The first look trailer for ‘Expats’ starring Nicole Kidman has dropped

The first trailer for the Hong Kong-based Amazon Prime Video series Expats has been released, and we finally get a clear glimpse of lead actor Nicole Kidman filming in our city. The six-part series is based on The Expatriates by Hong Kong-born American author Janice Y. K. Lee, and follows three American expats whose lives intertwine while living in Hong Kong.

Kidman stars as Margaret, who enjoys a privileged lifestyle in the city until a sudden tragedy knocks her world off balance. Her friend Hilary, played by XO Kitty’s Sarayu Blue, is grappling with a failing marriage. On the other hand, the college graduate Mercy, portrayed by Ji-young Yoo, seeks to reinvent herself. The series takes place during the height of the Umbrella Movement in 2014 and is created by Lulu Wang, who directed the 2019 comedy drama The Farewell. The close-knit and affluent expat community in Hong Kong serves as the backdrop for the stories of all three main characters, drawing inspiration from Lee's own encounters within the group.

Based on the trailer, it is evident that they had filmed in several of Hong Kong’s most recognisable locations, such as Temple Street, Ladies Market, Victoria Harbour, and the historic Mido Café. We are also given a glimpse into the lives of Hong Kong’s domestic helpers and the stark contrast of their lives and those of the people they work for. In fact, the fifth episode of the series will specifically revolve around the stories of the Filipino domestic workers community. This presents an opportunity for the series to shed light on the class divide and discrimination that often goes unmentioned in Hong Kong, and we hope Wang delivers.

Of course, Hongkongers might remember that the filming of this series had stirred up considerable controversy since the government granted Kidman an exemption from Covid quarantine for her to shoot in Hong Kong – at a time when citizens were already struggling with lengthy mandatory quarantine periods and tightened travel restrictions. Kidman had also purportedly left the city after falling out with Wang over a dispute. Despite the negative press it has received during the filming, we are still eagerly anticipating its release. Fingers crossed that Expats avoids the pitfall of glorifying entitled foreigners, particularly those of white ethnicity, while disregarding the underprivileged communities that exist within Hong Kong.

Expats will be released on Amazon Prime Video on January 26, 2024, with new episodes releasing weekly until its finale on February 23, 2024. See the trailer below.