I Genuinely Can't Watch "The Perfect Couple" The Same Way Again After Reading These BTS Facts About Filming

There are obviously MASSIVE spoilers ahead for The Perfect Couple !

1. The Perfect Couple is the first time one of Elin Hilderbrand's novels has been made into any screen adaptation. Known for her "beach read" books set on Nantucket, Elin has written a new book every year "for more than two decades."

Variety / Getty Images, Little, Brown and Company

Speaking to CBS Mornings , Elin discussed how the show changed certain aspects of the original novel, saying, "What I said to the director and to the showrunner is, 'I've already written the book. You guys can read the book.' I wanted them to make the best television show possible, so it didn't matter to me. Whatever they wanted to change, I gave them carte blanche: you do it. I wanted to watch good TV."

2. Despite the series being set in Nantucket, filming actually took place in Cape Cod. This is reportedly because it's nearly impossible to get all of the necessary filming equipment on the boat that takes you to Nantucket.

3. Eve Hewson explained that the dance number for the opening credits "wasn't in the script" but instead happened after the cast got a "surprise email" from the director, Susanne Bier, near the end of filming. The email asked the cast to learn the dance.

4. Dakota Fanning was the second person officially cast for The Perfect Couple , after Nicole Kidman, who is also an executive producer. She previously worked with director Susanne Bier on The First Lady , so Susanne called Dakota and offered her the role.

5. Before playing Liev Schreiber's wife in The Perfect Couple , Nicole Kidman asked Naomi Watts, who is one of her best friends and Liev's ex, if it would be okay. Nicole and Naomi have been friends since the '80s, and Liev and Naomi were together from 2005 to 2016.

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Naomi and Liev have reportedly remained friends, too. While discussing how Nicole asked Naomi's permission, Liev told Entertainment Tonight , "Isn’t that amazing? That’s how close they are."

Naomi also commented on it with Entertainment Weekly at TIFF, saying , "We always check in; we’re besties. That was very kind of her to do that."

6. There are two big differences between Elin Hilderbrand's original novel and the Netflix adaptation. First, in the book, Merritt's death at the hands of Abby is an accident. However, the show makes it a purposeful murder and ties it to Abby wanting the trust fund money.

7. The second big change from the book is the shocking reveal that Greer was a sex worker, and that's actually how she and Tag met.

8. While Greer being a former sex worker became the big twist, writer Jenna Lamia initially proposed that her secret was that she had plagiarized her first book. However, that bombshell proved to not be "salacious enough" for the TV adaptation.

9. Eve Hewson's Amelia is named Celeste in Elin Hilderbrand's novel. Her name was actually changed because of Nicole Kidman's involvement in the project. Of course, Nicole notably played Celeste in Big Little Lies .

10. In order to film some of the moments where her character dies, Meghann Fahy had to have a lifecast made of her entire body. She explained that they "very, very slowly, over the course of six hours, pour two different types of silicone all over you" and then put plaster over that layer.

11. Filming Merritt's death took place on a soundstage in a pool, but also in the saltwater on Cape Cod, where the show was filmed. Meghann Fahy told Netflix , "It was a very strange experience," while looking back on having to act like she was drowning.

12. The scene where Tag begins singing "Never Gonna Give You Up" was originally improvised on set by Liev Schreiber. Director Susanne Bier said the first time they filmed the moment, Liev came up with singing on the spot. However, because you can't just use any song without acquiring the rights, they had to film a few takes.

13. Dakota Fanning said there was "no way" Abby would "wear a one-piece at the pool," so a special prosthetic pregnancy belly was created so Dakota could look very pregnant while wearing a bikini. She explained it was put on "like a corset" and "wrapped around [her] whole body and tied in the back."

14. On one of the first days of filming, Nicole Kidman began improvising , which shocked Liev Schreiber. The moment was ultimately cut, but it involved Nicole shouting this "insanely vulgar and angry tirade."

15. While filming the scene when Benji smashes Thomas's face into the wedding cake, Dakota Fanning revealed that it took a few hours to film. So Jack Reynor actually had to eat lunch between takes with the cake on his face because they needed the placement of all the cake to stay the same.

16. The costumes for The Perfect Couple were very important in creating the rich Nantucket environment where the story takes place. Costume designer Signe Sejlund revealed to Variety that Greer is always wearing blue, white, or cream colors, which are often associated with the beach.

Seacia Pavao / Netflix, Liam Daniel / Netflix

"When she was leaving the house, I gave her a little stronger colors. And that's the only time in the show that she wears something that's not either blue, cream, or very sheer," Signe explained when talking about Greer's red dress that she wears to her book launch party.

17. And finally, the dress Merritt wears to the rehearsal dinner and ultimately dies in was nicknamed the seaweed dress by costume designer Signe Sejlund. She told Variety it was "tricky" to find a dress that looked good in the water, but then she found this Missoni dress.