Nicole Kidman Plays An Evil Wellness Guru In 'Nine Perfect Strangers'

The ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ mini-series will be one to watch

If you thought Nicole Kidman’s performance in The Undoing was next-level, you’re going to want to watch the latest trailer for her upcoming series Nine Perfect Strangers. Kidman plays Tranquillum House founder, Masha Dmitrichenko, a character that feels a bit like Gwyneth Paltrow and Satan himself had a love child who now runs a wellness retreat.

Based on “Big Little Lies” author Liane Moriarty’s novel, this Hulu mini-series takes place at a “boutique health-and-wellness resort” in rural Australia. It looks serene and tranquil for a hot minute but quickly turns murdery feeling when the guests are asked to — among other things — dig their own graves and lie in them.

“Welcome to Tranquillum House,” Kidman says in the trailer in a somewhat off-putting accent. “We’re going to get you well. You came here to heal. This is going to be a wonderful journey. Sometimes it’ll be unpleasant. There’s nothing to fear. You’re mine now… and you want to be mine.”

The guests have come from the city in need of personal transformations and include romance novelist Frances (Melissa McCarthy); rich couple Ben (Melvin Gregg) and Jessica (Samara Weaving); the Marconi family, consisting of schoolteacher Napoleon (Michael Shannon) and his wife Heather and daughter Zoe (Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten); a lonely divorce lawyer/retreat lover Lars (Luke Evans); retired professional athlete Tony (Bobby Canavale); and mom and recent divorcee (Regina Hall).

As you learn more about their stories and why they decided to come to Tranquillum House, you also see Kidman attempting to control the narrative with various activities like meditation and yoga, food schedules, and a little (a lot) of LSD thrown in for good measure. They are also asked to give up things like caffeine, sugar, and technology in order to heal, which sounds like a recipe for disaster.

“You want to get well? Surrender yourself to Masha,” Hulu says of the upcoming series, which premieres on August 18. The eight-episode show is directed by Big Little Lies‘ David E. Kelley and produced by Kidman herself.

“Although we knew what the concept was, [Nine Perfect Strangers] was acquired more or less sight unseen,” producing partner Per Saari said of the novel in an October 2019 interview with ELLE. “Liane was talking to Nicole about the seeds of a character and she embraced it instantly, so Liane ended up writing this extraordinary character for her.”

“There’s nothing to fear,” Kidman says towards the end of the trailer as the guests have clearly lost their marbles and cop sirens blare in the background. Whatever happens next, Hulu has given us one gift upfront — the first three episodes will be available to watch on its premiere.