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Expats premiered with a double-header debut on Jan. 26, 2024, successfully setting the stage for an enthralling exploration of the complexities of life abroad for expatriates. The series is based on Janice Y. K Lee’s 2016 novel, The Expatriates. The six-episode miniseries began production in Hong Kong on the rise of COVID-19, which delayed its release and also faced social and political issues.
Expats remains one of the most controversial series of all time, earning significant attention globally for its bold and provocative narrative—also stirring debate filming of the movie when the world was going through a difficult time.
Regardless, the miniseries featuring a stellar cast, including Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, and more, has subsequently compelled the audience with its gripping storytelling and powerful performances, making it a must-watch. Follow along with the article to learn more about the cast of Lulu Wang’s Expats.
All primary cast of Expats
1) Nicole Kidman as Margaret
Nicole Kidman, who is a recipient of many accolades, including six Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys, and more, is playing Margaret in Expats, a mother of three who started living in Hong Kong. Life takes a drastic turn for Margaret after she loses her youngest kid, Gus. Kidman’s Blossom Films is also one of the production companies behind the series.
2) Sarayu Blue as Hilary Starr
Popularly known for her role as Dr. Sydney Napur on TNT’s Monday Mornings, Sarayu Blue will be playing Hilary Starr, who is described as a friend of Margaret, in the series. Hilary is a rich housewife who is struggling to conceive a child with her husband on the one hand and, on the other, trying to keep her married life from falling apart.
3) Ji-young Yoo as Mercy
Ji-young Yoo stars as Mercy, a Korean American who recently graduated from Columbia and decided to start fresh in Hong Kong. However, life turns upside down for Mercy after she accepts a gig from Margaret. Yoo is known for her role as Hayoung in Smoking Tigers, which subsequently got her the Best Performance award at the Tribeca Festival.
4) Brian Tee as Clarke
Brian Tee will play Margaret’s husband, Clarke, who is trying to keep his family together after the heartbreaking tragedy of losing his son. Tee is widely acclaimed for his role as Dr. Ethan Choi in NBC’s Chicago Med and has garnered a lot of praise for his role as Takashi “DK” in The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
5) Jack Huston as David Starr
Known for his performance of Richard Harrow in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and as Pete Musane in American Hustle, Jack Huston plays Hilary’s husband, David Starr, in Expats. Like her wife, David didn’t want to have kids, but now he has decided to change his mind, a decision that significantly affected the couple’s married life.
Additional cast in Expats
The recurring cast and their characters in the miniseries:
- Poom Pak Shing as Sam
- Bonde Sham as Charly
- Flora Chan as Olive
- Ruby Ruiz as Essie
- Amelyn Pardenilla as Puri
- Blessing Monkgohla as Pastor Alan Mambo
- Bodhi Del Rossario as Philip Woo
- Tiana Gowen as Daisy Woo
- Connor James as Gus
- Jennifer Beveridge as Tilda
- Lesly Chiang as Philena Chiang
- Gabrielle Chan as Jing Woo
- Sudha Bhuchar as Brinder
Plot summary
The official logline of Expats describes the series as such:
In the glittering city of Hong Kong, expats arrive daily for myriad reasons—to find or lose themselves in a foreign place and to forget or remake themselves far from home. Amidst this hothouse atmosphere, a tragic incident causes three American women’s lives to collide in ways that will rewrite every assumption of their privileged world.
The logline sheds light on the three primary characters of the story:
Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, once again finds herself compromised and adrift, trying to start her life anew; Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, hoping to save her uncertain marriage.
Meanwhile, Margaret, once the enviable mother of three, tries to negotiate an existence that has become utterly unrecognizable after a catastrophic event.
It further explores how their paths will entangle as the story progresses:
"Faced with unthinkable choices, these three women form a profound connection that defies the norms of the sequestered community—finding in each other a strength borne of need, forgiveness, and, ultimately, hope.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on Expats as 2024 progresses
