The Five Star Weekend (2026)
A beloved food influencer grappling with loss hosts four friends from different chapters of her life for a weekend in Nantucket, where hidden truths emerge and relationships evolve amid coastal luxury.
The Five Star Weekend arrives on Hayu as a warm, sunlit drama built for easy watching. Adapted from Elin Hilderbrand’s novel, the series leans into its coastal setting with full commitment. Nantucket becomes a character in its own right, with soft beaches, pastel houses and a waterfront estate that looks like it stepped out of a lifestyle magazine. The show is not trying to shock or reinvent anything. It is designed to be gentle, picturesque and emotionally steady, offering a story about friendship, reinvention and the quiet work of healing.
At the centre is Hollis Shaw, played by Jennifer Garner. Hollis is a well known food influencer whose life has been shaped by curated images and polished moments. She is someone people admire from afar, someone who seems to have everything under control. The series begins with her trying to maintain that image even as her personal life has been shaken by loss. Garner plays her with softness and restraint, showing how grief can sit quietly beneath a composed exterior. Her performance is grounded, capturing both the strength and fragility of a woman who is used to being admired but not used to being vulnerable.
The premise of the show is simple. Hollis decides to gather friends from different stages of her life for a weekend at her Nantucket home. The idea is to reconnect, reflect and find a way forward. The group that arrives is eclectic, each woman carrying her own set of challenges. The show uses this ensemble structure to explore how friendships evolve, how old wounds linger and how people change over time.
Regina Hall plays Dru Ann, Hollis’s college best friend. She is sharp, driven and facing professional pressure that weighs heavily on her. Hall brings energy and humour to the role, but she also grounds Dru Ann with emotional depth. Her chemistry with Garner is one of the strongest elements. Their scenes feel lived in, shaped by years of shared history. Dru Ann becomes the stabilising force of the group, someone who can challenge Hollis without losing compassion.
Chloë Sevigny steps into the role of Tatum, Hollis’s childhood friend who never left Nantucket. Tatum is blunt, sarcastic and not afraid to call things as she sees them. Sevigny plays her with a mix of toughness and vulnerability, making her more than just the abrasive local. Her dynamic with Dru Ann creates tension from the moment they meet. They are opposites in almost every way, and the show uses that contrast to explore how class, ambition and geography shape identity.
D’Arcy Carden plays Brooke, the suburban mom friend whose cheerful exterior hides insecurity and uncertainty. Carden brings warmth to the role, making Brooke feel relatable and human. She is chatty, anxious and eager to please, but she also has moments of clarity that reveal her emotional intelligence. She brings softness to scenes that might otherwise feel sharp.
Gemma Chan plays Gigi, the newcomer to the group. She is an airline pilot who connected with Hollis online. Gigi arrives with mystery surrounding her, and Chan plays her with quiet elegance. She is calm, observant and slightly distant, adding a different energy to the ensemble. Her presence raises questions about how friendships form in the digital age, and how grief can create unexpected bonds.
The show also includes Hollis’s daughter, Caroline, played by Harlow Jane. Caroline is navigating her own emotional landscape and struggling with her relationship with her mother. Their dynamic is strained, shaped by Hollis’s tendency to avoid difficult emotions. The series sets up an exploration of the costs of always appearing composed; how it affects her friendships, her parenting and her ability to heal. The show treats this gently, showing how perfection can become a barrier rather than a strength.
The setting plays a major role in the series. The waterfront estate is stunning, with airy rooms, soft colours and views that look like postcards. It is the kind of house that feels almost unreal, but it fits the tone of the show. The environment is designed to soothe, to create a sense of luxury and calm, contrasting the inner turmoil that isa building inside. The cinematography leans into this, offering wide shots of beaches, gardens and sunlit interiors. It is visually pleasant, even if not particularly bold.
The tone of the show is mild and approachable. It is not trying to reinvent the genre. Instead, it offers a familiar structure: a group of women with different personalities, each facing personal challenges, brought together by a shared connection. The conflicts are gentle rather than explosive. Tensions simmer, misunderstandings arise and secrets linger beneath the surface. It is designed to be a comfort watch, something you can enjoy without bracing for intensity.
The first episode sets up the emotional stakes without rushing. We learn that each woman is carrying something heavy. Grief, career trouble, jealousy, insecurity, health concerns and relationship issues all sit quietly in the background. The show hints that these threads will eventually collide, but it does so with patience. It builds character depth slowly, allowing the audience to understand each woman before the drama unfolds.
The writing draws clear lines between the characters. They are not deeply complex, but they are distinct enough to feel memorable. The performances elevate the material, adding nuance where the script is simple. The ensemble works well together, creating a sense of real connection even when the characters clash.
Overall, The Five Star Weekend is a gentle, sunlit drama that offers comfort rather than shock. It is picturesque, easy to watch and emotionally steady. The cast carries the show with charm and sincerity, and the Nantucket setting adds a layer of escapism. It is not trying to be groundbreaking. It is trying to be pleasant, warm and relatable. And in that goal, it succeeds.
The Five-Star Weekend is an 8-episode drama series premiering in New Zealand exclusively on Hayu on July 10, 2026
Review written by Alex Moulton
