Netflix is getting into the holiday spirit with the release of the first trailer for its upcoming romantic film Guarding Stars, starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki.
Inspired by Katherine Center’s bestselling 2022 novel The Bodyguard, the movie follows Hannah Brooks (Meester), a highly skilled and no-nonsense bodyguard who is assigned to protect Hollywood action star Jack Stapleton (Padalecki) from a stalker while he travels to Montana to spend the holidays with his family.
Things quickly take an unexpected turn when Jack proposes that they pretend to be a couple so his family won’t discover he needs a bodyguard. As expected in a classic fake-dating romance, the arrangement soon becomes far more complicated as the boundaries between their act and their real feelings begin to disappear.
The newly released trailer opens with an awkward first meeting between Hannah and Jack. Doubting her abilities, Jack tells her, “For you to get me on the ground would be impossible,” only for Hannah to pin him down within seconds. Surprised by what just happened, he responds, “That was badass.”
Although Hannah admits she has never watched any of Jack’s movies and Jack jokes that she doesn’t seem to “get out much,” the pair must quickly learn to work together and make their fake relationship convincing enough to fool his family.
The film also features Andie MacDowell, Noah LaLonde, Walker Hayes, Toby Sandeman, Rachael Ancheril, Shaun Johnston, Phil Brooks and pop star Ava Max.
Guarding Stars is directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum from a screenplay by Erin Cardillo, Richard Keith, Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo.
Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, Allen explained what attracted her to the project: “I began paying close attention to BookTok culture around the success of my last Netflix film, Purple Hearts. The overwhelming enthusiasm on social media and with readers for Katherine Center’s novel was a major factor in my decision to come on board as director. It’s been amazing to work closely with Katherine so far and to see her so excited about moving her witty story about a no-nonsense bodyguard [for] an A-list actor into the holiday season. It makes the most gorgeous backdrop for the sparks that fly between them to be even brighter.”
Robin Fisichella serves as executive producer, while Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo produce through Little Engine Productions alongside Jared and Genevieve Padalecki for Living in the Asterisk.
Guarding Stars premieres on Netflix on November 18.
