So, you’re scrolling through Netflix or Prime on a rainy Tuesday and Home Again pops up. You see Reese Witherspoon looking impeccably sun-kissed in a white linen shirt, and you think, "Wait, who were those three guys again?"
Honestly, that’s the magic of this movie. It’s a total Nancy Meyers-adjacent fever dream—directed by her daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer—where the houses are gorgeous, the problems are "rich-person problems," and the home again movie cast carries the weight of a plot that is basically a cozy blanket in cinematic form.
When it hit theaters in 2017, critics were... let's just say, divided. Some called it a "whitebread farce," while others leaned into the "coastal grandmother" aesthetic before that was even a TikTok trend. But looking back at it now in 2026, the cast feels like a perfect time capsule of talent.
The Powerhouse at the Center: Reese Witherspoon as Alice Kinney
You can’t talk about this movie without starting with Reese. She plays Alice Kinney, a woman hitting the big 4-0 who has just moved back to Los Angeles after separating from her husband.
Alice is the daughter of a legendary (fictional) filmmaker, John Kinney. She lives in his old house—which, by the way, is the real star of the film for anyone into interior design. Reese brings that specific "Type A trying to stay chill" energy she’s perfected. She isn’t playing the gritty version of a divorcee we saw in Wild or the high-strung Madeline Martha Mackenzie from Big Little Lies. She’s softer here. Vulnerable.
She makes you believe that a woman with two kids would actually let three random guys she met at a bar sleep in her guest house. In anyone else's hands, that premise is a 911 call. With Reese, it’s a lifestyle choice.
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The Three "Houseguests": Who Were These Guys?
The movie lives or dies on the chemistry between Alice and the three aspiring filmmakers who move into her guest cottage. It’s an unlikely quartet that somehow functions as a family unit.
Pico Alexander as Harry Dorsey
Pico Alexander is the romantic lead, Harry. He’s the one Alice actually has the fling with. He’s got that specific kind of "I’m 27 and I think I’m the next Scorsese" confidence.
At the time, Pico was a relatively fresh face, though you might recognize him now from The Starling Girl or Catch-22. In Home Again, he has to balance being a charming love interest with being a slightly immature guy who doesn't quite know how to handle Alice’s complicated life. The age gap was a huge talking point when the movie came out, but honestly? Pico plays it with enough sincerity that it doesn't feel creepy—just complicated.
Nat Wolff as Teddy
Nat Wolff plays Teddy, the brother/lead actor of the trio. If you feel like you’ve seen him everywhere, it’s because you have. From The Fault in Our Stars to The Stand, Wolff is a veteran of the "earnest young man" genre.
In this home again movie cast, he’s the emotional glue. He’s the one who bonds with Alice’s kids and fixes her tech issues. He brings a groundedness that the movie desperately needs when the plot gets a bit too "Hollywood fantasy."
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Jon Rudnitsky as George
Then there’s Jon Rudnitsky as George, the screenwriter. If Harry is the looks and Teddy is the heart, George is the brains. Interestingly, George is the one who forms the most touching bond with Alice’s daughter, Isabel, over their shared love of writing.
Rudnitsky came off a stint on Saturday Night Live right before this, and you can see that comedic timing in how he plays George’s social awkwardness. He’s arguably the "catch" of the group, even if he isn't the primary love interest.
The Supporting Players: Legends and Scene Stealers
The secondary cast is where the movie gets its "prestige" feel.
- Michael Sheen (Austen): He plays Alice's estranged husband, a New York record producer who shows up mid-movie to reclaim his territory. Sheen is brilliant because he plays Austen as a guy who is annoying but not a villain. You get why they’re separated, but you also see the history.
- Candice Bergen (Lillian Stewart): She plays Alice’s mother and a former actress. Bergen is a legend for a reason. She gets the best lines and brings a much-needed dry wit to the sugary sweetness of the film. She’s the one who actually suggests the boys stay in the guest house.
- Lake Bell (Zoey): She has a smaller role as a high-strung client of Alice’s interior design business. It’s a bit of a thankless role, but Bell makes it hilarious.
Why the Chemistry Actually Works (Despite the Reviews)
Look, this isn't Citizen Kane. It's a "comfort watch."
The reason people still talk about the home again movie cast is that they actually liked each other. During the press tour and in behind-the-scenes interviews, the actors talked about how they’d go to Reese’s house for Sunday brunches and how Nancy Meyers was on set every day helping her daughter.
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That warmth translates to the screen. When you see them all sitting around that big outdoor table—which is peak Meyers aesthetic—it feels like a real, albeit weird, family.
Factual Breakdown of the Primary Cast
| Actor | Character | Role in the Story |
|---|---|---|
| Reese Witherspoon | Alice Kinney | The protagonist/mother |
| Pico Alexander | Harry Dorsey | The young director/love interest |
| Nat Wolff | Teddy | The actor/tech support |
| Jon Rudnitsky | George | The screenwriter/emotional core |
| Michael Sheen | Austen | The ex-husband |
| Candice Bergen | Lillian Stewart | The grandmother/former star |
Does it hold up in 2026?
Kinda, yeah.
We’ve moved into an era where "found family" stories are huge, and Home Again was doing that in a very specific, wealthy, West LA kind of way. The movie handles the "younger man/older woman" trope without making it a joke or a tragedy, which was actually pretty ahead of its time.
The biggest criticism—that it’s unrealistic—still stands. Nobody’s life is this well-lit. Nobody’s kids are this well-adjusted to three strangers moving in. But that’s why we watch it. We want the fantasy.
What to Watch Next if You Loved This Cast
If you’ve just finished a rewatch and want more of that specific energy, here are your next steps:
- For more Reese: Check out The Morning Show if you want her "boss" energy, or Sweet Home Alabama if you want to stay in the rom-com zone.
- For the "Three Guys" Dynamic: Nat Wolff is excellent in the series The Consultant if you want something darker, and Pico Alexander was recently in The Starling Girl, which shows a much more serious side of his acting.
- For the Aesthetic: You have to go back to the source. Watch It’s Complicated or Something’s Gotta Give. These are the blueprints for the world Alice Kinney lives in.
The home again movie cast managed to take a story that could have been a tabloid headline and turned it into a sweet, enduring story about what it means to start over at 40. Whether you’re here for the romance or just the kitchen island, it remains a staple of the "feel-good" genre.