Hollywood star Nicole Kidman was reported to have been seen boarding a private jet in Sydney, Australia, on August 12 – her destination Hong Kong, where she will start work on drama series Expats . Where the Australian actress could be quarantining is unknown. The Amazon Prime Video series, based on the 2016 book The Expatriates by Hong Kong-born author Janice Y.K. Lee , explores the lives of three American women living the high life in a tight-knit expat community in the city. It’s creating some buzz thanks to the involvement of Kidman, who is the executive producer; her production company Blossom Films, founded in 2010, is behind the show. Whether the Australian actress will also appear in front of the camera is not known. On board as writer, director and fellow executive producer in her first foray into television is Beijing-born Lulu Wang, director of 2019 hit The Farewell starring Awkwafina . When Expats was announced in 2018, Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke was quoted on the entertainment news website Deadline as saying that Lee’s story “weaves an addictive tapestry that follows a group of complex women and their lives as outsiders in Hong Kong. It’s a compelling exploration of the strength of these women as they persevere through struggles with marriage, career, parenting and unimaginable loss”. While some might view the characters’ privileged lives – shaped by cocktail parties and charity lunches – as somewhat tone deaf given the current political climate, the six-part series is likely to strike a chord – maybe an uncomfortable one for those who find themselves relating to the drama. Who is Janice Y.K. Lee? The Hong Kong author, born to Korean immigrant parents, had a flying start in the literary world. Her 2009 debut novel, The Piano Teacher , set in 1940s and ’50s Hong Kong and detailing the tangled love affairs of Englishman Will Truesdale, was a bestseller. It spent 19 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into 24 languages. Her follow-up novel The Expatriates also got rave reviews. “A female, funny Henry James in Asia, Janice Y.K. Lee is vividly good on the subject of Americans abroad,” wrote The New York Times Book Review. Lee attended Hong Kong International School and left for America at age 15 to attend Harvard University. Today, she lives in New York with her author husband and four children. Who is in the television series? One of the first actors cast in Expats was Ji-young Yoo: the American-Korean actress will play Columbia graduate Mercy Cho, a New Yorker with a carefree attitude who lands in Hong Kong – and in a lot of trouble – when her dubious past catches up with her. US actress Sarayu Blue, whose television credits include Grey’s Anatomy and Veep , was cast in the role of Hilary Starr, a wealthy housewife in a rocky marriage and who is desperate for a child but has difficulties conceiving. Playing Hilary’s husband, David, is Jack Huston, whose feature films include American Hustle , Hail, Caesar! , The Irishman , and who has had television roles in shows including Boardwalk Empire , Mr Mercedes and Fargo . Who will play the role of Margaret Reade, an architect turned full-time mother and one of the main characters, is unknown. Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here .