Premiering April 27, 2025, on CNN, My Happy Place isn’t just a travel series—it’s an emotional odyssey. Each episode features a star-studded roster of hosts—Alan Cumming, Simu Liu, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Billy Porter, and Questlove—guiding viewers to locations that shaped their lives. From childhood haunts to career-defining spots, these icons share intimate stories, blending wanderlust with vulnerability. Let’s explore the lives of these hosts and the places that made them.
Full Cast of My Happy Place
1. Alan Cumming
Born on January 27, 1965, in Aberfeldy, Scotland, Alan Cumming is a Tony-winning actor, author, and activist whose career spans stage (Cabaret), film (GoldenEye), and TV (The Good Wife). Raised in a strict household, Cumming found escape in the Scottish Highlands, a landscape he’s revisited in his memoir Not My Father’s Son. His advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and mental health—rooted in his own struggles—adds depth to his storytelling, making him a poignant guide for My Happy Place.
Cumming’s episodes delve into his dual identities: the rural tranquility of Scotland and the glittering chaos of New York, where he became a U.S. citizen in 2008. Recently, he’s hosted PBS’s Masterpiece and launched a podcast about reinvention. For the series, he returns to his family’s farm, reconciling past pain with present peace—a journey as raw and riveting as his art.
2. Simu Liu
Toronto-born Simu Liu (April 19, 1989) skyrocketed from accountant to Marvel’s Shang-Chi (2021), but his journey began in Harbin, China, where he lived until immigrating at age five. In My Happy Place, Liu revisits his parents’ modest Toronto neighborhood, reflecting on sacrifice and the immigrant dream. His humor and candor, showcased in his memoir We Were Dreamers, make him a relatable narrator for universal themes of belonging.
Beyond acting, Liu champions Asian representation, producing projects like Simu Liu’s Quest for Quebec (2024). His episode also spotlights Seoul’s bustling film districts, where he filmed Kim’s Convenience, a role that changed his life. Up next, he stars in Arthur the King (2024), but My Happy Place reveals the man behind the hero—a storyteller bridging cultures.
3. Taraji P. Henson
Born September 11, 1970, in Washington, D.C., Taraji P. Henson’s rise from single mother to Oscar nominee (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Empire icon is legendary. In the series, she returns to her hometown’s Barry Farm, a historic Black community where her resilience was forged. Her nonprofit, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, addressing mental health in Black communities, underscores her commitment to uplifting roots.
Henson’s episodes blend glitz and grit: she strolls Hollywood’s Walk of Fame but also visits the D.C. school where she first performed. Fresh off hosting SNL and producing Time Alone (2024), a film about incarceration, she uses My Happy Place to celebrate “the villages” that raised her—a theme echoing her mantra: “Never forget where you came from.”
4. Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer (born May 25, 1970, in Montgomery, Alabama) grew up in the segregated South, a backdrop that fuels her advocacy and art. The Oscar winner (The Help, Hidden Figures) guides viewers to Montgomery’s civil rights landmarks and her favorite bookshops in New Orleans, where she filmed Truth Be Told. Her warmth and wit, honed in childhood storytelling with siblings, make her episodes feel like cozy conversations.
Spencer’s production company, Orit Entertainment, amplifies marginalized voices, mirroring her journey from studio assistant to powerhouse. Recently, she narrated The Enfield Poltergeist (2023) and launched a children’s book series. In My Happy Place, she shares how libraries became her sanctuaries—spaces where imagination defied limitation.
5. Billy Porter
Billy Porter (born September 21, 1969, in Pittsburgh) survived bullying and homelessness before becoming a Tony- and Emmy-winning force (Pose, Kinky Boots). His episodes explore Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where he found solace in church choirs, and NYC’s theaters, where he redefined gender norms. Porter’s unapologetic flair and activism for HIV/AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ rights infuse his storytelling with urgency and joy.
Fresh off directing What If? (2024) and releasing his memoir Unprotected, Porter uses My Happy Place to reflect on resilience. He visits Paris, the city where he “rediscovered freedom” post-Pose, and his mother’s home, now a symbol of triumph. As always, he reminds us: “Joy is an act of resistance.”
