The countdown is on for the release of Liane Moriarty’s highly-anticipated series, Nine Perfect Strangers, to hit our screens. The series sees a group of strangers put their faith into a wellness retreat, named Tranquillum House, where they express their desire to change their lives for the better, thanks to the deep and dark secrets they all carry.
And while the series’ plot line is intriguing enough, it’s the star-studded cast that has most fans waiting with bated breath.
Thanks to producer Bruna Papandrea and showrunner David E. Kelley—the creative team behind Moriarty’s first book-to-screen adaptation, Big Little Lies—the cast list looks to be, well, impressive.
With Hollywood names like Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy and household names like Asher Keddie and Samara Weaving, there’s so much more to look forward to come August 18.
Nicole Kidman as Masha
Along with from her confusing accent—which we’ve already dove deep into—Nicole Kidman plays Masha, the Russian founder of wellness retreat, Tranquillum House. Aside from the eerie series, Kidman has also appeared in Big Little Lies, another Liane Moriarty adaptation and The Undoing. Taking one glance at the trailer, Masha looks to see Kidman tap into her more mischievous side.
Melissa McCarthy as Frances
In Nine Perfect Strangers, Melissa McCarthy’s character, Frances, is a romance writer who has fallen out of love with life after a series of unfortunate events. As Frances’ conniving ex-partner, Melissa McCarthy’s real-life husband and creative partner, Ben Falcone, stars alongside her. She has previously starred in films like Bridesmaids and Spy, McCarthy is easily one of the most prolific comedic actresses today.
Bobby Cannavale as Tony
Bobby Cannavale plays Tony in Nine Perfect Strangers, a football player who is running from his past. However, some may recognise Cannvale, not only because of his Australian-born wife Rose Byrne, but from his previous roles in Boardwalk Empire, Homecoming and his time on Will & Grace.
Regina Hall as Carmel
Having starred in some seriously iconic roles in the Scary Movie franchise and Girls’ Trip, Regina Hall usually dabbles in more lighthearted, comedic roles—until now. In Nine Perfect Strangers, she plays Carmel who is also comidic, however, enjoy her fair share of chaos.
Asher Keddie as Heather
Australian and former marie claire cover star Asher Keddie plays Heather, the wife of Napoleon, in the upcoming series. Back in June, she spoke to marie claire about her personal link to the series, and in particular, author Liane Moriarty.
“Liane Moriarty is one of my all-time favourite authors, and I love Nine Perfect Strangers for its brave dive into the psyche,” she revealed. “It’s an emotional minefield, with a brilliant dose of humour. Pair that with two extraordinary women I’ve always wanted to work with, Nicole Kidman and Bruna Papandrea, suffice to say the offer was intoxicating. I can’t wait to begin.”
Of course, fans of Keddie’s will recognise her from her work in Offspring and Party Tricks.
Michael Shannon as Napoleon
Michael Shannon stars as Napoleon, Heather’s husband and a member of the retreat trying to keep himself together following a tragedy. Fans may be surprised to witness Shannon in a less evil role, since he is typically typecast as the villainous character, like in The Shape Of Water, Boardwalk Empire and Knives Out.
Luke Evans as Lars
Luke Evans plays, Lars, a wellness retreat veteran who sees Tranquillum House as the next, best hit on his to-do list. A newcomer to Disney live-action remakes, Evans has previously starred as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, and he is also set to appear in the Pinocchio live-action movie.
Samara Weaving as Jessica
Fellow Australian Samara Weaving stars as Jessica, an influencer hoping that time spent in Traquillum House will restore her relationship with her husband, after they won the lottery. Aside from Nine Perfect Strangers, Weaving is also set to appear in Snake Eyes and has starred in previous thrillers like The Babysitter and Ready or Not, as well as Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood.
Manny Jacinto as Yao
Manny Jacinto plays Yao in the eerie upcoming series, who is committed to his role as Masha’s right-hand man, claiming that a traumatic event was the reason the two have an unbreakable bond. Jacinto has previously starred in much-loved series The Good Place and is set to star in upcoming romantic comedy I Want You Back.
Tiffany Boone as Delilah
Tiffany Boone plays Delilah, Masha’s equally as tranquil assistant, who does believe in the influence of the retreat, however, has concerns over Masha’s choices. Boone has previously starred in Hunters and as a younger version of Kerry Washington in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere.
Grace Van Patten as Zoe
Grace Van Patten plays Zoe Marconi, the youngest member of the group moving into Tranquilium House. She along with her parents, Heather and Napoleon, is grieving a tragic loss in her life. Van Patten has previously starred in The Meyerowitz Stories and Maniac.
Melvin Gregg as Ben
Melvin Gregg stars as Ben, Jessica’s husband whose life changed dramatically after winning the lottery. Before Nine Perfect Strangers, Gregg has appeared in the basketball dramas The Way Back, High Flying Bird, Snowfall, and the series American Vandal.
