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I was like,oh my God, what is happening?

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Luckily Tigelaar, who was adopted, loved the book.

She connected with its mother-daughter themes, and its exploration of adoption, surrogacy, and birth families.

I just didnt think I could imagine fully what that is like.

But I found myself really emotional during the pitch.

I just love that because I feel that way with our son.

Then she hired the rest of the writers, which included several mothers and one father.

Several writers were raised by single parents.

Some were adopted; some had biracial children; and one had lived on the border of Shaker Heights.

They began by reading Robin DiAngelosWhite Fragility.

It sounds like a casting decision, but really its a fundamental change to the story, Tigelaar says.

These were things I hadnt given much thought to as a privileged white mother with white parents.

So I had the wonderful gift of getting to be expanded in doing this, too.

It wasnt always easy, but I loved it.

Thefirst time Elena sees Mia in the seriesis an example of how profound the change is.

How differently would that play out if those two characters were not black?

We have seen that in real life.

And how much of being perceived as a good mother to your children is about having money.

In terms of this custody battle, why does Linda deserve this baby?

If she had two healthy children today, would she still deserve Bebes baby?

When she introduced the idea in the book, Ng didnt want to provide the answer.

Bebes story was the only part of the adaptation that gave Ng anxiety.

Theres not a lot of Asian-American representation on screen, she says.

But I think they worked really hard to not do that, as I did in the novel.

Hulu boughtLittle Fires Everywhereas a limited series.

I feel like the house burned down, she says with a laugh.

I know anythings possible, but it was such a powerful ending.

To me, thats it.