Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon Seem Caught in a “Power Struggle” on Set of ‘Big Little Lies’

Things aren’t going well on the set of Big Little Lies. With Season 2 of the hit HBO show in full production mode, there appears to be some mounting tension between Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep.

Sources told In Touch that Reese, Meryl, and their co-stars Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern, were seen having dinner together. And while one would typically not raise an eyebrow at the stars’ gathering, an eyewitness said Reese was “really unfriendly” to everyone at the table. “I could tell Reese thinks she wears the pants,” the insider said. “There’s definitely a power struggle between them.”

This news is shocking but also bizarre, because the story, (for those who have yet to watch or read the book on which it is based), actually has more than one main star. It follows the lives of five women played by Reese, Laura, Nicole, Zoë, and Shailene Woodley, as they try to raise their children in an elite California town. Meryl hopped on the project just recently to play the mother of Nicole’s character’s late husband.

Reese, who originally optioned the show, wanted to sign on as an executive producer because of the female-driven dynamic. “So often I’m the only woman on a set full of men,” she told People. “It became this really interesting group of women whose work I’d always loved. Getting to work with them every day was a pleasure.” Because Reese has been behind the project from the get-go, this might be a bit of insight as to why she feels like she is in charge.

However, to have this power struggle would be unfortunate because of Reese’s intention to empower women through Big Little Lies. She even gushed about Meryl coming on board when she heard the news.

“I called Nicole and I was like, ‘Is this real life? Is this really happening?’ And then I got off the phone with Nicole and I, like, hugged myself gently for a minute,” she explained on Late Night with Seth Meyers. “And said, ‘This is really happening. You’re really working with Meryl Streep.'” It’s unclear what went wrong, but it looks like Reese’s opinions have changed.