Nine Perfect Strangers season 2: “Are they doing drugs again?”
It’s finally here: season 2 of Nine Perfect Strangers has begun and if you thought the first season was a trip—just wait until you see this. New location, new cast, new secrets (and yes, Nicole Kidman is back with an even more intense gaze). Here are the nine things you really need to know about this new chapter of the most mysterious wellness series ever.
1. From California to the Alps
Season 2 completely changes course: welcome to the Austrian Alps. Think: snow-capped peaks, a mysterious estate with thick wooden doors, wellness in style and… still a lot of hidden suffering. The fictional resort Zauberwald is the place where the new group of ‘strangers’ meets themselves (and each other).
2. Nicole Kidman is back (and maybe scarier than ever)
Nicole Kidman returns as Masha Dmitrichenko, the woman you don’t know whether to trust or run away from. In a white parka with the aura of a high fashion cult leader, she once again guides nine people through a spiritual detox—but on her terms.
3. Prime Video has the exclusive
The first two episodes have been available since May 22, 2025 on Prime Video. After that, a new episode will be released every Thursday, with the season finale on July 3, 2025. Plan your viewing night and make sure to have herbal tea (or a glass of wine, we don’t judge).
4. A brand new cast that will blow you away
Among the new faces: Henry Golding, Christine Baranski, Annie Murphy, Murray Bartlett, Mark Strong, Dolly de Leon, King Princess, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, and Lena Olin. I think the latter is amazing. Have you ever seen The Unbearable Lightness of Being? Or read it? If the answer is ‘no’, I would say; put it on your list. And you will never forget that scene with Lena and the hat. Each character brings their own inner chaos—and you get to enjoy it from the front row.
5. Nicole Kidman’s daughter
In “Nine Perfect Strangers”, Alyla Browne plays Nicole Kidman’s daughter, Masha, named Tatiana. Tatiana is a character who has passed away and from whom Masha experiences hallucinations as a result of drugs used in the series. The purpose of these hallucinations is to bring Masha closer to her deceased daughter, who died in a car accident at the age of 7. It’s all quite dark, yes.
6. Austria: the new wellness paradise?
Filming took place in Salzburg and at the 17th-century Schloss Blühnbach. The winter landscape gives the season a different feel: colder, more mysterious, and a bit more unsettling. Think: The Shining meets GoopLab.
7. No book = more freedom (and drama)
The first season was based on the book by Liane Moriarty (whom you also know from Big Little Lies). But season 2? That’s completely original material from showrunner David E. Kelley. No literary guide, but plenty of room for twists, turns, and spiritual adventures.
8. The themes: grief, grief, grief (and guilt)
While season 1 revolved around trauma and family relationships, season 2 delves deep into loss and guilt. Heavy stuff, but with velvet blankets and serene singing bowls. Masha’s solutions? Microdosing, meditating, and facing the truth. And believe me: it won’t be long before the group dynamics start to fall apart, old wounds reopen, and you find yourself shouting at your screen: “ARE THEY DOING DRUGS AGAIN?!”
9. Watch it for the visuals (and stay for the drama)
Every episode is a visual gem. White snow, thick sweaters, mountain villas that make you spontaneously open Skyscanner. But it’s mainly the confrontations, breakdowns, and mind games that will skyrocket your screen time.
Source: USA Today. Image: Disney
