‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Star Zac Burgess Didn’t Watch Original Movie Because He Didn’t Want to Copy Ryan Phillippe’s Performance

I must confess, as someone who has never seen the original “Cruel Intentions” (I know, I know, what have I been doing with my life?), it was refreshing to hear that the new cast didn’t want to replicate any performances from the past. They truly wanted to create their own unique versions of these iconic characters.


At the launch of Amazon Prime Video’s “Cruel Intentions” on Tuesday evening, Zac Burgess, the actor portraying Lucien Belmont in the series, revealed that he hasn’t yet seen the 1999 original film, featuring Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.

Burgess explained to EbMaster that he didn’t aim to mimic Ryan Phillippe’s portrayal. During auditions, the creators made clear they weren’t seeking imitations; instead, they wanted a unique approach. If Burgess had watched Phillippe’s performance, he admitted it might have influenced him unwittingly to reuse elements from the past.

‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Star Zac Burgess Didn’t Watch Original Movie Because He Didn’t Want to Copy Ryan Phillippe’s Performance

Sarah Catherine Hook, who plays series lead Caroline Merteuil, echoed Burgess’s sentiment.

In our collaborative effort, it was during the last conversation with Caroline that we truly unearthed her spirit. It was then that we found her. We weren’t aiming to replicate any performances from previous movies…Instead, we crafted unique portrayals of these characters ourselves.

Initially, Burgess portrayed Lucien as rather boisterous, yet as the series unfolds, we see a more intricate development in his storyline.

Burgess remarked, ‘He has a great deal of complexity. I believe it’s an ambitious target to portray such a character.’

Additionally, he acknowledged the backing of showrunners Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher for allowing him the time to examine and grasp the essence of Lucien as an actor. Burgess hinted that his character experiences a significant season-ending twist and expresses eagerness to delve deeper into potential future storylines should there be a Season 2.

Burgess mentioned that Lucien’s current character has a significant history behind it. This storyline delves into his connection with Caroline, a bond that runs quite profoundly and is deeply rooted in love.

Read More

2024-11-22 22:16