Nine Perfect Strangers is sure to be one of the most talked-about shows of 2021. For one thing, it has a thoroughly A-list cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Michael Shannon, Regina Hall, Grace Van Patten and Asher Keddie.
For another, it’s based on Liane Moriarty’s book by the same name, and we know that when it comes to her storylines, she is a genius when it comes to building tension and keeping us guessing.
And, thirdly, the location of the series is almost as captivating as the plot and cast themselves.
Set at the uber-exclusive “Tranquillum House” — a health and well-being Oasis run by the enigmatic Masha (Kidman) — the series explores the insatiable desire of people to “get well”, along with the people who will exploit their vulnerabilities for their own personal gain.
The series was filmed on location around Byron Bay (at a time when film and television production around the world was paused due to the pandemic) at the stunning Soma retreat — a huge win for Australia as Nine Perfect Strangers was originally intended to be filmed in Big Sur, California.
Speaking to The Latch, Keddie, who plays Heather Marconi in the series, spoke of the gratitude she and her fellow castmates felt being able to film in such an incredible location.
“There was a really great sense of creative freedom in the bubble that we were in, so we didn’t actually feel creatively restricted,” she said. “So we were just all grateful, it was such a beautiful place to shoot.
“I felt excited for Australia as well for our country that we had a lot of production going on last year. There were a lot of jobs there for our crews..it really was quite amazing.”
In an interview with Architectural Digest, the show’s production designer, Colin Gibson, said that it was a “bit of fait accompli” that the filming locations all came together. Gibson also revealed that his team was permitted to construct an additional house on the stunning property which served as Masha’s office.
In addition to filming at Soma, the location crew also found Lune de Sang, a lumber orchard with multiple sheds, artistic structures, serene landscapes, and more. Owned by mining executive turned glass artist Andy Plummer and his wife, Deirdre, Lune de Sang was the perfect space to round out the vibe and aesthetic of Tranquillum, with both spaces being “softened up with classic midcentury furnishings and lush linens.”
Both filming locations feature grand architectural structures made from sustainable materials like wood, cement, and stone, in addition to geometric glass windows and contemporary finishes. These different elements all came together to create the zen aesthetic production was looking to have in Nine Perfect Strangers.
“We’d already decided that reflection would be a theme, given that’s really what meditation is supposed to be,” Gibson told AD. “Us taking a chance to reflect on our lives.”
Of course, with most of NSW in lockdown right now, a trip to Byron Bay will have to wait, but when things do open back up again, guests will be able to book a luxurious and relaxing stay at Soma and attend one of the professional retreats on offer to “rest, recharge, and renew yourself from the inside out.”
Sounds ideal.
Nine Perfect Strangers is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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