Jean Smart Cast in 'The Families Stone' After Fifth Emmy Win
Five-time Emmy winner Jean Smart joins 'The Families Stone,' reuniting the full 'Family Stone' cast minus the late Diane Keaton. Shooting starts this fall in New York.
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- Jean Smart joins 'The Families Stone' after her fifth-straight and final Emmy win for 'Hacks.'
- The sequel to the 2005 film 'The Family Stone' reunites the entire original cast, minus the late Diane Keaton.
- The original film grossed $92 million globally for 20th Century Fox in 2005.
- Principal photography on the sequel begins this fall in New York.
- Smart's last film roles were in 2022's 'Babylon' and 'Wildflower.'
Jean Smart has landed her first role since wrapping "Hacks" — and it sends her back to the big screen for the first time in three years. Fresh off her fifth consecutive Emmy win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy, Smart will join "The Families Stone," the sequel to the 2005 holiday cult classic "The Family Stone," which reunites the entire original cast.
Searchlight Pictures will release the new film, set 20 years after the original and built around the death of Diane Keaton's character, Sybil Stone. Keaton passed away last October. In the sequel, Craig T. Nelson's character unexpectedly brings home the new woman he has fallen in love with for Christmas, and Smart will play that new woman. Principal photography begins this fall in New York.
Who is returning for the sequel?
Nearly everyone from the 2005 film is back, reprising their original roles:
- Claire Danes
- Rachel McAdams
- Dermot Mulroney
- Craig T. Nelson
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Luke Wilson
- Tyrone Giordano
- Elizabeth Reaser
- Paul Schneider
- Brian White
Writer-director Tom Bezucha also returns. "The Family Stone" was only his second feature, following "Big Eden." He has since directed "Monte Carlo," "Let Him Go" and several episodes of "Fargo," the latter earning him an Emmy nomination.
Michael London and Shannon Gaulding produce for Groundswell Productions. Sarah Jessica Parker produces alongside Alison Benson under their Pretty Matches Productions banner. At Searchlight, SVP of Production Taylor Friedman and Creative Executive Daniel Yu oversee the project, reporting to Heads of Production and Development DanTram Nguyen and Katie Goodson-Thomas.
Why does this role matter for Smart?
The casting marks Smart's return to film after a notable gap. Her last starring film roles came in 2022, with Damien Chazelle's "Babylon" and "Wildflower." Her earlier screen credits include "Garden State" and "Sweet Home Alabama." She is also attached to "Egg Baby," a romantic comedy from Amazon MGM Studios.
The fifth Emmy — her final one for "Hacks," which concluded its run — capped a streak that made Smart one of the most decorated comedy actresses on television. Moving from a career-peak television role straight into an ensemble family comedy opposite returning stars like Parker and McAdams signals how quickly her film stock has risen.
What does 'The Families Stone' build on?
The original "The Family Stone," released by 20th Century Fox in 2005, grossed $92 million globally. The film became a cozy holiday staple, following an uptight businesswoman, played by Parker, meeting her boyfriend's eccentric and often judgmental family for the first time.
The sequel shifts the premise: the family now gathers around Sybil Stone's passing, and Smart's newcomer enters as Nelson's love interest, inverting the outsider-meets-the-Stones dynamic that drove the first film.
Where does this leave Searchlight?
The studio has had a quiet 2026 so far, releasing only "Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come" and "Super Troopers 3." Later this year it brings "Wild Horse Nine," the new film from director Martin McDonagh, which just premiered at Telluride and has generated Oscar buzz for star John Malkovich.
With "The Families Stone" heading into production this fall in New York, Smart's casting gives Searchlight a high-profile, cast-forward title to anchor its slate beyond 2026.
Original: pmc.com
