The new Prime Video series, Cruel intentionsfollows the basic outline of the 1999 film of the same name (and the actual source material, the 1782 French novel, Les Liaisons Dangereuses) and expands it to an eight-episode story, with plenty of room for future seasons to tell even more stories of depravity, sexual manipulation, gaslighting, and all the other devilishly fun things that are strictly off limits in real life.
Cruel intentions is set at Manchester College, a place that turns young aristocrats into politicians. In a school full of deliciously irredeemable personalities, two characters stand out: Beatrice and Annie, played by Brooke Lena Johnson and Savannah Lee Smith, respectively. Beatrice is an activist who protests the antiquated and, in her opinion, outdated “Greek system” of fraternities and sororities. Meanwhile, Annie is the vice president’s daughter, a sheltered young woman who gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself pulled in all directions by people seeking her friendship for the potential political power she represents.
TelaRant interviewed Brooke Lena Johnson and Savannah Lee Smith about their work on Cruel intentions. They discussed their characters and how they are the “good girls” of the series, even though they may have their own secrets and ulterior motives. They also talked about how their characters could potentially evolve in future seasons of the series. Finally, Savannah Lee Smith explored how her character here contrasts with her mischievous turn on HBO Max. gossip Girl revival.
Savannah Lee Smith compares her Cruel Intentions role to her Gossip Girl character
“It’s great to be able to play her opposite.”
Screen Rant: You guys are the good girls, at least by this show’s standards.
Brooke Lena Johnson: Good girls… Hmm… (laughs)
Savannah Lee Smith: Yes.
Brooke Lena Johnson: Fair enough. Fair play.
Which must be cool for you in particular, Savannah, after having played the not-so-nice girl on Gossip Girl. Was it a breath of fresh air or do you miss it?
Savannah Lee Smith: That’s funny. It’s a breath of fresh air! You know, I think one of the best parts of doing what we do is being able to do different things and play different characters and have different personalities and perspectives and all that stuff. I loved playing Monet. It was just the most fun. But yes, of course, it’s great to be able to play her opposite.
It’s good because I can identify with Annie too. I identify with Annie in so many more ways than I do with Monet. So yeah, I can look back on my college experiences and feel the same way that Annie feels at the beginning, at least, of the series, you know, where she’s trying to find her place. I think this is something most of us have experienced. Definitely a breath of fresh air. Yes.
Stars with cruel intentions complete each other’s sentences
“Beatrice and Annie have a very dynamic and complicated friendship.”
I’m really excited to see where your characters can go. Because although many of the characters start out, you know, horrible and depraved in their own immensely watchable ways, I feel like their characters start out in a place where they’re relatable to the viewer until their colors come out. And we learned a little more about them. Can you tell me a little about trying to keep this under control while still planting seeds for the future?
Brooke Lena Johnson: That’s a fun question. I definitely feel like Beatrice, you know, I like what you’re saying from the perspective of that, I think anyone who’s been an outsider before can really relate to that. And I really think she is very strong in what she thinks and what she believes. And even so, she still has a lot of vulnerability because she was burned in the past by these people. You walk the fine line of what’s morally right, is that revenge? Is it that you really believe that? And I think she really believes that. Otherwise, she wouldn’t fight so hard and go through all this chaos. Just…
Savannah Lee Smith: Sacrifice.
Brooke Lena Johnson: Yes, exactly. She sacrifices her reputation. All of this is at stake. I think what’s fun about it is that you can plant these seeds within him and see these different dynamics in these characters. You can see that she’s been hurt, but how does she get over it and move on? And how do these characters overcome these obstacles and deal with their relationships kind of falling apart?
Annie and I have a relationship at first and it kind of falls apart and then gets back together. And I think you can see that. And I think that’s really relatable to the audience, watching this show. And I think you can plant those seeds and I think the audience will love it because you can dive in and peer through that window and watch all the scandal and taboo and all of that without having to deal with the repercussions of it. We will take care of it for you!
Savannah Lee Smith: Exactly. Yes, I think Beatrice and Annie have a very dynamic and complicated life…
Brooke Lena Johnson: Friendship.
Savannah Lee Smith: Friendship. And I mean, I know that when I was, you know, in high school and college, all of my friendships seemed as complicated as they could be… You know. I think that’s also relatable. But yeah, I think, you know, Annie is dealing with moving away from her reputation and forming one of her own or just doing away with it completely. And Beatrice is, you know, yeah, putting hers on the line and trying to figure out, you know, how much she’s willing to sacrifice and how much she’s willing to accept and how much she’s willing to throw at other people. So it kind of brings them together in a way that they’re…
Brooke Lena Johnson: Dealing with the same thing.
Savannah Lee Smith: Dealing with the same thing, yes.
Brooke Lena Johnson: On different sides.
Savannah Lee Smith: Exactly. In different ways.
Very well said. And you returned the bandana.
Savannah Lee Smith: Hey, I did.
Brooke Lena Johnson: You did. I don’t know if I fully forgive you for that… Of course. Well, thank you very much for that.
More About Cruel Intentions Season 1
Cruel Intentions follows the elite students at Manchester College, a university adjacent to Washington, D.C., where reputation means everything, fraternities and sororities are the gold standard, and two ruthless half-siblings, Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont, will do anything to stay . top of the cruel social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek system of life, they will do whatever it takes to preserve their power and reputation – even if it means seducing Annie Grover, the daughter of the Vice President of the United States. Hearts will be broken, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed in the modern royal court that is Manchester College.
Check out our others Cruel intentions interviews here:
Source: Screen Rant Plus