Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning team up for ‘Discretion’
Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning team up for ‘Discretion’
The eight-episode Paramount+ thriller also stars Josh Lucas, with A24 producing and Matt Shakman directing.
Tara and I both love Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, so “Discretion” has been on my radar since it was announced. The upcoming Paramount+ legal thriller puts Fanning inside a powerful Dallas law firm, where she uncovers a secret hidden behind a web of NDAs and winds up going head-to-head with Kidman’s intimidating senior partner. Josh Lucas is joining them, A24 is producing, and Matt Shakman will direct. Here’s everything you need to know about “Discretion.”
Everything you need to know about ‘Discretion’
When does ‘Discretion’ come out?
There’s no premiere date yet for “Discretion.” Paramount+ has officially ordered eight episodes, and production is expected to begin sometime in 2026, but the streamer hasn’t announced when filming will start or when the series will arrive. So this one is probably still a little ways off. Still, it already has a full series order, a stacked cast, and most of its creative team in place, so it’s definitely moving forward.
Can you watch ‘Discretion’ for free?
Nope. Paramount+ doesn’t currently offer a free trial, so you’ll need a paid subscription to watch “Discretion” once it starts streaming. The cheapest Paramount+ plan costs $9 per month. Since the show will have eight episodes, you could wait until the full season is available, sign up for one month, and binge the whole thing at once.
Paramount Plus
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What is ‘Discretion’ about?
“Discretion” follows Lenny, played by Elle Fanning, a summer associate at a prestigious Dallas law firm who uncovers a dark secret buried under a pile of NDAs. Things get even messier when she realizes she signed the same kind of agreement herself. Her discovery puts her directly in the path of Sharon, played by Nicole Kidman, the firm’s most powerful female partner and Lenny’s mentor. That turns the story into more than a standard legal conspiracy. It’s also about ambition, loyalty, power, and what happens when the person teaching you how the world works becomes the person trying to stop you.
Chandler Baker, who wrote the original short story, is writing for the series and executive producing. A24 is producing, Matt Shakman will direct the pilot and three additional episodes, and “Erin Brockovich” screenwriter Susannah Grant is also executive producing.
Is ‘Discretion’ based on a book?
“Discretion” is based on a short story by Chandler Baker rather than a full novel. Baker is the bestselling author behind “Whisper Network” and “The Husbands,” and she’s also a former corporate lawyer. That background feels especially useful for a story built around law-firm culture, NDAs, ambition, and powerful people protecting themselves. Paramount+ hasn’t hinted at how closely the show will follow the original story, but Baker is directly involved as a writer and executive producer.
Who stars in ‘Discretion’?
Elle Fanning stars as Lenny, the summer associate whose discovery throws the firm into chaos. Fanning is best known for movies like “Somewhere” and “Maleficent,” and Tara and I loved her most recently in “Margo's Got Money Troubles.
Nicole Kidman plays Sharon, the powerful senior partner who starts out as Lenny’s mentor and becomes her biggest threat. Kidman already stars on Paramount+ in “Lioness.”
Josh Lucas will play Greg, Sharon’s husband and a lawyer at the same firm. He’s also tied to the web of NDAs at the center of the story. Lucas has recently appeared in “Yellowstone” and “Palm Royale.”