Female Friendship Is the Real Power Move: What Hulu’s ‘All’s Fair’ Gets Right About Women Backing Each Other

We sat down to watch Hulu’s “All’s Fair”, which premiered November 4, not just for the glitzy scandals and high-stakes divorce battles, or even the Kim Kardashian of it all, but because the premise speaks to something we crave more of: women choosing each other. 

But underneath the show’s story of women advocating for one another is a quieter, equally meaningful thread: the way the actresses behind these characters echo that energy in real life.

The cast spans generations: Naomi Watts (as Liberty Ronson), Niecy Nash‑Betts (as Emerald Greene), Teyana Taylor (as Milan), Sarah Paulson (as Carrington Lane), Kardashian (as Allura Grant), and the incomparable Glenn Close (as Dina Standish) whose presence gives the show its spine. The ensemble cast reminds us that empowerment isn’t one age, one type, one lane—it’s the collective.

In Episode 5 (“This Is Me Trying”), Brooke Shields delivers a standout cameo as Juliana Morse, a woman seeking a divorce from her husband who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Her storyline adds emotional depth and a generational perspective, highlighting the kind of life transitions women quietly carry while still holding everyone else together. 

And here’s where the onscreen narrative meets something deeper: in our January 2025 interview with Shields, she opened up about the support she received off-camera from co-star Glenn Close. Her authenticity and willingness to be vulnerable—and their clear camaraderie—give her “All’s Fair” role an added dimension. 

When Shields’ character, Juliana, turns to the all-female firm for guidance, we know Shields isn’t just playing a character, she’s channeling lived experience. 

Episodes like Shields’ is where the show shines. We’re not just watching any ordinary legal drama. We’re witnessing women choosing each other. We love these female alliances. They fight for each other. They show up for one another. That’s the real hook for us. In a world where women are often pitted against each other, “All’s Fair” throws us a different possibility: a sisterhood that cares, defends, and grows together.

Mixed Reviews, Okay Fine

But yes, the critics have had their fun. Not everyone’s a fan. However, there’s something happening offscreen that deserves as much attention as the drama onscreen. Close, a Hollywood titan, is publicly backing her castmates. When asked about the criticism surrounding Kardashian’s acting, Close didn’t dismiss, mock, or distance herself. She said, “She had no pretensions that she was a great actress… she was smart enough to have people around her who she could learn from.” That’s not shade, that’s mentorship.

Close’s reflection is a real-time example of our larger theme. Here’s a legacy actress supporting a newer performer whose path looks nothing like hers. It’s a reminder that women don’t have to share the same experience to share the same respect. We can choose to uplift one another even when our lanes are different, our skills are developing, or our public perception is complicated. We rise together. 

If you haven’t streamed it yet, when you watch “All’s Fair,” here’s a note: empowerment can look quite messy. This show is not destined to win an Emmy or anything. It probably won’t make any critics’ lists. But where it does hit, is the community list. It looks like an impactful guest role by Shields that adds the emotional texture we love in a drama. It looks like Kardashian stepping into something new and honing her acting skills. It looks like Close defending a castmate she cares for.

So ladies, build your table, support other women, seek out your alliances, and celebrate your imperfect wins.