Jean Smart joins cast of ‘The Families Stone’ sequel

Emmy-winning actress Jean Smart has joined the cast of ‘The Families Stone’, the sequel to the 2005 holiday comedy ‘The Family Stone’. Searchlight Pictures announced that Smart will play the new love interest of family patriarch Kelly Stone, played by Craig T. Nelson.

The sequel takes place twenty years after the death of the family matriarch, Sybil Stone, a role originally played by Diane Keaton, who passed away in October 2025. The plot follows the Stone family as they reunite for Christmas, only to be surprised when Kelly introduces his new partner to the group.

Most of the original ensemble is set to return, including Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider, and Brian White. Tom Bezucha, who wrote and directed the original film, is returning to write and direct the sequel. Principal photography is scheduled to begin this fall in New York.