Cruel Intentionsfollows the students of Manchester College, where young aristocrats are sent to be groomed into the future leaders of America. This Prime Video series, based on the1999 film of the same name(and the 1782 novel,Les Liaisons Dangereuses), portrays its college students as a group of duplicitous, scheming, sociopathic narcissists who engage in games of sexual manipulation in order to consolidate their power and for their own amusement. So, basically the typical college experience.
Sara Silva and Sean Patrick Thomasco-star inCruel Intentionsas Cece and Professor Chadwick respectively. Cece is basically the lieutenant to Sarah Catherine Hook’s Caroline, the queen of the school. Cece strikes up a particular friendship with Professor Chadwick, played by Sean Patrick Thomas (who played a suspiciously similar role in the 1999 film, though there’s no official continuity between the show and the movie).
10 Biggest Differences Between Prime Video’s Cruel Intentions Show & The 1999 Movie
Prime Video’s Cruel Intentions TV show borrowed the premise of the 1999 movie of the same name, but it also made some big changes to it.
ScreenRantinterviewed Sara Silva and Sean Patrick Thomas abouttheir work onCruel Intentions. They spoke about their characters and how their arcs might continue if the show gets renewed for additional seasons. They also discussed the particular sensibilities of theCruel Intentionsfranchise, where anything goes when it comes to concepts like morality, loyalty, and basic human decency. It might be hard on the characters, but it’s nevertheless delightful for viewers to watch the outlandishly depraved schemes of the Manchester College community.
“I forgot how cruel and how f***** up these people get!”
Screen Rant: Well, if it isn’t Cece and Professor Chadwick.
Sean Patrick Thomas: You got it, man. We’re in the house!
I had such a great time watching this show. I watched it literally all night. I woke up at midnight and I watched the whole thing. I was going to watch one or two and then take a nap and get ready for this, but nah. I decided to get wired.
Sara Silva: Wow. I love that energy.
Sean Patrick Thomas: I like to hear that! I like to hear that!
Sara Silva: I mean, honestly, I feel like I said this in another interview that I wasn’t shocked, but the way you just phrased that, I was like, honestly, I think there was some shock for me. Because obviously, I had watched the movie during the audition, but I think I forgot how cruel and how f***** up these people get. And I’m realizing now that I was like, “Oh my God, no!”
Sean Patrick Thomas: It’s terrible!
Sara Silva: It’s sad.
Sean Patrick Thomas: Yeah. I mean, I think that what happens is, is that when something is written really well, even though you know what’s going to happen, when you’re actually doing it, you’re like, “Whoa, like, okay.” Like that’s…
Sara Silva: “She did not.”
Sean Patrick Thomas: Yeah. Like, that’s no joke, you know? And so I think that’s the sound of good writing: even when you know what’s coming, you’re still kind of affected by it, you know?
Cruel Intentions Stars Address Their Characters' Journey & Potential Futures
“We have no idea about a season 2, but I definitely could see Cece start to put some pieces together…”
In this show, it feels like the cruelest or most depraved choices are the ones that you secretly want to see play out, you know? And as actors, is it not delicious to get to see it play out and make it play out in your way?
Sean Patrick Thomas: Yeah! Well, I think we have different journeys, you know? Like, my character’s journey, he doesn’t make any choices on this show that are inherently selfish. I think he’s trying to be a good guy and trying to do things the right way. Things just go sideways. But Professor Chadwick in and of himself is not really trying to manipulate anybody or get anything in a way that’s not deserved. So it’s different with the world that Cece’s in, where there’s a lot more selfishness going on.
Sara Silva: Yeah. Lots of cruelty in the sorority. But… I don’t know, ultimately, like Cece is just kind of a pawn. I think she is aware of what she’s doing, but she’s just so desperate to please and to be seen as worthy that she gets lost and she gets confused. And I think, with the help of Professor Chadwick, maybe she starts to see that that’s not exactly what she wants, which is really fun and interesting.
Cece’s a cog in that machine of the truly duplicitous characters on the show. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I feel like in the future, we will see a truly unhinged version of Cece. Do you have ambitions or even input into where you want your character to go in the future?
Sara Silva: I mean, yeah, obviously we have no idea about a season 2, but I definitely could see Cece starting to maybe put some pieces together and maybe get a little bit of power back, you know, try at least. But yeah, I think that her character has lots of growth and like a lot of things that could happen, but we just don’t know.
More About Cruel Intentions Season 1
Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, a Washington, D.C.-adjacent university, where reputation means everything, fraternities and sororities are the gold standard, and two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont, will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek Life system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation – even if that 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 this modern-day royal court that is Manchester College.
Check out our otherCruel Intentionsinterviews here:
All episodes ofCruel Intentionsseason 1 are now streaming on Prime Video.
Cruel Intentions
Cast
Two ambitious step-siblings at a prestigious Washington, D.C. college will stop at nothing to keep their social standing. After a hazing scandal threatens their control, they resort to extreme tactics, including seducing the vice president’s daughter, to safeguard their reputation and influence.
