Yes, Britt Robertson Is the Babysitter in the Flashbacks on 'Little Fires Everywhere'

One breakout TV hit of 2020 is Little Fires Everywhere, the small screen adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. The Hulu miniseries has a stacked cast, with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington playing mothers-at-passive-aggressive-war Elena Richardson and Mia Warren, and Joshua Jackson starring as Elena's more level-headed husband, Bill Richardson. 

Though the show is based on the book, and it follows the plot religiously, there are some differences that have made fans suspicious of every character.

On the sixth episode of the series, "The Uncanny," which dropped on April 8, a series of flashbacks showed the early adult lives of Elena and Mia. 

The mysterious circumstances surrounding Pearl's birth were finally revealed, as viewers learned that Mia agreed to be a surrogate for a couple to pay for her college education. 

Elena's return to work following the birth of her third child was shown, as was the moment when she learned that she was pregnant with Izzie (which explained her eventual resentment toward her on the show). She was also seen calling her ex-boyfriend, Jamie, and considering a full reconciliation with him. 

One character who caught viewers' attention during this flashback episode was Elena's babysitter, who is played by Britt Robertson. The actress only had a brief appearance in the episode, leading many viewers to wonder if her character will play a larger role toward the end of the series.

What's going on with the Little Fires Everywhere babysitter? Find out about the role her character plays on the show, and if she's present in the novel version.

In "The Uncanny," Elena (who in the flashbacks is played by The Carrie Diaries actress AnnaSophia Robb) is excited to return to work at the local newspaper after her maternity leave with third child Moody. The family hires a babysitter named Rachel, who is played by Britt Robertson, to watch the kids while Elena goes back to work. 

While exploring birth control options because she's done having kids, Elena learns that she is once again pregnant. 

When her mother shames her about how she must keep the pregnancy because of her "wealth," Elena becomes resentful of where her life is at. Once she has a complicated birth with Isabel, she gives up working, and she relieves the babysitter.

Britt is best known for her appearances in Dan in Real Life, The Longest Ride, Tomorrowland, A Dog's Purpose, and I Still Believe. 

Because the babysitter is only present in the brief moment when Elena is running off to work and since Britt has had starring roles before, some viewers wondered if the character would play a bigger part in future episodes. 

One theory even began circulating that it would be revealed that Elena's husband, Bill, had an affair with Rachel while Elena was working. Considering the fact that Elena called up her ex-boyfriend, Jamie, after giving birth to Izzy, this would certainly add an interesting element to the series. 

While the theory that Bill and Rachel have an affair on Little Fires Everywhere is compelling, there is no basis for this storyline in the novel edition. But, Elena's affair with Jamie in the flashback and her eventual visit to him in New York in the "present" on the show is also not a part of the book either. 

Whether or not the babysitter will have a larger role on the series as a diversion from the book remains to be seen. 

Episodes 1 through 6 of Little Fires Everywhere are available to stream on Hulu. New episodes drop on Wednesdays.