Picture credits: Alamy
Jared Padalecki and Leighton Meester will star in Netflix’s newest romantic comedy film, Guarding Stars, with filming set to begin in December 2025. Padalecki will play the role of a film star, who, after being stalked, is assigned a bodyguard, played by Meester, and must pretend that she’s his girlfriend when he returns to his family’s ranch for the holidays. Filming wrapped in March 2026, and it is set for release on Netflix in late 2026.
Guarding Stars (formerly The Bodyguard) is an upcoming Netflix Original romantic-comedy film directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum (Ginny & Georgia) and written by Grant Scharbo, Richard Keith, and Erin Cardillo, and adapted from the novel of the same name by author Katherine Center, first published in 2022.
The project has been simmering away for quite some time, with Netflix optioning the novel in 2024. This marks Center’s second major Netflix adaptation following 2023’s Happiness for Beginners, which featured Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes.
Gina Matthews (13 Going on 30) is producing through her production company, Little Engine Productions. Readymade Productions and Tremblant Productions are also producing the film. Genevieve Padalecki (Supernatural) is also listed as a producer.
What is the plot of Guarding Stars?
The plot is as follows:
“When straight-laced executive protection agent Hannah Brooks is reeling from a breakup and her mother’s death, her Houston-based security firm assigns her an unusual job: guarding Hollywood’s most famous heartthrob, Jack Stapleton. Once the world’s favorite action star, Jack has retreated to his family’s Montana ranch after a scandal and a tragedy left him wary of the public eye. Jack doesn’t want his ailing mother, Sally Stapleton, to know about a stalker threatening him, so he insists Hannah pose as his girlfriend rather than his bodyguard. Thrust into close quarters, Hannah must juggle her professional instincts with the warmth of Jack’s family—and the disarming kindness of the man she’s meant to protect. As the danger escalates and secrets surface, Hannah must decide whether to keep her heart locked down or risk it all for a man who might be far more than a client. “
Notably, the location of the plot has been altered for the adaptation, with the novel set in Texas and the film in Montana.
Picture: Amazon
Who are the cast members of Guarding Stars?
The two lead cast members listed for the film are Jared Padalecki and Leighton Meester.
Jared Padalecki will play the role of Jack Stapleton. He is most well-known for starring as Sam Winchester, amongst various other characters, in The CW’s beloved fantasy-drama series Supernatural. He’s also due to star alongside his fellow Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles in the fifth and final season of Amazon Prime’s The Boys. Padalecki is also known for his role as Cordell Walker on The CW’s crime drama Walker.
Picture: Jared Padalecki in Supernatural (left), Walker (center), and Fire Country (right)
Leighton Meester will play the role of Hannah Brooks. The actress played the lead role in The CW’s hit romantic drama series Gossip Girl. She has starred in shows such as The Orville, Good Cop/Bad Cop, and, most recently, The Buccaneers. For Netflix, she previously voiced Sasha in My Father’s Dragon and will also appear in the upcoming second season of Nobody Wants This.
Picture: Leighton Meester
The rest of the cast members for the film are:
- Andie MacDowell (Groundhog Day).
- Toby Sandeman (The Royals).
- Siobhan Williams (The Quarry) as Ella Mae.
- Noah LaLonde (My Life with the Walter Boys).
- CM Punk (Girl on the Third Floor) as Doghouse.
- Zoe Kosovic (The Smashing Machine) as Clementine.
- Rachael Ancheril (Star Trek: Discovery).
- William Kosovic (Sharp Corner) as Young Drew.
- Giles Panton (The Man in the High Castle) as Jesse.
- Ryan Mah (Avatar: The Last Airbender) as Avram.
- Greg Lawson (Dawn Anna) as Glen.
- Ava Max (Scoob!).
- Annabel Beams (Faultline) as Cowgirl.
- Phil Brooks (Go Girls).
- Walker Hayes (The Paranormals)
What is the production status of Guarding Stars?
Filming for Guarding Stars began in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on December 4, 2025, and officially wrapped by February 17, 2026. Post-production for the movie began on March 13, 2026.
Filming also took place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
When is the Netflix release date for Guarding Stars?
It has been confirmed that Guarding Stars will be released on Netflix sometime in Late 2026. Which means, as a Christmas rom-com, we will see the film released in either November or December 2026.
ProductionWeekly was first to report on the castings on September 17th. Netflix declined to comment.
Are you looking forward to watching Guarding Stars on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
