for fans who are watching for the first time and for those who are coming over from the book.

“I think the whole purpose of taking that creative liberty — again, with May Cobb’s approval — was just so that the die-hard fans get a little surprise element as well. But ultimately, I think it was really fun to have May on set because her titillation, her excitement when she saw all the characters walk on to set for the first time and see it come to life, that must be such an incredible feeling for an author,” Akerman said. “I definitely don’t wanna give that away, but there will be differences and hopefully fun differences that the audience will enjoy.”

Check out DECIDER’s full interview with the pair below.

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DECIDER: Ladies, we’re less than a week away from the show being out in the world. How are you feeling about it?

BRITTANY SNOW: I’m all the emotions, it’s everything at once. It’s excitement, I’m scared. I’m mostly excited and happy and proud of it. And I think that people are really gonna like it.

I think people are going to be surprised for those who have not read the book. You mentioned scared as one of the emotions. Is there any particular scene, anything you’re thinking like, “Maybe I’m not ready for my parents to watch that.”

SNOW: I’ve already told my mom that she can’t watch it. Yes. I mean, not really. I think, actually, my mom might like it. She’s such a feminist that she would actually get behind this. But I think that it’s always scary to put yourself into something and show such a vulnerable side to yourself emotionally and physically. And I think it’s nerve-wracking. I get nervous and scared before anything that I’m in comes out.

MALIN AKERMAN: There’s some really fun, crazy scenes and beautiful scenes that I’ve definitely had to forewarn friends and family. But I am super excited and nervous. I think the nerves come from — for me, it’s really wanting this to go for a second season because I love everybody that I got to work with and it would be a dream come true to go again. So my nerves are around the fact that I just want and wish for everyone to love it so much that we get another season.

Before we talk Season 2, we have to talk about your characters’ first meeting where you, Malin, bare all. There’s also a scene in Episode 2. What was you reaction to reading that?

AKERMAN: It made me fall in love with Margo. Truly, I just love how much of a free bird she is and I respect and appreciate it. I think it’s great for TV, of course. Yes, there is that element of, you read it and you go, “This is something that’s a page-turner and such a binge-worthy show and I really wanna watch it,” but then you go, “Oh, but I’m gonna do these scenes.” Now we got really lucky because we had our incredible intimacy coordinator who’s on set. It’s all female led with Rebecca Cutter who’s the leader at the helm, who’s just brilliant and wonderful and made us feel all at ease. And when you have that from the top down then you can really just let yourself be and be vulnerable because you know that you can trust the people around you. You know what you’re walking into, everything’s choreographed. You know exactly what you are comfortable with and what you not comfortable with. So it’s very technical at the end of the day. But the result is very sexy and great.

And I love these characters. Had you guys read the book beforehand or how did you first tap into Margo and Sophie’s backstories?

SNOW: I think that the book was really the blueprint for us taking it and making it our own. And May Cobb, the author, was there a lot on set and with us every step of the way. And she was so supportive and so excited by it all. We really got her blessing to take these characters that she wrote in the book and then make them sort of an amalgamation of all these different things that we kind have found along the way shooting. But yes, I ended up reading the book after I read the scripts, which is sort of a reverse thing to do. I think fans of the book are really going to be surprised by some liberties that we took while also staying really true to the characters. I think that we have a few twists and turns that nobody’s going to see coming because they definitely weren’t in the book.

It’s always a thing when a book is being adapted that fans watch so carefully because they have these expectations. Anything you might want to warn them about now?

AKERMAN: We would never give that away! I think the whole purpose of taking that creative liberty — again, with May Cobb’s approval — was just so that the die-hard fans get a little surprise element as well. But ultimately, I think it was really fun to have May on set because her titillation, her excitement when she saw all the characters walk on to set for the first time and see it come to life, that must be such an incredible feeling for an author. If it’s done right, which I think from her reaction, she felt good about it. I definitely don’t wanna give that away, but there will be differences and hopefully fun differences that the audience will enjoy.

In regard to bringing these characters from the book to the screen, I don’t like it’s controversial to say that Margo has a certain Melania Trump look to her. What went into crafting that and perfecting her appearance?

AKERMAN: A whole team went into that. From Rebecca Cutter, our show creator, to hair and makeup, to wardrobe, it really is a team effort, and of course, taking from the book what we can and what we want to take. But I think you really hit the nail on the head with sort of like a Melania Trump and I think that works well for this. You know, we have it sort of feels like a presidential couple In this town and there were discussions about hair color and whatnot. And I think ultimately it was the right decision to keep Brittany blonde and have her be sort of this angelic human who comes into the world of Margo Banks, who is a little bit darker and then a little of the red behind it that feels fiery and feisty.

And for the accent, too, did you work with a dialect coach to perfect that? Did you visit East Texas to kind of get into the swing of things?

AKERMAN: Yeah, definitely. We had a dialect coach who was so helpful. We couldn’t have done it without him. And yes, I have been to Texas several times and I love the accent. I think it’s so playful and fun and feels like a party in your mouth. I loved that I got to do the accent I know Brittany was a bit jealous because she really wanted to go into Texan accents every now and then.

SNOW: I wanted to do it so bad, I had to be the only one without an accent all the time.

Did you ever think about slipping it in? Like, she’s been in the South a couple of weeks now, maybe she gets to a point where she’s starting to have a little twang there.

SNOW: I do, I let it happen, I think like two times when I’m making fun of them. And it’s very nice. I played some in this movie called X. I played a girl from East Texas and I worked with a dialog coach then too. It was so hard because I almost had to train my brain not to do the accent. I was bummed but they did such a great job.

I think with a lot of shows and movies set in the South, there’s this notion that they are being made fun of but this series really creates well-rounded characters. How do you hope southerners receive it?

AKERMAN: Oh, I hope they get the fun out of it. It’s definitely not a serious show that takes itself seriously. And I think that the Texan in it is another character that’s just super fun and gregarious and big. I just think it adds so much to it. I hope that people don’t get offended. If anything, it is a love story to Texas in ways. You know? At least the accent.

SNOW: I was just thinking that what I really like about the show and what Rebecca infused a lot was that there’s a non-judgment to a lot of the beginning episodes, especially through Sophie’s lens, where I think she has preconceived notions coming in and then immediately doesn’t necessarily judge them but is curious and wants to understand. And you really see that with the progression of the show that she gets more and more curious and more involved. And I think with her doing that, I think the audience will do that as well.

The Hunting Wives Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix.