When it comes to true love, timing is everything. But leaving it entirely up to fate? That’s a slightly bigger risk. Yet it worked out nicely for John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity (2001), and the characters in Netflix’s new rom-com Meet Me Next Christmas take the same approach. Layla (Christina Milian) is happy in her relationship with Teddy (Devale Ellis), until a chance airport encounter with James (Kofi Siriboe), a kind-hearted hunk who shares Layla’s love of the a capella group Pentatonix, causes her to question everything. One year later, Layla discovers that Teddy has betrayed her and sets out on a quest across New York City to get to the Pentatonix concert which James is attending. The only problem is that the concert is the hottest ticket in town, and it will take a Christmas miracle to get Layla in.

Meet Me Next Christmas is the first holiday movie Netflix has released this year, and it’s already climbing the streamer’s charts. Some of the actors, such as Milian and former NFL player Ellis, will be familiar to viewers. Others are fresh faces. Read on as Entertainment Weekly introduces you to the cast of Meet Me Next Christmas.

Christina Milian as Layla

Milian began as a singer, releasing her eponymous debut album in 2002. Milian has had five songs enter the Billboard Hot 100, including top 10 hit “Dip It Low” which peaked at number five. Milian got her cinematic break opposite Nick Cannon in Love Don’t Cost a Thing (2003). She appeared as pop singer Linda Moon in Be Cool (2005), the sequel to Get Shorty (1995), and with Matthew McConaughey in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009). More recently, she starred in the romantic comedies Memories of Christmas (2018) and Falling Inn Love (2020).

Kofi Siriboe as James

Best known for his role as Ralph Angel Bordelon on Queen Sugar (2016-’22), Siriboe also held smaller parts in the films Whiplash (2014), Straight Outta Compton (2015), and Girls Trip (2017). He’s currently attached to voice a character in the Daria spin-off Jodie.

Devale Ellis as Teddy

Prior to entering the acting realm, Ellis was a pro-footballer. He played for the NFL as a wide receiver with the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns. Ellis’ first major acting role came in 2019 on Tyler Perry’s BET drama Sistas. He’s since appeared in Single Black Female and A Christmas Fumble (both 2022). Ellis also hosts the podcast , where he discusses marriage and parenting topics.

Tymika Tafari as Roxy

Tafari made her screen debut in 2018 in an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. She’s guested on five episodes of Canadian series Chateau Laurier (2022), and lent her voice to two episodes of Paw Patrol. Tafari is also a regular cast member on Work It Out Wombats! (2023), Total Drama Island: Reboot (2023-’24), and Hamsters of Hamsterdale (2024–).

Kalen Allen as Jordy

Allen rose to fame through his “Kalen Reacts” videos posted to his YouTube channel. Allen made his film debut in Seth Rogen’s comedy An American Pickle (2020) and has had small roles in the series A Black Lady Sketch Show (2022) and With Love (2021-’23).

Nikki Duval as Becca

Duval is best known for playing Rosie Phillips on 47 episodes of CBC series Workin’ Moms. She also starred as Nikki on the sitcom Strays (2021-’22), and had a smaller role as Willhemina in the 2020 romantic comedy The Broken Hearts Gallery.

Pentatonix as Pentatonix

The celebrated Texas-based a cappella group, also known as PTX, is composed of high school pals Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, and Kirstin Maldonado, as well as Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee. (Sallee replaced original bassist Avi Kaplan, who left the group in 2017.) They play themselves in the movie, getting more mentions in the script than Christmas itself.

Pentatonix was formed in 2011 shortly before the band won the third season of The Sing Off, NBC’s a cappella competition show. The group took home $200,000 and were signed to a contract by Sony Records. Pentatonix went on to become the first a cappella group to win a Grammy for Best Arrangement (Instrumental or A Cappella), taking the award in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, the band won for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Pentatonix’s pivotal role in Meet Me Next Christmas is particularly appropriate as the band is well known for their covers and medleys of classic Christmas tunes. The group has performed four times at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, most recently in 2023 when they performed their version of “Please Santa Please.” The band is currently on an American tour, ending on Dec. 22 with a show in Dallas, Texas.

Meet Me Next Christmas is streaming on Netflix.