Is The Better Sister based on a true story? Details explored
The Better Sister is a fresh crime thriller show that launched on Prime Video on May 29, 2025. The eight-episode limited series stars Jessica Biel as Chloe Taylor and Elizabeth Banks as Nicky Macintosh, two sisters who have grown apart and become involved in a murder investigation.
Chloe is a thriving magazine editor who is married to Adam Macintosh, a prominent attorney. After Adam is discovered dead, Chloe has to re-establish contact with Nicky, Adam’s former wife and the biological mother of her stepson, Ethan. As the inquiry advances, hidden truths emerge, further complicating the already strained bond between the sisters.
While it features realistic themes and character-focused storytelling, The Better Sister is not derived from a real-life event. The show is based on Alafair Burke’s novel, published in 2019 with the same title.
Although the series delves into topics like addiction, domestic violence, and the justice system, its characters and occurrences are completely made up. The creators, Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado, drew inspiration from the novel's emotional essence and their own experiences with sisterhood, although the story is ultimately fictional.
What is The Better Sister based on?
The Better Sister is inspired by a novel of the same name, authored by Alafair Burke, which was released in 2019. The story of the novel centers on Chloe, a successful and ambitious woman, whose world is turned upside down when her spouse, Adam, is killed. This disaster compels her to re-establish a connection with Nicky, her elder sister, who was formerly wed to Adam and is the parent of his child, Ethan.
The book explores themes of familial strife, treachery, and legal tension as the sisters strive to reveal the reality behind Adam’s demise.
Burke, an ex-prosecutor, integrated her legal expertise into the story, creating a courtroom thriller merged with a household enigma. The series translates this tale for the screen, maintaining the dual viewpoint narrative and amplifying the familial relationships. Although the main storyline aligns with the book, the series alters various elements to enhance character growth and broaden subplots, including police corruption and rivalries in the workplace.
Also read: Will there be The Better Sister season 2? Renewal status and more
The Better Sister: Everything we know so far
The Better Sister is an eight-episode limited series produced by Amazon MGM Studios in partnership with Tomorrow Studios. Jessica Biel stars as Chloe Taylor, the editor-in-chief of The Real Thing magazine, and Elizabeth Banks plays her older sister Nicky Macintosh.
Corey Stoll takes on the role of Adam Macintosh, the murder victim who was married to both sisters at different points in time. Maxwell Acee Donovan plays Ethan Macintosh, Nicky’s son and Chloe’s stepson.
The supporting cast includes Kim Dickens as Detective Nancy Guidry, Bobby Naderi as her partner Matt Bowen, Gabriel Sloyer as Jake Rodriguez, Lorraine Toussaint as Catherine Lancaster, Gloria Reuben as Michelle Sanders, and Matthew Modine as Bill Braddock.
The series was created by Olivia Milch and Regina Corrado, with direction from Craig Gillespie, Lesli Linka Glatter, Leslie Hope, Azazel Jacobs, Dawn Wilkinson, and Stephanie Laing. Filming began in New York City in June 2024 and wrapped up in October 2024. Burke served as a consultant throughout the production.
The Better Sister incorporates personal themes from its creators. In a panel discussion during Deadline Contenders Television on May 5, 2025, co-creator Olivia Milch said:
“I think both Regina and I are so drawn to stories about family, about sisterhood, and this idea of what does it mean to have different experiences of your parents? How does that determine who you are in the rest of your life?”
She and Regina Corrado noted that their personal experiences with sisterhood and family dynamics directly influenced the emotional depth of the show. In the same panel discussion, Banks said of their immediate chemistry:
“I just started sh*tting on you pretty quickly, and then you took it, and then you gave it back a little. And then we just were like, ‘This is what it’s supposed to be.’”
Biel echoed that the collaboration with Banks felt very natural. Biel also credited Milch and Corrado for fostering a collaborative environment on set.
“There was so much to mine, from the amazing scripts to the book. Then there was nothing but an open channel of collaboration. Anything that we felt that we wanted to add or adjust or, ‘this feels more me,’ or, ‘this doesn’t feel quite authentic to what I’m trying to do with Chloe,’ or what Elizabeth was doing with Nicky. Everything was allowed,” she said.
Both actors serve as executive producers on the series, contributing to the show’s development and direction. All eight episodes of The Better Sister were released on May 29, 2025, and are now available to stream on Prime Video.
Watch The Better Sister now streaming exclusively on Prime Video.
