Dan Levy Shares How 'Early Days' Growing Up with Sister Sarah Inspired His New Show “Big Mistakes” (Exclusive)
Dan Levy Shares How 'Early Days' Growing Up with Sister Sarah Inspired His New Show “Big Mistakes” (Exclusive)
Erin Clack, Charlotte WalshSun, April 12, 2026 at 1:00 AM UTC
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Dan Levy; Sarah LevyCredit: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty; Olivia Wong/FilmMagic -
Dan Levy spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about how his "early days" growing up with his sister, Sarah Levy, inspired his new show, Big Mistakes
The dark comedy-crime series premiered on Netflix on April 9
Dan, who co-created the show with Rachel Sennott, stars as a pastor who, along with his sister, becomes accidentally drawn into an organized crime ring after she steals a diamond necklace from a local store
Dan Levy says his childhood dynamic with sister Sarah Levy partly inspired his new show, Big Mistakes.
While stepping out to the premiere of the Netflix comedy-crime series in New York City on April 6, the Schitt's Creek alum, 42, spoke to PEOPLE exclusively about which of his family members he thinks comes across most in the show.
"I would probably say the early days of me and my sister," he said of Sarah, 39. "We're in a far better place now that we're older and wiser. But drawing on … anyone who has a sibling, I think, will recognize themselves in the show."
Dan Levy and Sarah Levy in Los Angeles on March 30, 2026Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty
"And it was really about authenticating the experience of that sibling dynamic and just exacerbating all of the bickering in the light of, like, intense criminal activity," he continued. "So my hope is that anyone who comes from a yelling family, anyone who has a sibling, and anyone who's curious about what it is to have a sibling, or to come from a yelling family, will find a place in this show."
Dan co-created the series — which premiered on the streaming platform on April 9 — alongside Rachel Sennott. The show centers on siblings Nicky (Dan), a pastor, and Morgan (Taylor Ortega), a public school teacher, whose lives take an unexpected turn when they end up drawn into a local crime syndicate after Morgan shoplifts a necklace from a pawn shop.
The cast also includes Laurie Metcalf, Boran Kuzum, Jack Innanen, Abby Quinn, Jacob Gutierrez, Mark Ivanir and Elizabeth Perkins.
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Taylor Ortega and Dan Levy in 'Big Mistakes' on NetflixCredit: Spencer Pazer/Netflix
Reflecting on his return to TV following his six-season run on Schitt's Creek, Dan told PEOPLE, "When I left Schitt's, I really wanted to make sure that the next thing I did in TV gave me that same sense of inspiration and passion and excitement and love and affection for the people I was working with, and it did."
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He went on to rave about his Big Mistakes colleagues, saying, "I love these people so much. I'm so proud of this cast and crew. People are working at, like, 110%. All I did was set the table for these people, and they ate."
He added: "So, this is just the cherry on top of a really, really special experience, and I hope we get to tell this story for seasons and seasons and seasons."
Dan Levy at the N.Y.C. premiere of 'Big Mistakes' on April 6, 2026Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
As the Big Mistakes story relies on the actors creating a believable — albeit dysfunctional — family dynamic, the cast spent time rehearsing together on camera and bonding off-set, Dan previously told PEOPLE. That bonding included "serious" games of Boggle, complete with Big Mistakes scorecards.
"If you didn't believe the family, then you're not going to believe in the show," Dan explained in an interview ahead of the show's debut. "So it was really important that the cast know each other before the cameras started rolling, and we would play Boggle every opportunity we got, and we bonded through the love of games."
At Big Mistakes' N.Y.C. premiere, Dan told PEOPLE that his family — including sister Sarah, dad Eugene Levy and mom Deborah Divine — have already seen the show and count themselves as fans.
"They're already quoting lines from it, and they're very excited to watch it again," he said. "So, that's all I could ask for."
Big Mistakes is now streaming on Netflix.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
