‘Expats’ Trailer: Nicole Kidman Suffers an Unexpected Tragedy in Lulu Wang’s Limited Series

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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Nicole Kidman is realizing that grief is never lost in translation while abroad in Hong Kong for Lulu Wang’s Prime Video limited series.

Wang’s “Expats,” which the “Farewell” helmer writes, directs, and serves as showrunner on, is executive produced by actress Kidman. The six-part limited series is based on Janice Y. K. Lee’s bestselling novel “The Expatriates” about the intertwining lives of American women in China.

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The official synopsis for the series reads: Set against the vibrant and tumultuous tapestry of 2014 Hong Kong, “Expats” centers on three American women — Margaret (Kidman), Hilary (Sarayu Blue), and Mercy (Ji-young Yoo) — whose lives intersect after a sudden family tragedy. The series interrogates privilege and explores what happens when the line between victimhood and culpability becomes blurred.

Brian Tee and Jack Huston also star. The feature-length penultimate episode of “Expats” screened at 2023 TIFF.

Series creator Wang previously told IndieWire in 2020 that Kidman approached her with the project.

“I was incredibly grateful,” Wang said. “It was pretty early, in the summer, right after [‘The Farewell’] had been released. She saw the film and loved it. She said, ‘There’s this book we optioned and we’re adapting, and you’re the first person to read the scripts. You’re the only director I can see doing this. You have to do it.'”

Prime Video greenlit the adaptation in 2018, with Wang joining the project in 2019. She went on to ink a television deal with Prime Video through her Local Time production banner in 2022.

Production on “Expats” wrapped in December 2022 after halting during the COVID pandemic.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve finally wrapped EXPATS after starting production in August 2021 (lovingly referred to as 500 Days of Expats),” Wang captioned an Instagram post. “We’ve had every challenge hurled at us, from lockdowns and injuries to Covid shutdowns…but we made it. There are so many people to thank, so many stories to tell and I will slowly get to them all as we prepare to launch this 6.5hr series.”

Wang serves as an executive producer with Daniele Melia for Local Time on the series. Emmy and Oscar winner Kidman also executive produces with Per Saari for Kidman’s Blossom Films banner, along with Alice Bell, who was the first writer onboard the series in addition to author Lee, series creator Wang, Vera Miao, and Gursimran Sandhu.

“Expats” premieres January 26 on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.

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