Latest news with #MashaDmitrichenko
Condé Nast Traveler
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
Where Was Nine Perfect Strangers Filmed?
The Alpine setting of the second season of Nine Perfect Strangers is a far cry from the California wellness resort portrayed in season one. This new season, currently airing weekly on Hulu, continues the unorthodox efforts of Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman), who hopes to heal her unwitting guests using psychedelics. This time, she moves on from Tranquillum to a mountainside resort called Zauberwald. 'Masha is a person who has to evolve,' explains executive producer Bruna Papandrea. 'The move was a natural progression for her as a character, but also to be in this incredible environment and have her guests come there is a very natural story element that we always anticipated doing for a second season. What we felt was that a winter setting was both slightly ominous, but also incredibly beautiful and also luxurious.' To film season two, the cast temporarily relocated to Munich, where they lived for six months. Shooting took place around Austria and Germany, as well as on a soundstage. Locations included Salzburg, Hallstatt, Alpendorf, Leopoldskron Palace, and Gradonna Ski Resort. 'We really did get to do a lot of very cool bopping around to some crazy locations that I don't think we would have ever found ourselves in otherwise,' notes Annie Murphy, who plays Imogen, one of Zauberwald's guests. To film season two of Nine Perfect Strangers, the cast temporarily relocated to Munich (pictured), where they lived for six months. Getty Images On set, the actors became especially close, and Christine Baranski, who plays the wealthy Victoria, encouraged their bonding. In the series, Murphy plays Victoria's estranged daughter, Murray Bartlett plays former children's TV host Brian, Henry Golding plays rich kid Peter, and musician King Princess plays a struggling pianist who travels with her girlfriend Wolfie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers). Below, Papandrea, Murphy, and King Princess speak to Condé Nast Traveler about their experiences filming Nine Perfect Strangers. What vibe did you want Zauberwald to have? Bruna Papandrea: What we all really wanted was the sense of history, because Masha has history with this place and there is that incredible sense of the old that you get throughout Europe. But [it has] been redone to be very luxurious and very opulent. Soho House does it brilliantly all over Europe. That was one of our references for how you take something incredibly old and historical and update it and make it really beautiful and new. We wanted it to feel very warm and very beautiful, and to have elements of any luxury wellness retreat. To achieve a luxurious and opulent feel for the locations of Nine Perfect Strangers, the team turned to Soho House locations in Europe for inspiration, according to the show's executive producer Bruna Papandrea. Udo Kramer Was the exterior of Zauberwald an actual resort? King Princess: The exterior was Franz Ferdinand's hunting castle, Schloss Blühnbach. Annie Murphy: The reason we shot in Germany in the first place is because they wanted such a stark difference between season one and season two, and they wanted season two to be this beautiful snow globe-y winter wonderland. Then cut to it being the hottest winter on record for decades and decades. These poor ski towns that make their entire annual income from tourism, everything ground to a halt. In so many shots of us in our parkas and our hats and our mitts we're just pretending to have chattering teeth and we're sweating underneath there. Behind the scenes, the crew was there was shoveling like snow that had been trucked in and was slowly melting. But one day at Blühnbach there was the most glorious snowstorm—it's a scene where we're all snowshoeing. But then it snowed so much that we got snowed in and had to wait to be shoveled out.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Christine Baranski shares why Nicole Kidman kept distance on Nine Perfect Strangers set
They may be Nine Perfect Strangers on screen, but behind the scenes the new cast of the drama series are anything but. Christine Baranski joins Nicole Kidman along with a star-studded line-up for season two, including Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, The White Lotus star Murray Bartlett, and Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy. But while the cast bonded during the six months they filmed in the snowy Austrian Alps, in a case of life imitating art, Kidman kept her distance on the series, which is now streaming on Prime Video. The Aussie actress reprises her role as Masha Dmitrichenko, a Russian wellness guru who uses unconventional and questionable methods to treat her guests as the fictional health retreat Zauberwald Although Masha is sociable and people are drawn to her, she is equally complex and enigmatic – and it appears Kidman maintained this persona off-screen too. 'We bonded, the nine of us. And when [Kidman] would come in, it was sort of exactly like it would be in the show, which is she comes in and we're all, what's she all about? What's she going to do? And so the chemistry was sort of exactly right for it,' Baranski, 73, told 'She's rather perfect for that role. The character of Masha is so mysterious and has her own backstory that's very, very complicated and interesting. And Nicole is really tall and statuesque, and her look in this show, I think, is particularly arresting. So she's just perfect for this inscrutable, intimidating character.' Still, there was nothing that could keep Baranski away from the show or Kidman. 'It's such a no-brainer. My agent said it was Nicole Kidman and the second season of Strangers, which was already an established hit. Then he mentioned the talent that they were offering roles to various actors, and they were all extraordinary people. And then he said that it was going to film in Europe, in Munich and the Austrian Alps,' the Mamma Mia star shared. In season two, Baranski plays the glamorous and sensual Victoria, who enlists the help of Masha to repair her relationship with her daughter Imogen (played by Murphy). While they play an estranged mother-and-daughter duo, off-screen Murphy adored Baranski. 'She is the hostess with the mostest and she's so generous. Anytime she'd go away [from set], she'd come back with cakes and treats and all these things for us,' Murphy told 'We were staying in this town called Halstadt in Austria, which is this beautiful fairytale town around this alpine lake. And we're staying in this beautiful hotel and the hotel backed onto the lake. 'Christine arranged this evening for us, and the sun was just setting and we walked out and there was champagne and beautiful tables set up. She'd curated this incredible classical playlist for us that was kind of echoing across this still, beautiful lake. And it was just magical.' In the series, there is also magic between Baranski's Victoria and her much younger lover Matteo (played by Aras Aydın). There seems to be a chorus of age-gap romances playing out on screens across Hollywood lately, but Baranski says there is nothing salacious about this May-December romance. 'It was very easy because Aras is so emotionally free and available and he's beautiful and so passionate. We didn't have to work at that [chemistry],' she said. 'As you can see from early on in the first few episodes, it's not just some sexy older woman-hot guy relationship. There's an enormous kind of tenderness and caretaking and loveliness between us. 'We valued bringing that out more than the sexy part because it's transcends age. People can love each other long after they feel sexy or hot for each other. The tenderness and the intimacy is what is most lasting and interesting.'
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 4 Release Date, Where to Watch
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Nine Perfect Strangers has viewers in its grip. Here's when you can catch episode 4 of the tension-filled drama. In the second season of Hulu's original show, which premiered May 21, 2025, manipulative guru Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman) invites nine strangers to a mysterious wellness retreat in the Austrian Alps. With her methods proving increasingly unconventional, explosives secrets arise. The 2021 original was the most-watched Hulu original at the time. Despite being conceived as a limited series, Nine Perfect Strangers was renewed for a second season. Nicole Kidman stars in Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Nicole Kidman stars in Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Hulu In the previous episode, The Field Trip, Martin and the guests venture to a nearby town for a museum trip that, as it turns out, is anything but restorative. The synopsis for episode 4, The Major Lift, reads as follows: "Tina and Wolfie's relationship is put under strain when the Zauberwald ballroom is set up with musical instruments." Read on for how to watch Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 episode 4. Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 4 Release Date Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 episode 4, The Major Lift, airs Wednesday, June 4, 2025. You can watch it on Hulu in the US and Prime Video in the UK. Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Release Date Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 premiered May 21, 2025. It launched with two episodes, Zauberwald and The Crabapple Clubhouse. Looking to catch up? Season 1 is also available to stream on Hulu/Prime Video in its entirety. Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Cast Nicole Kidman reprises her role as Masha Dmitrichenko, the founder of wellness resort Tranquillum House. The ensemble cast includes Murray Bartlett, Henry Golding, and Mark strong. See the full cast below. Nicole Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko Aras Aydın as Matteo Christine Baranski as Victoria Murray Bartlett as Brian Dolly de Leon as Agnes Lucas Englander as Martin Henry Golding as Peter Annie Murphy as Imogen Lena Olin as Helena King Princess as Tina Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Wolfie Mark Strong as David Nine Perfect Strangers Episodes List Like the first season, season two consists of eight episodes. The season finale drops Wednesday, July 2. Episode 1: Zauberwald - May 21, 2025 Episode 2: The Crabapple Clubhouse - May 21, 2025 Episode 3: The Field Trip - May 28, 2025 Episode 4: The Major Lift - June 4, 2025 Episode 5: Prague - June 11, 2025 Episode 6: The Other Side - June 18, 2025 Episode 7: Unhinged - June 25, 2025 Episode 8: Batsh*t - July 2, 2025 Nine Perfect Strangers Trailer A snowy retreat, psychological skirmishes, and Nicole Kidman butting heads with Mark Strong. Watch the chilly trailer for Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 below.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Nine Perfect Strangers review: The only people likely to be traumatised by this moribund thriller are the viewers
Nicole Kidman has worked hard over the past decade to parlay her Hollywood fame into a parallel career as a force in prestige television. She hasn't given up on the big screen, and was recently to be found steaming it up in a romp about a brief but intense affair with a much younger man, Babygirl . But it is with shows such as Big Little Lies that she has had the most success – a track record that comes to a tumultuous halt with the appalling second series of Nine Perfect Strangers (Prime Video from Thursday). Season one was an undercooked tale of paranoia and skulduggery set amidst a retreat for the mega-wealthy. It had the bad luck to launch in the same summer as White Lotus – a tale of paranoia and skulduggery set amidst a retreat for the mega-wealthy. One became a phenomenon, the other did not - despite top mugging by Kidman as gurning guru Masha Dmitrichenko in her unsettling statement wig. Four years later, Masha is somehow still in business, despite the previous season culminating in an orgy of paranoia and violence. True, several massive lawsuits and 'multiple Federal investigations' are looming. No matter. A billionaire in the Bavarian Alps wants to whisk Masha – and her new wig – away from her legal woes, on the proviso she runs another retreat with another nine volunteers. Kidman does her best, but her performance is 90 per cent iffy Russian accent. Meanwhile, this year's cast of dysfunctional one-per-centers make for a threadbare bunch – the quality of guest cameos low to non-existent. Series one featured Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon and Luke Evans – the best the follow-up can muster is White Lotus's Murray Bartlett (as a disgraced kids' TV presenter) and indie singer King Princess, playing a tortured piano prodigy. The biggest star aside from Kidman is Mark Strong, a mega-bucks baddie who shares a dark history with Masha. READ MORE The White Lotus-ness of it all is hard to get past. The difference is that the HBO hit had the pretence of social satire (that satire was, in fact, just hipster nihilism, but it did string you along convincingly). Nine Perfect Strangers, by contrast, has nothing to say, and while it knows what it wants to be – Agatha Christie for audiences weaned on Succession – it has no idea how to get there. Masha's big gimmick is using psychedelic drugs to both unlock one's inner trauma and, so she claims, communicate with the dead. However, the only people likely to be traumatised by this moribund thriller are the viewers. Unlike the characters corralled in Nine Perfect Strangers, they have the choice of running for the hills – an option many will find all too tempting. Nine Perfect Strangers season two is on Prime Video now
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Murray Bartlett on the ‘thrilling ride' it was joining Nicole Kidman on Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2
Aussie actor Murray Bartlett is far from The White Lotus. The 54-year-old went from playing resort manager Armond in the first season of the dark comedy to being cast as cancelled puppeteer Brian on Season 2 of the drama series Nine Perfect Strangers. But Bartlett, who was born in Sydney and raised in Perth, is far from lost – and he is no stranger to fellow Aussie actress Nicole Kidman, who reprises her role of enigmatic wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko in the new season. 'She's an icon in the world, but she's like a special icon for us. So I think it was a thrill for all of us to jump on board with her and be able to be part of this world with her,' he tells ahead of the Season 2 premiere on May 22 on Prime Video. 'It's an extraordinary character that she's created and she's wild and mysterious and unpredictable. And so that was also a thrilling kind of ride to be on, to be in scenes with this character. You're not sure whether she's helping you or messing with you, which I think makes the show really compelling to watch.' Like in Season 1, nine people with different traumas convene for 10 days at fictional wellness retreat Zauberwald in the Austrian Alps led by Masha (Kidman). But with the Russian guru's unconventional approach to healing, it's anyone's guess what journey is required for them to undergo their transformations. Murray plays a once-popular children's TV show host and puppeteer who is 'cancelled' for his offensive meltdown on screen. 'I love the character. I love the way he was written. I think it's really interesting to explore the nuances of cancel culture and what it looks like from both sides and trying to suspend judgement on both sides of a situation like that and just kind of dive into the emotional stuff that people are projecting or dealing with in that kind of situation. So I felt there was so many kind of interesting things to explore with Brian,' he says. Mainly for Bartlett, it was the cast that made the series. Among them are billionaire father Peter Sharpe (Mark Strong) and son David (Henry Golding), glamorous divorcee Victoria (Christine Baranski) and her enraged daughter Imogen (Annie Murphy) and a nun named Agnes with a mysterious past (Dolly De Leon). 'It's this great ensemble show. I didn't know at the time when I signed on what a wonderful group it would be, but it's amazing to be able to be part of such a great ensemble and to tell this story together and lean on each other and develop those relationships,' Bartlett says. Co-star Annie Murphy agrees. She played Alexis Rose in the award-winning Netflix hit Schitt's Creek on all six seasons. In Nine Perfect Strangers, Murphy portrays Imogen – a guarded woman raised with wealth and privilege. 'I was so excited by the prospect of working with a big cast,' Murphy tells ' Schitt's Creek was such a special show because it was such an ensemble piece and that really is where I feel most comfortable and the opportunity for adventure. We spent six months in Munich and travelling around Austria. It was just an obvious no-brainer to hop on board.' Adds Bartlett: 'I love a situation like that. Similar to your experience in Schitt's Creek, I had that in White Lotus and other jobs that I've done where I love being part of an ensemble. And this was a pretty extraordinary special group to be part of.' While parts of the show explore the depths of trauma and mental health, Bartlett says the cast, the location and the comedy in the chaos balance out the darkness. 'There's so many beautiful layers in the show connected to that dealing with trauma and facing your demons and trying to let go of the baggage you might've been carrying,' he says. 'But also its beautiful locations. It's beautifully shot. It's a gorgeous place to spend some time in watching this show. It's got a lot of complimentary aspects to it that it's got those depths, but it's funny. It's a really brilliant group of actors inhabiting some really funny, fascinating, interesting characters.'
