Social Media is Crushing on Luke Evans after 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Breaks Hulu Viewership Records
Three episodes of "Nine Perfect Strangers" dropped on Hulu last week and Luke Evans is now is trending on social media.
The show debuted to the highest ratings in Hulu's history, Deadline reports. Noting that it is difficult to get exact metrics from streaming services concerning their ratings, the show "was the most-watched Hulu original ever — drama, comedy, limited series or unscripted — on premiere day as well as after five days on the service. That includes all seasons of 'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'The Act,' and others."
"Nine Perfect Strangers" was adapted from "Big Little Lies" author Liane Moriarty's latest book of the same name and was created and developed by David E. Kelley, who performed a similar task with the HBO hit show, that also starred Nicole Kidman.
The Welch-born, 42-year-old actor is one member of an all-star ensemble led by Kidman as a mysterious, New Age guru named Masha Dmitrichenko who runs a deluxe retreat for personal growth and change. She invites nine individuals to her wellness center for a 10-day program that she promises will change them irrevocably. But three episodes in, the question is just what her motives are and if this intensive regimen is an exercise in mind-control on her part.
Joining Evans and Kidman in the starry ensemble are Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall and Michael Shannon. With just a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the show has largely mixed reviews, but the New York Times put it best: " Even though episodes debut through Sept. 22, "Nine" is a quintessential summer show, soapy and fancy if inconsequential."
Of the guests, the one Kidman is the most concerned about is Lars, played by Evans in what is the first time the out actor is playing an out character. (While some suspect Gaston — the role he played in the live-action version of "Beauty and the Beast" is gay — it has never been confirmed. It may be in the film's upcoming sequel.)
Kidman has reason to suspect Evans. He had snuck an Apple Watch into the technology-banned environment and appears to have an agenda that's yet to be revealed. But whatever Lars motives are, Evans is getting quite a bit of social media attention for the show.
"3 episodes in to Nine Perfect Strangers and I've got a crush on Luke Evans."
Another wrote, "In other news I'm very happy Luke Evans is finally playing a gay. Visibility matters."
Another described him as a "snack."
"I love this series I started to watch it and it is impossible not to get hooked Luke is impressive, everyone is," another person gushed.
Lars hasn't endeared himself to the other guests, including one moment (spoiler alert) when another guest, xxx, lunges at him from across a table.
Another wrote, saying that Gaston didn't count as a gay character. "I've been waiting so long for Luke Evans to play a character like this omg . Gaston did not count!!!"
One person was ambivalent about the show, but found Evans and Bobby Cannavale the show's hook.
Gay media outlet Pink News all but swooned. "The internet is thirsting so, so hard over Luke Evans in Nine Perfect Strangers: 'it's like a fever dream'"
Another posted a pic from the show of a lit candle with Evans meditating in the background. On the candle they wrote, "LARS LEE. We complement each others demons."
While one Twitter user wondered about the moment when Lars used the derogatory term "breeders" to describe straight people and complain about overpopulation, and told "no wonder you are single."
Others responded to Evans use of the term.
One user who read the Liane Moriarty novel on which the nine-episode series is based observed how it was veering from the novel, especially with Evans' character.
While one user put it simply: "Luke Evans is on Nine Perfect Strangers. I've no other reason not to watch"