“It was about me becoming close to these women and telling them as much about me as they had told me about themselves,” author Lisa Taddeo told members of the Television Critics Association about the origins of her bestselling novel, Three Women. Now a STARZ limited series, the show follows author Gia as she takes a cross-country road trip, gathering stories about the complexities of desire, relationships, and personal liberation. Through the lives of three women – Lina, Sloane, and Maggie – viewers are invited to witness their journeys as they navigate the shifting boundaries of love, fidelity, and personal fulfillment. The series doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths, particularly when it comes to relationships that challenge conventional norms. “You can’t have that kind of honesty from other people unless you give it of yourself as well,” the author shared.
(Rob Latour/Shutterstock for Television Critics Association)
Gia is the connective tissue between the three titular women, brought to life in the series by Shailene Woodley. “I feel like I had every source material available to me,” Shailene Woodley said about her initial approach to her character, one that quickly had to be revisited as filming began. “Everything I thought about who Gia was going to be… completely went out the window the minute Betty [Gilpin] opened her mouth or Gabby [Creevy] opened her mouth or DeWanda [Wise], because there’s a connection that happens.” Gia’s journey, as an observer of these women’s stories, becomes one of self-discovery, pushing her own boundaries as she navigates the intensity of their experiences.
At the heart of Three Women is the notion that relationships are rarely as simple as society paints them. Lina, played by Betty Gilpin, is a suburban homemaker who finds herself trapped in a passionless marriage. Her affair, which starts as a way to rekindle the feeling of being desired, quickly spirals into an all-consuming force that overtakes her life. In discussing her role, Gilpin spoke to the universal nature of her character’s struggles, noting how women can see themselves in Lina’s story. “Talking to my female friends, we all read the book immediately when it came out, and we were all saying to each other what percent Sloane, Maggie, and Lina are each of us,” Gilpin shared. “Something so incredible about Lisa’s writing is she treats these women with such respect and shines a light on parts of them that were… something to hide and push down and muffle.”
Sloane, portrayed by DeWanda Wise, is a glamorous entrepreneur in an open marriage with her husband Richard (played by Blair Underwood). Their relationship is carefully curated, until two new strangers push the boundaries of their agreement. “This isn’t my first rodeo in the intimacy space,” explained DeWanda Wise. “I’ve always wanted freedom… sexual and lifestyle freedom for Black folks. For everyone in general but also first and foremost for my people.” This sense of liberation is a key theme in the show, but with freedom comes risk. "The stakes are really high,” DeWanda added.
Maggie, a young student played by Gabrielle Creevy, brings a different dimension to the exploration of relational boundaries. Her storyline centers around her relationship with her married English teacher, a dynamic marked by power imbalances and emotional manipulation. “Maggie’s story kind of just leaped off the paper for me,” Gabrielle Creevy revealed. “Her bravery and how many things had happened to her… I couldn’t believe it.” Maggie’s storyline highlights the devastating consequences of power imbalances in relationships, further complicating the idea of boundaries, particularly when one party holds significantly more control.
“In getting to know Lisa [Taddeo] and talking with her, it's because of her own struggles, her own empathy, and her own deep humanity that she brought to these relationships that resulted in this incredible sharing with these women,” concluded showrunner Laura Eason. This mutual vulnerability, a theme that permeates the show, blurs the lines between storyteller and subject, much like the shifting emotional and relational boundaries that the characters experience.
The boundaries between desire, love, and control are constantly shifting in Three Women. Whether it’s Sloane’s quest for freedom in an open marriage, Lina’s search for passion in an affair, or Maggie’s fight for agency in a toxic relationship, the series offers a nuanced take on what it means to be in love and the potential cost of breaking the rules. The series doesn’t just portray relationships in their idealized forms; it digs deep into the uncomfortable realities of what happens when those relationships are tested by desire, vulnerability, and personal truths. Three Women promises to bring a fresh and provocative take on the complexities of modern relationships, making us question the boundaries we set for ourselves and how far we’re willing to push them.
Three Women premieres Friday, September 13th, at 10/9c on STARZ and streaming on STARZ.