Based on the International Best-selling Novel by Janice Y.K. Lee, Wang Will Direct Multiple Episodes of the Drama
CULVER CITY, Calif. – Dec. 12, 2019 – Acclaimed writer and director Lulu Wang (The Farewell) has joined the upcoming Amazon Original Series The Expatriates as writer and executive producer; Wang will also direct multiple episodes. Based on the best-selling novel by Janice Y.K. Lee, The Expatriates, from Amazon Studios and Nicole Kidman and Per Saari’s Blossom Films, will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.
"When I first read Janice Lee’s diasporic novel, I was immediately drawn to the rich characters and the global yet intimate exploration of life in modern Hong Kong,” said Wang. “I’m thrilled to be working with Nicole Kidman and Amazon, whose commitment to bold, nuanced storytelling make them the perfect partners to translate this atmospheric story to screen.”
“Lulu is a tremendously gifted writer and director. Like so many others, I was deeply moved by her work on The Farewell, and I’m thrilled she’s going to help us bring The Expatriates to life on screen,” said Kidman.
“We are so proud to have a visionary filmmaker in Lulu Wang take the helm of our new global series, The Expatriates. We know her fantastic eye for authenticity and deep character development skills will bring the complicated, challenging and fascinating women of this story to life.” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios.
The Expatriates explores the vibrant lives of a close-knit expatriate community in Hong Kong. The series is executive produced by Wang, Kidman and Saari for Blossom Films, and Theresa Park, with Lee serving as consulting producer. Award-winning screenwriter Alice Bell (The Beautiful Lie) also serves as a writer and executive producer.
With the rare ability to captivate audiences with her sincere storytelling, Lulu Wang continues to establish herself as a writer and filmmaker to watch. Most recently, Wang released her second feature The Farewell, which she both wrote and directed. The story follows Billi (Awkwafina), who returns to China after decades in America to join a household of relatives as they convene to say goodbye to the family’s elderly matriarch under the pretense of a shotgun wedding. The film first premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, earning Wang a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize. After its success at Sundance, A24 picked it up for worldwide distribution and released the film in select theaters on July 7. Since then, Wang’s sophomore feature has garnered a multitude of praises, including Variety naming Wang among its “Top Ten Directors To Watch in 2019.” The film was recently nominated for multiple awards including “Best Feature” and “Best Screenplay” at the 2019 Gotham Independent Film Awards, “Best Feature” at the 2020 Independent Film Spirit Awards, as well as “Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language” at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards.
Wang’s debut feature film, Posthumous, stars Brit Marling and Jack Huston. Released by The Orchard in 2014, the indie romantic comedy follows a struggling artist who finds himself accidentally reported dead. On behalf of the debut film, Wang was awarded with the Chaz and Roger Ebert Directing Fellowship at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, as well as earning the 2014 Film Independent Project Involve Directing fellowship.
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About Blossom Films:
Blossom Films, founded by Nicole Kidman and Per Saari, is a lateral thinking production company that believes in taking risks on the stories and writers they love. Since its inception in 2010 and their first film, Rabbit Hole, which garnered Kidman an Academy Award nomination, Blossom has been dedicated to fostering creative autonomy and championing artists. Their most recent success comes from executive-producing seasons one and two of Big Little Lies, HBO’s groundbreaking series, which garnered eight Emmy nominations and five wins for season one, including Best Actress for Kidman and Best Miniseries or Television Film. Blossom’s next project due to air next year is The Undoing, a limited series for HBO, written by David E. Kelley and directed by Susanne Bier. They are currently in development on several projects, including an adaptation of A.S.A. Harrison's The Silent Wife; a television series adaptation of Liane Moriarty's latest best-selling novelNine Perfect Strangers; and an adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's book, Roar, offering yet more tales of complex and multidimensional women.
About Amazon Studios:
Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing original films and television series for a global audience. Original series all premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, which is available in over 200 countries and territories. Recent hit Amazon Original series include the Emmy Award-winning comediesFleabag, created by and starring Emmy Award-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel from Emmy Award-winners Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, as well as the action thriller drama Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan starring John Krasinski, the irreverent superhero series The Boys, and fantasy drama Carnival Row starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne; Amazon Originals also include culturally relevant and buzzed about content such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty music and fashion event, Donald Glover’s Guava Island and Chasing Happiness, a documentary about pop superstars the Jonas Brothers.
In film, Amazon Studios produces and acquires original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. In 2017, Amazon Studios became the first streaming service to win Oscars for Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman. This year, Amazon Studios will release Tom Harper’s The Aeronauts starring Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne, Scott Z. Burns’ The Report starring Adam Driver and Annette Bening, Honey Boy from director Alma Har’el based on a script written by Shia LaBeouf, Benedict Andrews’ Seberg starring Kristen Stewart, Karim Aïnouz’s Invisible Life, Brazil's official submission for International Feature Film, and Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables, France's official submission for International Feature Film.