‘The Family Stone’ sequel adds ‘Hacks’ star in exciting new role
Jean Smart is now part of the cast of ‘The Families Stone,’ the follow-up to Searchlight Pictures’ 2005 holiday movie, ‘The Family Stone.’ Smart will play Kelly Stone’s (Craig T. Nelson) new romantic interest. Kelly introduces her to his family during Christmas, two decades after Sybil Stone, the family matriarch, passed away. Diane Keaton originally played Sybil in the first film, and she died last October. According to Searchlight’s official description, the Stone family gathers for Christmas and encounters “the season’s biggest surprise” when their father introduces his new partner.
Much of the beloved original cast is returning alongside Smart. Claire Danes takes on the role of Julie Morton, while Rachel McAdams plays Amy Stone. Dermot Mulroney returns as Everett Stone, and Sarah Jessica Parker plays Meredith Morton again. Luke Wilson, on the other hand, reprises his role as Ben Stone. Tyrone Giordano, Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider, and Brian White are also stepping back into their roles as Thad Stone, Susannah Stone, Brad Stevenson, and Patrick Thomas, respectively. Tom Bezucha is at the helm once again as he takes on both writing and directing duties.
Smart’s casting comes weeks after she won her fifth Emmy for her role as Deborah Vance on ‘Hacks,’ a series that ended this year. This marks her first significant film role since her Emmy win. She is also set to star in Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Egg Baby,’ a romantic comedy that also stars Ariana Greenblatt. Meanwhile, the name of Smart’s character remains undisclosed. Searchlight has also kept most plot details under wraps beyond the official summary. The news comes shortly after the studio announced ‘The Families Stone’ last month, when the returning ensemble cast was first revealed.
The original film ‘The Family Stone’ tells the story of Everett Stone introducing his girlfriend Meredith to his family during the holiday season. This visit uncovers shifting family dynamics and reveals Sybil’s terminal illness. Over time, the movie became a beloved holiday classic. Now, two decades later, Searchlight aims to revisit that world with ‘The Families Stone.’
