HBO supports 'Big Little Lies' director amid report on behind-the-scenes drama

Amidst a report that 'Big Little Lies' director Andrea Arnold has lost the creative control over the series, HBO has issued a statement saying that it is "extremely proud" of Arnold's work, reported Variety.

This comes after an IndieWire reported that the creative control over the series was "yanked away" from Arnold in favour of executive producer and season one director Jean-Marc Vallee.

"There wouldn't be a Season 2 of Big Little Lies without Andrea Arnold. We at HBO and the producers are extremely proud of her work. As with any television project, the executive producers work collaboratively on the series and we think the final product speaks for itself," said HBO in a statement.

According to IndieWires's report, Arnold thought that she had the creative control and was not told that her footage would be subject to moulding to Vallee's style.

Arnold's name began trending on Twitter in California and users have been using the hashtag #ReleaseTheArnoldCut to voice their displeasure.

In the response, director Ava DuVernay tweeted, "Dear Andrea Arnold. Thank you for all of your beautiful work. Can't wait to experience more and more. We are lucky to have you. Your fan, Ava."

The second season is based off a novella by Moriarty who imagined what the characters would be doing after the events of the first season.

For the unversed, the events include a fight between Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Renata (Laura Dern), Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz), Jane (Shailene Woodley) and Celeste's husband Perry (Alexander Skarsgard).

The fight at the school charity function ended with Bonnie pushing Perry, ultimately to his death and now the group of women is dealing with feelings of grief and guilt.

The second season introduces a new character, Perry's mother, Mary Louise, played by Meryl Streep.

'Big Little Lies' airs on HBO on Sundays.