Gear up for the holiday season with the upcoming teen drama My Life with the Walter Boys. Based on the bestselling Wattpad novel by Ali Novak, the 10-episode series adaptation follows fifteen-year-old Jackie (Nikki Rodriguez), who’s spent much of her young years as a New Yorker with a promising academic future.
But when a tragic accident causes her to lose her entire family, she’s forced to leave the bright lights of Manhattan to the more subtle and rustic small-town Colorado with her guardian Katherine’s ten boisterous kids. A story about love and loss, My Life with the Walter Boys is a moving series that teaches us how coping with grief isn’t always a smooth sailing journey, and always to make room for newer, and possibly, better things in life.
Here’s everything we know so far about My Life with the Walter Boys.
When Is ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ Coming Out?
All 10 episodes of My Life with the Walter Boys premiere exclusively on Netflix on December 7th, 2023.
Watch on Netflix
‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ Official Trailer
“My whole life was in New York.” Fifteen-year-old Manhattanite Jackie (Rodriguez) has the next few years cut out for her in New York City. But after a tragic accident that caused her to lose her family, she has no other choice but to relocate to rural Colorado to live with her guardian, Katherine, and the boisterous Walter family. Jackie found it difficult to move from the city to the country, especially because her entire family and her plans had vanished. As Jackie learns to move past the life she’s lost, she is on the road to embracing the new things coming forth into her life — including two of the Walter boys.
Who Stars in ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’?
My Life with the Walter Boys stars Nikki Rodriguez as Jackie, a 15-year-old New Yorker who has a very bright future in front of her. Interested in AP classes, ballet, and theater, the preppy teenager has her future college guaranteed at Princeton. But all that changed when tragedy struck her family, forcing her to leave her life in the city and move to the countryside. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, nothing’s going to stop her from achieving what she wants in life.
The two main Walter boys are Noah LaLonde as Cole Walter and Ashby Gentry as Alex Walter. Cole is the athletic one of the Walter brothers. With promising potential in football, his world comes crashing down after an accident, spiraling him into a troubled path. While Cole is into sports, Alex is more interested in “nerdy” things like Star Wars and fantasy novels.
Get ready for the rest of the Walter family. Connor Stanhope plays Danny Walter, Cole’s fraternal twin who’s also invested in the theater world. Johnny Link plays the eldest Walter brother, Will, who has difficulty hearing and requires hearing aids. A recent college grad with a job in real estate, the ‘more mature’ Walter brother is one of the first to welcome Jackie into her new home. Corey Fogelmanis plays Nathan, the groovy musician of the Walter boys, while Dean Petriw plays Jordan, the artsy filmmaker who couldn’t care less about the family’s shenanigans. Lennix James plays the youngest, Walter Benny. Alix West Lefier plays Parker, the only girl in the Walter household who’s not the most excited about having a sister.
Playing the Walter parents are Sarah Rafferty as Dr. Katherine Walter, who was once best friends with Jackie’s late mother. Her husband George, a gruff-looking rancher with a heart of gold, is played by Marc Blucas.
Joining the rest of the cast are Zoë Soul as Will’s fiancé, Haley Young, Alisha Newton as popular girl Erin, Jaylan Evans and Ashley Holliday Tavares as Jackie’s new friends Skylar Summerhill and Grace, Ashley Holliday Tavares as school counselor Tara, Moheb Jindran as English and drama teacher Nikhil, Mya Lowe as Alex’s best friend Kiley, and Gabrielle Jacinto as Erin’s misguided best friend Olivia.
What Is ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ About?
My Life with the Walter Boys is a coming-of-age tale revolving around city girl Jackie (Rodriguez). After spending most of her life in the fast-paced world of Manhattan, 15-year-old Jackie’s life takes a shocking turn when she loses her family in an unexpected accident. Jackie is now left in the care of her guardian Katherine, who happens to be her mother’s best friend. The only problem is that Jackie must leave her privileged New York lifestyle for the much more rural small town of Silver Falls, Colorado. To make matters worse, Jackie has to live with Katherine’s 10 kids, which she’s raising with her husband George.
While getting used to the countryside, Jackie worked hard to get into her dream university: Princeton. But who knew this quiet town had its own set of boisterous distractions, specifically two very different Walter brothers: the introverted Alex (Gentry) and the misunderstood Cole (LaLonde). It seems silly that a bunch of boys might potentially alter the course of her future. But at the end of the day, with all the new changes around her, Jackie’s simply trying to be herself no matter what. A story of “love and loss, grief, and rebirth”, it’s a heartwarming story that’s both comically funny and emotionally healing.
Check out the official novel synopsis for My Life with the Walter Boys:
Moving in with eleven boys was not part of her plan.
Jackie’s goal is perfection—the perfect grades, the perfect look, getting into the perfect school. If she can achieve that, then maybe her too-busy mom and dad will take notice. But when her parents die in a tragic accident, Jackie is shipped across the country to live with the Walters, her new guardians…who just happen to have eleven sons (and a daughter who is basically one of the boys).
The Walter boys are loud, dirty, annoying—okay, some of the older boys might be Greek-god-level hot—but they don’t think a city girl belongs on their horse ranch. How is Jackie supposed to fit in to their chaotic world when she needs to keep her parents’ memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?
But as Jackie spends more time with the Walter boys, she begins to wonder if being perfect isn’t the only way to find love after all.
Who Is Making ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’?
Novak is the award-winning author behind the contemporary YA novel ‘My Life with the Walter Boys.’ Having written it when she was only fifteen, My Life with the Walter Boys is Novak’s debut book, which has received more than 150 million reads online.
Working on the novel’s series adaptation is Melanie Halsall, whose previous work also includes Netflix’s The Kissing Booth trilogy, which she joined as executive producer together with Ed Glauser. On top of being the show’s creator, Halsall also serves as showrunner. Joining the writing team are Halsall herself, Jordan Ross Schindler, Jonathon Roessler, Tawnya Bhattacharya and Ali Laventhol, Jesikah Suggs, Kelsey Barrey, and Grace Condon. Directing the 10-episode series, includes Jerry Ciccoritti, Nimisha Mukerji, Winnifred Jong, and Priestley.
