How ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ Differs from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Novel
Prime Video’s “Daisy Jones and the Six” boasts catchy songs, an all-star cast, and killer ’70s costumes, but the series has made quite a few changes to its source material.
Based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel of the same name, “Daisy Jones and the Six” stars Riley Keough as the titular Stevie Nicks-inspired rocker whose fiery passion lodges unexpected tension in rock band The Six, led by charismatic frontman Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin). Camila Morrone stars as Billy’s wife Camila, with Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, and Sebastian Chacon playing the rest of the rock group.
The novel was devised as an oral history of the fictional band that only released one album but whose meteoric rise was only trumped by their mysterious disbandment. As the series logline puts it: Their music made them famous, their breakup made them legends. Author Reid produces, as well as Hello Sunshine’s Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter. Writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber additionally executive produce, with Will Graham (“A League of Their Own,” “Mozart in the Jungle”) serving as showrunner.
“Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote the most amazing novel and it read like a movie or a television show, like just episodic,” Witherspoon told Entertainment Tonight. “And it felt like this is a time period that people are obsessed with but we haven’t seen something in this time period in so long. It just was so ready to be the best television show ever.”
“Daisy Jones and the Six” debuted March 3 on the streamer with three episodes helmed by James Ponsoldt. The 10-episode series is set to conclude March 24.
Keep scrolling to see how Prime Video’s “Daisy Jones and the Six” compares to Reid’s original novel with each weekly installment.
Daisy’s Backstory
Turns out, in the TV adaptation, Daisy is a bit less of a wild child. Reid’s novel had Daisy’s roots already in the hippie ’70s scene, with her absentee parents being a painter and a famous model. The Prime Video series instead shows Daisy growing up in an upper middle class Hollywood Hills household, with her narcissistic mother being a more traditional suburban housewife albeit still a negligent parent.
Daisy also is assaulted in the Prime Video series as a teenager, which inspires her to put her trauma on the page in the form of songwriting. Later, Daisy is professionally trapped singing pop songs she did not write while under contract with boyfriend-manager Hank Allen, who is entirely cut out from the show. Daisy refuses to record her album and the label threatens to sue before “First” is released.
Billy and Camila Didn’t Meet at a Laundromat
Sure, it seems like a small difference but in the novel, Billy and Camila first cross paths at the wedding which Billy’s drunk dad unexpectedly attends.
The Six Had a Dark Tie to the Vietnam War
Chuck (Jack Romano) didn’t choose to depart the Six to become a dentist in the book. Rather, he was drafted into the Vietnam War and later died in combat. Eddie (Josh Whitehouse) instead replaces Chuck in the band. Karen (Suki Waterhouse) also was already in the band before they relocated to Los Angeles under the advisement of manager Rod Reyes (Timothy Olyphant).
Simone’s Sexuality
In the novel, Daisy’s roommate and mentor Simone does not have as full of a backstory. The series instead has Simone, played by Nabiyah Be, as a queer disco artist struggling to hide her sexuality to land a recording contract.
This post will be updated as more episodes air.
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