Kidman returns once again to Moriarty’s world for Nine Perfect Strangers after her Emmy winning turn in Big Little Lies. She is the only constant between the two shows, which kind of makes her the first member of the Liane Moriarty Expanded Universe (is that a thing? Can we make this a thing?). Gone are Reese Witherspoon and Alexander Skarsgård, but for a completely fair trade, this cast is now stacked with the likes of Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Regina Hall. And there’s still more! (The show is about nine strangers, after all.) Here’s who else is staying at Tranquillum House Resort, for better and most likely for worse.
Nicole Kidman plays Masha Dmitrichenko
Someone needs to be at the centre of the Tranquillum House Resort, and it’s Masha. She’s described by all the guests there as a “mysterious Russian woman,” breezing in and out of rooms as only Kidman can. But what is she really observing with her in-patients?
Nine Perfect Strangers marks Kidman’s second turn in a Liane Moriarty adaptation, following her award-worthy role in HBO’s Big Little Lies. But that’s just scratching the surface of what she’s done over the years. Appearing in everything from musicals (Moulin Rouge), to playing the bad guy (Paddington), and starring in heavy dramas (The Undoing, anyone?). Also since we’re getting into spooky season, please watch her beloved classic, Practical Magic. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Melissa McCarthy plays Frances Welty
Frances Welty is a romance writer who is completely down in the dumps. She checks into the spa hoping to find some new meaning in life.
Ninety percent of the time, McCarthy is making viewers laugh out loud in everything from Bridesmaids, to Ghostbusters, and Spy. And, let’s not forget it all started with her beloved role as Sookie on Gilmore Girls. She’s also taken dramatic turns over the years, too, including leading roles in Can You Ever Forgive Me? and St. Vincent. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Luke Evans plays Lars Lee
Lars is no stranger to tranquility retreats, and Tranquilium House happens to be the latest stop on his tour to try and get his life back on track.
Anyone who considers themselves part of Dom Toretto’s familia will recognize Evans as Owen Shaw from the Fast and Furious franchise. But, you also might have seen him since and dance in Beauty and the Beast; he played Gaston and is reprising the role for an upcoming Disney+ series. Evans also currently stars on Netflix’s The Alienist. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Melvin Gregg plays Ben Chandler
With a lot of money at his disposal after winning the lottery alongside his wife, Ben is trying to figure out what really matters to him now.
Gregg’s made a name for himself in series like UnReal and American Vandal, appearing throughout both as series regulars. On top of that, you can find him in FX’s Snowfall, and also Steven Soderbergh’s Netflix movie, High Flying Bird. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Samara Weaving plays Jessica Chandler
Having recently won the lottery alongside her husband, Jessica is trying to find common ground with Ben again before their lives completely changed.
Get any Margot Robbie comparison jokes out of the way now, because Weaving is absolutely coming into her own as a powerhouse actress. She instantly rose to cult fame after starring in the horror-comedy Ready or Not, but she’s also been in the likes of The Babysitter, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the latest Bill and Ted, and Snake Eyes. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Michael Shannon plays Napoleon Marconi
A tragedy has rocked the Marconi family, and patriarch Napoleon is going to try his best, with a smile on his face, to bring them back together again.
Are you part of the Michael Shannon fan club? You should be. The versatile actor loves to pop up in the most surprising places, including here in Nine Perfect Strangers. He absolutely gives it his all in movies like Knives Out, The Shape of Water, Revolutionary Road, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, and even Man of Steel. As for television, he appeared across four seasons of Boardwalk Empire as Nelson Van Alden/George Mueller. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Asher Keddie plays Heather Marconi
Still dealing with a death in the family, Heather is less than stable when she arrives at the resort.
Anyone familiar with Australian television will recognise Keddie, as she’s been dubbed the “golden girl” there. She’s enjoyed tons of great roles and has won Logie Awards (Australia’s version of the Emmys) seven times over her career. One of her more notable roles is Dr. Nina Proudman in in Offspring, for which she won the Gold Logie award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television in 2013. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Grace Van Patten plays Zoe Marconi
Zoe is the only teenager, and by far the youngest person, at Tranquilium House. She just wants her phone back.
With a television director dad (Timothy Van Patten), Van Patten grew up around sets. Some of her earliest appearances where in episodes her father helmed, from series like The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire. Her most notable series regular role to date was in Netflix’s Maniac.Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Manny Jacinto plays Yao
Yao believes in what Masha is trying to do at the resort, and works as her right-hand man.
Yes, that is really Manny Jacinto, who played Jason Mendoza on The Good Place. Never forget — BORTLES! In addition to that unforgettable role, he’s had a bunch of roles across television, on shows like Once Upon A Time, The Good Doctor, Bates Motel, and Netflix’s Brand New Cherry Flavor. He’s also set to take flight as Fritz in Top Gun: Maverick. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Tiffany Boone plays Delilah
Delilah works as Masha’s tranquil assistant but does she really believe in what’s going on at the resort?
Boone is no stranger to Amazon Prime; she played Young Mia in Little Fires Everywhere. In addition to that, she also played Jerrika throughout The Chi, and most recently starred on Prime Video’s Hunters as Roxy Jones. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Regina Hall plays Carmel Schneider
As you’ll quickly hear with her out-loud affirmations, Carmel is trying to figure out her worth.
Do you have a few minutes to talk about Hall’s long, amazing career across film and television? She first made waves in the early 2000s in Love and Basketball, The Best Man, and Scary Movie, and is currently still making us laugh and cry in Girls Trip. She had a long recurring role on Ally McBeal, and currently stars on Black Monday. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
Bobby Cannavale plays Tony Hogburn
A little grouchy and hard to read, Tony is football player trying to outrun his past.
Cannavale is another actor who just pops up all the time, and no matter what he’s doing or what role he’s playing, you just accept it. He’s been in everything from Snakes on a Plane to Ant-Man and I, Tonya, and all sorts of comedies in between like Spy and Daddy’s Home. As for television, he’s got two Emmys to his name for recurring roles on Will & Grace and Boardwalk Empire. Photo: courtesy of Hulu.
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Nicole Kidman Stars In Nine Perfect Strangers