Nicole Kidman gives a captivating performance in “Expats,” further cementing her position as a major force in the television industry. Kidman plays Margaret on screen, a character who moves her family to Hong Kong. Her portrayal is nuanced and deeply poignant.
The trailer for Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue, and Ji-young Yoo’s upcoming series “Expats,” which is directed by Lulu Wang, has been released by Amazon Prime Video.
The first episode of the show will air on Prime Video on January 26, 2024, and new episodes will be released every week until the February 23 finale.
What does the “Expats” trailer reveal?
The first trailer has been released for “Expats,” the Hong Kong-set Amazon Prime Video series helmed by Lulu Wang.
The drama that is being adapted from the best-selling book “The Expatriates” by Janice Y. K. Lee is vividly shown in this preview. In the trailer, three American women battling with their lives in the busy city are introduced against the backdrop of the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests in Hong Kong.
Nicole Kidman plays Margaret, a wealthy lady tormented by a personal loss. Sarayu Blue plays Hilary, a woman battling a troubled marriage, while Ji-young Yoo plays Mercy, a young woman haunted by a past transgression.
Each woman in the wealthy and close-knit expat community in Hong Kong faces different challenges, underscoring the stifling aspect of their privileged life.
Beginning on January 26, 2024, with two episodes, Expats will air weekly until the finale on February 23, 2024.
What is the “Expats” all about?
This six-episode limited series, which is based on Janice Y. K. Lee’s 2016 novel “The Expatriates,” delves into the lives of an international community in Hong Kong, where an unanticipated family tragedy has left a lasting legacy.
In the film, Nicole Kidman plays Margaret, a woman who moves her whole family to Hong Kong. Sarayu Blue plays Hilary, a driven professional whose friendship with Margaret is put to the test by fate. Ji-young Yoo portrays Mercy, a carefree recent New York college graduate who gets mixed up in the expat community in Hong Kong.
Furthermore, Jack Huston will play Hilary’s husband David, and Brian Tee will play Margaret’s husband Clarke.
Why “Expats” is surrounding controversy?
Amazon Prime’s decision to produce two series, “Exciting Times” and “Wonderful Times,” about expatriates in Hong Kong drew criticism for what was seen as a callous disregard for the city in the midst of a difficult political environment governed by the People’s Republic of China’s national security law.
Prominent Hong Kong newspaper The South China Morning Post attacked the choice, calling the show “tone deaf” and out of touch.
This criticism is based on the fact that Janice Y. K. Lee, the source material’s author, is a Korean immigrant’s daughter who immigrated to the US with her family when she was fifteen.
Leading actress Nicole Kidman faced backlash after learning that she would not be subject to Hong Kong’s required 21-day hotel quarantine upon her arrival on August 12, 2021. Kidman came under fire for receiving preferential treatment since she arrived on a private jet escorted by bodyguards.
In response, officials in Hong Kong defended the exemption, pointing out that it was given to carry out specific professional activities and highlight how important it is to the growth and operation of Hong Kong’s economy. Internet users reacted negatively to the residents’ objections, believing the treatment to be blatantly unfair. Prominent activist David Webb tweeted irony, and members of the legislature expressed concerns.
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau, addressing the controversy, denied any violation of existing policies, highlighting that the crew must be fully vaccinated and adhere to quarantine exemption requirements similar to those provided for bankers.
While some believed the series would bring positive publicity and job opportunities to Hong Kong, dissident artist Badiucao expressed concern, suggesting that the communist-backed regime might exploit it as a form of soft propaganda to mask the realities in Hong Kong.
