<ul class="summary-list"><li>The '<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>' creator considered having Ben and Jessica break up, the director said. </li><li>He grew too attached to the characters to actually go through with the split, though.</li><li>Instead, Ben and Jessica save their marriage and run Tranquillum House together. </li></ul><p><em>Warning: This article contains spoilers about <keyword id="11931717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hulu" source="Orion">Hulu</keyword>'s "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>."</em></p><p>Ben Chandler and Jessica Chandler mend their marital issues by the final episode of the Hulu limited series "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>," but their happy ending wasn't always etched in stone. </p><p>On a recent phone call with Insider, director Jonathan Levine said that <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/david-e-kelley">David E. Kelley</a>, who created the series based on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Perfect-Strangers-Liane-Moriarty/dp/1250755832" rel="nofollow sponsored">Liane Moriarty's novel</a> of the same name, grappled with alternative outcomes for the two young lottery winners, who check into boutique wellness retreat Tranquillum House for marriage counseling in the first episode.</p><p>After microdosing MDMA, a drug colloquially known as "ecstasy" or "molly," as part of their healing curriculum, Ben (<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/melvin-gregg">Melvin Gregg</a>) and Jessica (<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/samara-weaving">Samara Weaving</a>) decide to renew their vows. And in one of the show's final scenes, the couple is shown assuming ownership of the luxe California retreat, welcoming new guests to embark on their own wellness journeys.</p><p>"Them growing to love Tranquillum and ending up running the place, I thought it was very funny and tracked with where they were emotionally," Levine said. </p><div type="image" title="ben and jessica nine perfect strangers" height="3648" width="5472" msid="86468595" hostid="261"></div><p>But at one point, Kelley debated a scenario in which Ben and Jessica called off their marriage at the end of the 10 days spent evaluating their relationship at Tranquillum House, the director shared.</p><p>"It was in the cards for a while, and then David just couldn't bring himself to do it. He grew to like them so much," the director recalled. "He has such a love for his characters, and it's what makes him so incredible."</p><p>"It was really hard for him to make them break up. He really rooted for them to be together," Levine added. "At the end of the day, he just grew to love them too much to put them through that."</p><div type="image" title="ben and jessica in &quot;Nine Perfect Strangers&quot;" height="2784" width="4174" msid="86468596" hostid="261"></div><p>While the other guests leave Tranquillum House at the end of the retreat to return to their daily lives, each of them emerges somewhat transformed as a result of their stay. To Levine, it's the ultimate happy ending. </p><p>"For all these people, all I root for is that they're able to shed their past baggage and move forward fresh," he said, continuing, "I was very happy with where everyone ended up, and I really did want to show that everyone was moving on."</p><p><em>"Nine Perfect Strangers" is currently streaming on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu</a>. </em></p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' director reveals they considered splitting Ben and Jessica up, but creator David E. Kelley liked them too much

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12055673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="melvin-gregg" source="Orion">Melvin Gregg</keyword> plays Ben Chandler on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu's limited series</a> "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>."</li><li>The actor said an intense scene between Ben, Jessica, and Masha didn't make the final cut. </li><li>"It was a big therapy session where we had to face each other," he told Insider.</li></ul><p><em>Warning: This article contains spoilers for <keyword id="11931717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hulu" source="Orion">Hulu</keyword>'s "Nine Perfect Strangers."</em></p><p>In an attempt to salvage what's left of their marriage, Ben Chandler and Jessica Chandler shell out thousands of dollars for a 10-day getaway at a boutique wellness retreat called Tranquillum House on "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>." </p><p>After winning $22 million in the lottery, the couple (played by <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/melvin-gregg">Melvin Gregg</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/samara-weaving">Samara Weaving</a>) learns that with their vast fortune comes vast change, both in how they see themselves and each other. Jessica becomes consumed by her image and obsessed with the way others perceive her, while Ben's insecurities lead him to push his wife away. </p><p>Masha, the head of Tranquillum House (played by <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nicole-kidman">Nicole Kidman</a>), plans to get the couple to open back up to each other by dosing them with MDMA, a drug colloquially known as ecstasy. But according to Gregg, Ben and Jessica's major breakthrough didn't make the series' final cut. </p><p>"We had a big scene with Masha," he told Insider while discussing the Hulu adaptation of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Perfect-Strangers-Liane-Moriarty/dp/1250069823" rel="nofollow sponsored">Liane Moriarty's 2018 novel</a>, continuing, "It was a big therapy session where we had to face each other."</p><p>"We couldn't run from each other. I couldn't look away. She couldn't hide in her phone. We had to lay it all out, look at ourselves in the mirror, and look at each other and come to terms with who we were and where we were," he said, adding, "That was a big scene."</p><div type="image" title="samara weaving melvin gregg on nine perfect strangers" height="2272" width="3408" msid="86453294" hostid="261"></div><p>Viewers don't get a chance to watch Ben and Jessica's therapy session on the David E. Kelley series, but they do witness the couple finally discuss their feelings for each other on episode seven, "Wheels on the Bus."</p><p>While soaking in a pond with his wife, Ben says he's been wondering whether or not she would be happier without him.</p><p>"A lot of the times people really don't really know what it is they want. They might think they want a new house, new car, but what they actually want is just different," he tells her. "We think it's because of the money, or all the shit that comes with it, but maybe it's something else. Maybe it's me." </p><p>Jessica, startled at the conversation's suddenly serious turn, asks how he could think she would want to be with anyone else. </p><p>He continues, "You're not happy in the place that you're at. I'm in that place, so I don't know. Maybe it's me."</p><p>"You're so wrong," she responds with a smile.</p><p>The couple decides to renew their wedding vows, dedicated to embarking on a new chapter after they leave Tranquillum House. </p><div type="image" title="nine perfect strangers bobby cannavale melvin gregg samara weaving" height="3644" width="4859" msid="86453295" hostid="261"></div><p>Though the two young lottery winners have their share of issues, Gregg is confident that Jessica and Ben's marriage is worth saving.</p><p>"They were the ones who chose one another when they had nothing, which says a lot," the actor told Insider.</p><p>The key to getting back to a healthy relationship for Jessica and Ben, in his opinion, is viewing the money in their bank account as "icing on the cake" rather than a defining factor in their lives. </p><p>"Once they find one another again, they're going to continue to grow and get back to their place where they were before," he said, adding, "When they were happy."</p><p><em>"Nine Perfect Strangers" is currently streaming on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu</a>.</em></p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says a 'big scene' between Ben, Jessica, and Masha got cut from the show

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12055673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="melvin-gregg" source="Orion">Melvin Gregg</keyword> appears in Hulu's "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>" alongside <keyword id="11896020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nicole-kidman" source="Orion">Nicole Kidman</keyword>.</li><li>He compared watching her on set to a "master class" in acting. </li><li>"It was a pleasure to work with her, and to watch her work and watch her process," he told Insider. </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/melvin-gregg">Melvin Gregg</a> raved about his experience working with <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nicole-kidman">Nicole Kidman</a> on Hulu's "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>."</p><p>On the eight-episode David E. Kelley series, the actor, 32, assumes the role of Ben Chandler. A recent lottery winner working through marital issues, Ben and his wife (Samara Weaving) join a wellness retreat run by Masha Dmitrichenko, a Russian wellness guru played by Kidman.</p><p><strong>"</strong>It was a pleasure to work with her, and to watch her work and watch her process," Gregg told Insider, adding, "It was like a master class with her and all the other actors."</p><p>Despite Kidman's extensive list of accolades - which include Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy wins - Gregg said the actress, who also served as an executive producer on the adaption of Liane Moriarty's novel, was far from intimidating. </p><p>"She's so peaceful and zen. I don't think you can be intimidated around her. You could be intimidated going into it, but once you meet her, she would just pull you back to Earth," he said.</p><p>"Her energy is just peaceful."</p><div type="image" title="nicole kidman masha in nine perfect strangers" height="4480" width="6720" msid="86441686" hostid="261"></div><p>Throughout the five months the "Nine Perfect Strangers" cast spent filming in Byron Bay, Australia, in 2020, Kidman immersed herself in all things Masha, remaining in character behind the scenes and speaking exclusively in a Russian accent. </p><p>If someone on set called her by anything other than the character's name, she would "completely ignore them," she said during a <a href="https://www.insider.com/nicole-kidman-stayed-in-character-masha-nine-perfect-strangers-2021-8">Television Critics Association panel</a>. And when Kidman first joined the rest of the cast to begin shooting, she entered the scene clad in white, fully in character as their serene leader.</p><p>"The first day we met was when Masha walks into the ashram," actor Bobby Cannavale, who plays Tony Hogburn on the show, told <a href="https://www.insider.com/nine-perfect-strangers-bobby-cannavale-nicole-kidman-first-meeting-masha-2021-8">Insider</a>, referring to the final scene in episode one. </p><p>He continued, "Nobody had really been around her. I didn't know what she looked like. I didn't know what she was going to sound like. That was a pretty intense day."</p><div type="image" title="nicole kidman as masha in nine perfect strangers" height="4480" width="6720" msid="86441688" hostid="261"></div><p>From the moment Kidman entered the ashram for the first group scene, the actress worked to mirror Masha's calming energy around her cast members. </p><p>"I wanted a very calm healing energy to emanate all the time so I remember going over to people and sort of putting my hand on their heart, holding their hand," she said during the TCA panel.</p><p>If Kidman didn't go by Masha, adopt her accent, and mimic her demeanor even when she was off-camera, the character would have felt inauthentic, she said. Kidman followed up, "I didn't want to feel that way."</p><p><em>"Nine Perfect Strangers" is currently streaming on Hulu. </em></p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says working with Nicole Kidman was basically 'a master class' in acting

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: Spoilers ahead for episode six of "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2F2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>."</li><li>Jessica has an MDMA-induced hallucination that her nose falls off.</li><li><keyword id="12055673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="melvin-gregg" source="Orion">Melvin Gregg</keyword>, who plays Ben, told Insider he wanted to bring the prop home with him.</li></ul><p><a href="https://insider.com/category/melvin-gregg">Melvin Gregg</a> didn't keep any souvenirs from the "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>" set in Byron Bay. However, he was tempted to nab one of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/samara-weaving">Samara Weaving</a>'s prosthetics before heading back to the US.</p><p>On the David E. Kelley series' sixth episode, "Motherlode," Jessica Chandler (Weaving) and her husband Ben Chandler (Gregg) <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-microdosing-2019-1">microdose</a> MDMA, or ecstasy, at a mysterious wellness retreat called Tranquillum House.</p><p>While admiring herself in the mirror, the social media influencer has a hallucination that her nose detaches from her face and topples down into the sink. Ben eventually calms Jessica down, assuring her that her nose is still secured on her face.</p><p>After wrapping the scene, Gregg tried to keep the prop as a memento.</p><p>"I wanted Jessica's nose," the 32-year-old actor told Insider on a recent phone call, continuing, "I felt like it would be cool to put it in a little glass with some type of liquid where it floats so it just looks like a science project."</p><div type="image" title="jessica nose nine perfect strangers" height="900" width="1200" msid="86184966" hostid="261"></div><p>Gregg did not end up bringing the artificial nose with him when he left the set, but he remembers the behind-the-scenes moment with Weaving as a highlight from his time working on the adaptation of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Perfect-Strangers-Liane-Moriarty/dp/1250069823" rel="nofollow sponsored">Liane Moriarty's 2018 novel</a>.</p><h2><strong>The scene exceeded Gregg's expectations </strong></h2><p>Prior to filming the hallucination, the actors talked through their strategy to make the stressful scenario both terrifying and comical. Gregg said Weaving took the reins.</p><p>"Samara, she had the pleasure of playing with the prop, and I had to just react to her panic. I was pretty much following her lead," he explained. "It was a fun scene."</p><div type="image" title="ben and jessica nine perfect strangers" height="900" width="1200" msid="86184968" hostid="261"></div><p>Because Gregg and Weaving shot the sequence without any special effects, the actor wasn't sure how it would play out on the show. When he finally watched the episode as a viewer, the moment exceeded his expectations. </p><p>"The turnout was amazing. I wasn't sure how it would look because they had to make her entire nose disappear, but they did a great job," he said. </p><h2><strong>Weaving and Gregg shot their more intimate moments last</strong></h2><p>By the time Weaving and Gregg filmed the high-energy scene for episode six, they had already grown comfortable working together in the roles of Jessica and Ben. </p><p>The costars, who play two young, married lottery winners at Tranquillum House for couples therapy, filmed big group scenes with the rest of the "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2F2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>" cast before taking on more intimate moments between their characters.</p><p><strong><div type="image" title="samara weaving melvin gregg on nine perfect strangers" height="2272" width="3408" msid="86184970" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>"I kind of built Ben around who Jessica was, so it definitely helped to see her take on Jessica. We had the luxury of shooting a lot of our stuff last," he said.</p><p>Gregg continued, "On day one, we weren't shooting Ben and Jessica stuff. We were shooting a lot of group stuff, so we had a chance to get to know one another throughout the process before shooting a lot of couple stuff."</p><p><em>The first six episodes of "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>" are currently available to stream on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2F2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu</a>, with new episodes released weekly. </em></p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg wanted to keep Jessica's fake nose and put it in a jar, like a 'science project'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12055673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="melvin-gregg" source="Orion">Melvin Gregg</keyword> plays lottery winner Ben Chandler on <keyword id="11931717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hulu" source="Orion">Hulu</keyword>'s limited series, "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>."</li><li>The actor told Insider that the character's original wardrobe looked too inexpensive.</li><li>So, Gregg requested a makeover for Ben that would make him look like "new money."</li></ul><p>When <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/melvin-gregg">Melvin Gregg</a> joined the "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>" cast as Ben Chandler, he was prepared to portray the young lottery winner in all of his "new money" grandeur.</p><p>He envisioned the former catering truck driver (and newly minted multi-millionaire) decked out in designer labels, flashy logos, and cutting-edge trends.</p><p>"I think my interpretation was a little different than what they had initially expected," the 32-year-old told Insider.</p><p>He added: "I realized that when I looked at the wardrobe."</p><div type="image" title="ben and jessica in &quot;Nine Perfect Strangers&quot;" height="2783" width="3711" msid="86083368" hostid="261"></div><p>Gregg arrived on set in Byron Bay, Australia, in 2020 to begin shooting David E. Kelley's adaptation of Liane Moriarty's 2018 novel of the same name.</p><p>As he geared up to play Ben, who attends a luxe wellness retreat called Tranquillum House with his wife Jessica Chandler (<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/samara-weaving">Samara Weaving</a>), he found that his on-screen attire was "really played down."</p><p>"It looked like he shopped at Target," the actor said.</p><p>The juxtaposition between Ben's ostentatious yellow Lamborghini, for example, and his run-of-the-mill clothes didn't make sense to Gregg, who viewed the two details as a direct contradiction. He also reasoned that image-obsessed Jessica would never allow her husband to dress in such nondescript garments.</p><p>So, the actor decided to have an upfront conversation with the crew about his vision for Ben. </p><p>"I gave them my perspective of who Ben was and where his mind was heading, who he would be in this relationship and how he would be affected by never having money and then getting money and being with someone like Jessica, who's so much into the social scene," he said.</p><div type="image" title="samara weaving melvin gregg on nine perfect strangers" height="2272" width="3408" msid="86083369" hostid="261"></div><p>Winning the lottery after scraping by financially for years took a toll on the couple, hence their trip to Tranquillum House to heal their struggling marriage. Many of Ben and Jessica's issues, in Gregg's opinion, result from feeling a need to prove their wealth and status to the outside world, whether it be through social-media likes for aspiring influencer Jessica or high-speed sports cars for Ben. </p><p>"It's new money. New money is different from old money," Gregg said, adding, "Once you're Bill Gates, you can walk around in Target clothes, but it's new money."</p><p>After reading the "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>" script, Gregg delved into <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Perfect-Strangers-Liane-Moriarty/dp/1250069831" rel="nofollow sponsored">Moriarty's novel</a> to get more background on Jessica and Ben's relationship. The book only reaffirmed his belief that Ben would use material possessions to hide lingering feelings of inadequacy.</p><p>"When you see him, he seems like someone with success, some notoriety. But then when you get to know him, you realize that it's all a mask to hide his insecurities," Gregg said. </p><div type="image" title="nine perfect strangers bobby cannavale melvin gregg samara weaving" height="3452" width="4603" msid="86083371" hostid="261"></div><p>After considering Gregg's take on Ben, the crew went back to the drawing board for his wardrobe. Even though Gregg was successful in pushing for pricier clothing throughout the eight-episode limited series, the actor said his on-screen wardrobe bears no resemblance to his personal style. </p><p>"The clothes were a little too flashy for me. I'm not into branded designer stuff," Gregg said.</p><p>"I'm more of the Target guy."</p><p><em>"Nine Perfect Strangers" is currently available to stream on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu</a>, with new episodes released on a weekly basis. </em></p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg gave his character Ben Chandler a complete makeover when he arrived on set

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12055673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="melvin-gregg" source="Orion">Melvin Gregg</keyword> plays Ben on "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>" opposite <keyword id="11996589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="samara-weaving" source="Orion">Samara Weaving</keyword>'s Jessica.</li><li>His costar's daily transformation was so drastic that her normal appearance caught him off guard.</li><li>"I saw Jessica more than I saw Sam," he told Insider. </li></ul><p>When Melvin Gregg saw his "Nine Perfect Strangers" costar Samara Weaving out of costume, he was taken aback.</p><p>The 32-year-old, who plays Ben Chandler, had grown accustomed to seeing the Australian actress <a href="https://www.insider.com/nine-perfect-strangers-jessica-transformation-samara-weaving-cast-reaction-2021-8">as his on-screen spouse Jessica Chandler</a>, a role for which she covered her body in fake tanner, wore artificial teeth, and tightened the skin on her face using a wire.</p><p>Without the heavy makeup and prosthetics, Weaving looked like an entirely different person. </p><p>"The shock came for me after seeing Jessica every day, and then seeing Sam," Gregg told Insider.</p><p>He added, "I saw Jessica more than I saw Sam." </p><div type="image" title="samara weaving melvin gregg on nine perfect strangers" height="2272" width="3408" msid="86054115" hostid="261"></div><p>On David E. Kelley's eight-episode adaptation of <a href="https://www.insider.com/nine-perfect-strangers-show-book-differences-changes-2021-8">Liane Moriarty's 2018 novel</a>, the costars play two young lottery winners whose reality proves to be incongruous with the rags-to-riches fairy tale they imagined. </p><p>Ben is a former catering truck driver that lacks purpose after gaining the $22 million fortune overnight, and Jessica is an aspiring influencer with body dysmorphia and an all-consuming preoccupation with strangers' perceptions of her.</p><p>In an effort to save their marriage, they check into a high-end wellness retreat called Tranquillum House for couples therapy.</p><p>Before production on "Nine Perfect Strangers" commenced in Byron Bay in early 2020, the costars met up for lunch several times to get to know each other and to dig into their characters' backstories.</p><p>They joined the rest of the cast to film the large group scenes first, so Gregg said he and Weaving got comfortable playing off of each other before moving onto scenes focusing on their characters' relationship.</p><p>"I kind of built Ben around who Jessica was, so it definitely helped to see her take on Jessica," he said, adding, "We had a chance to get to know one another throughout the process before shooting a lot of couple stuff."</p><div type="image" title="melvin gregg samara weaving" height="4480" width="6720" msid="86054116" hostid="261"></div><p>But because Weaving was heavily made up from the first day on set, where the actors spent the majority of their time, Gregg quickly grew used to seeing his on-screen counterpart as Jessica - fake teeth, nails, tan, and all. </p><p>"Once we started filming, I would see her every day as Jessica and everybody would clean up before whatever, whether it be lunch or game night. She would show up as Sam and I'd be like, 'Wait, hold on,'" Gregg recalled. </p><p>To him, she looked like a "completely different person." </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSzC0U_IQEB" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Samara Weaving (@samweaving)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>The other "Nine Perfect Strangers" cast members reportedly had the opposite reaction. When Weaving walked on to the set the first time as Jessica, some of them had no idea who she was.</p><p>"No one recognized me. My phone wouldn't open when it saw my face," Weaving told <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a37300385/the-babysitter-samara-weaving-nine-perfect-strangers-transformation/">Digital Spy</a>. "Regina [Hall] didn't recognize me at all. She was like, 'Who's that?'"</p><p>Dressing up as Jessica turned out to be an experiment of sorts for Weaving, who detected a difference in the way people acted towards her when she was in costume versus out of costume. </p><p>"Everyone's reaction and their behavior shifted based on how I looked, even though they knew I wasn't Jessica," she said. "That definitely helped me because it was so interesting seeing how other people perceived her and using that, you feel on display."</p><p>The actress continued, "And just imagining that's how everyone would behave was really fascinating and made me think: 'Do we judge people based on their looks a lot more than I thought?'"</p><p>"Nine Perfect Strangers" is available to stream on Hulu, with new episodes released weekly. </p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says it was a 'shock' to see his costar Samara Weaving out of costume

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An early detail in "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>" hints at Carmel's big twist, the director told Insider. </li><li>In episode two, Carmel mentions that she worked on Broadway doing "wardrobe, hair, makeup, props."</li><li>Thanks to her stage-costuming skills, she can disguise herself as the one-eyed man in the garage. </li></ul><p><em>Warning: This article contains spoilers for "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>."</em></p><p>While guests at the boutique luxury retreat Tranquillum House wade through the forest in episode two of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu</a>'s "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>," Carmel Schneider (<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/regina-hall">Regina Hall</a>) strikes up a conversation with those around her. </p><p>"I used to work on Broadway so I've met stars, real stars. I met Alan Cumming," Carmel tells fellow retreat-goers Ben Chandler (Melvin Gregg) and Jessica Chandler (Samara Weaving). She continues, "I did wardrobe, hair, makeup, props. I kind of actually - I did it all."</p><div type="image" title="nine perfect strangers jessica ben carmel" height="3648" width="5472" msid="86454559" hostid="261"></div><p>The moment seems inconsequential, one of the many minor contextual details about the nine Tranquillum House guests interspersed throughout the show's early episodes. </p><p>But <keyword id="12159253" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jonathan-levine" source="Orion">Jonathan Levine</keyword>, the director of all eight episodes of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hulu.com%2Fseries%2Fnine-perfect-strangers-2be55e1a-4c31-4af6-aa25-e5c85528b73a" rel="nofollow sponsored">Hulu limited series</a>, recently told Insider that creator David E. Kelley purposely inserted the line of dialogue to hint at Carmel's underlying secret: Long before she checked into the retreat, she disguised herself as a one-eyed man and shot Masha, the Tranquillum House guru played by Nicole Kidman, as revenge for having an affair with her husband. </p><p>"He plants it really nicely in episode two, when he talks about how she did makeup on Broadway and did makeup for Alan Cumming," Levine said. "That was the long reveal of that."</p><div type="image" title="regina hall nine perfect strangers" height="900" width="1200" msid="86454561" hostid="261"></div><p>Because of Carmel's professional expertise in stage costuming, she's able to render herself unrecognizable to commit the crime, deflecting any suspicion from herself.</p><p>"The idea was that if the shooter only had one eye and it was a man, that's who everyone would be looking for," Levine said. "It's certainly a very specific way to shoot someone. There's something very soapy and fun about it for me."</p><p>He added: "As much as Carmel's MO is unorthodox, it was a clever way to do it for her."</p><div type="image" title="regina hall" height="900" width="1200" msid="86454565" hostid="261"></div><p>In order to keep Hall's face concealed while she's incognito, Levine was adamant about color-correcting the flashback scenes between Carmel and Masha during editing.</p><p>"I didn't want people to be looking for something," he said, explaining that he toyed around with the contrast to make the scenes "a little bit darker, a little bit lighter" until he landed on the perfect composition.</p><p>"Figuring out how to parse out those flashbacks and how to make it so it was not something you would be looking for, but it still didn't feel like a total cheat when you reveal it at the end was complicated."</p>

'Nine Perfect Strangers' director says they planted a line in episode 2 to hint at Carmel's big reveal

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11996589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="samara-weaving" source="Orion">Samara Weaving</keyword> plays Jessica Chandler on Hulu's "<keyword id="11931716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nine-perfect-strangers" source="Orion">Nine Perfect Strangers</keyword>."</li><li>Her costars didn't recognize her when she first transformed into her character, she told Digital Spy.</li><li>"My phone wouldn't open when it saw my face," Weaving said. </li></ul><p>The first day <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/samara-weaving">Samara Weaving</a> walked on the "<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nine-perfect-strangers">Nine Perfect Strangers</a>" set in costume as Jessica Chandler, she looked so different that her costars had no idea who she was.</p><p>In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a37300385/the-babysitter-samara-weaving-nine-perfect-strangers-transformation/">Digital Spy</a>, the 29-year-old Australian actress detailed the extensive process she underwent to transform into the lottery winner and social media influencer for Hulu's <a href="https://www.insider.com/nine-perfect-strangers-show-book-differences-changes-2021-8">adaptation of Liane Moriarty's 2018 novel</a>.  </p><p>"The first day of filming, when we did the camera tests, I had lots of fake tan and really long nails," she said, continuing, "I had wire pulling my face up to help give me that face lift kind of look, and fake teeth."</p><p>Weaving's drastic makeover initially sparked confusion on the "Nine Perfect Strangers" set. </p><p>"No one recognized me. My phone wouldn't open when it saw my face," she recalled. "Regina [Hall] didn't recognize me at all. She was like, 'Who's that?''"</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS-mmsfBA0M" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by [SHM] SKIN ♡ HAIR ♡ MAKEUP (@sianhowardmakeup)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>In the David E. Kelley series, Jessica checks into Tranquillum House, a holistic wellness retreat, with her husband (Melvin Gregg) in the hopes of reinvigorating their marriage. It quickly becomes clear that Jessica has <a href="https://www.insider.com/body-dysmorphia">body dysmorphia</a> and is overwhelmed with insecurities, both related to herself and her dwindling relationship. </p><p>For Weaving, physically turning into Jessica gave her newfound empathy for the character. It also made her consider the extent to which people judge others based on their looks. </p><p>"Everyone's reaction and their behavior shifted based on how I looked, even though they knew I wasn't Jessica," Weaving told Digital Spy. "That definitely helped me because it was so interesting seeing how other people perceived her and using that, you feel on display."</p><p>Working with female producers - including <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/nicole-kidman">Nicole Kidman</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/melissa-mccarthy">Melissa McCarthy</a>, and Moriarty - made the actress feel comfortable throughout the eight-episode project, she explained.</p><p>"I felt very taken care of and seen, and especially playing someone who's wearing quite risqué clothing, and I had these big fake breasts and fake bum, and being surrounded by women, I felt very safe," she said. </p><div type="image" title="nicole kidman samara weaving nine perfect strangers" height="4480" width="6720" msid="85819163" hostid="261"></div><p>Days after the first three episodes premiered on August 18, Weaving shared a behind-the-scenes video from her first day shooting with Gregg.</p><p>In the caption, she thanked makeup artist Sian Howard and hairstylist Chrissy Zemura for transforming her into Jessica. </p><p>"I still have the fake teeth if anyone wants to borrow them for Halloween," Weaving joked. </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSzC0U_IQEB" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Samara Weaving (@samweaving)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>The first four episodes of "Nine Perfect Strangers" are available to stream on Hulu, with new episodes released weekly. </p>

You Searched For "melvin gregg" and got 8 results

'Nine Perfect Strangers' director reveals they considered splitting Ben and Jessica up, but creator David E. Kelley liked them too much

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says a 'big scene' between Ben, Jessica, and Masha got cut from the show

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says working with Nicole Kidman was basically 'a master class' in acting

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg wanted to keep Jessica's fake nose and put it in a jar, like a 'science project'

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg gave his character Ben Chandler a complete makeover when he arrived on set

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Melvin Gregg says it was a 'shock' to see his costar Samara Weaving out of costume

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' director says they planted a line in episode 2 to hint at Carmel's big reveal

Claudia Willen

'Nine Perfect Strangers' star Samara Weaving's transformation into Jessica was so drastic that none of her costars recognized her

Claudia Willen