Savannah Lee Smith on her transformative role in 'Cruel Intentions' after 'Gossip Girl': Annie and Monet are the antithesis of each other - Exclusive

The new 'Cruel Intentions' series spicing up our TV screens with its bold reimagining of the 1999 cult classic. Starring Savannah Lee Smith and Brooke Lena Johnson, the show promises a seductive, modern take on the film's dark and scandalous plot. The series, led by Savannah Lee Smith, Sarah Catherine Hook and Zac Burgess, arrives nearly 25 years after Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Reese Witherspoon first scorched up the box office.



In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Savannah, spilled the beans about taking on this new role and new series, fresh out of the 'Gossip Girl' reboot. Known for her role as Monet de Haan in the teen drama, she takes a deep dive into a very different character of Annie Grover in 'Cruel Intentions'. Reflecting on her transition, she shared, "It was really exciting to be a part of Cruel Intentions off the back of Gossip Girl because Annie and Monet are the antithesis of each other. Playing the timid, naive girl instead of the head mean girl was a fun challenge. I also loved finding the balance between the original movie and this reimagining."

In the series, Smith sparks off quite the chemistry with her leading man Zac. When asked about bringing that complex relationship between Annie and Lucien to sceen, she said, "Fans should set themselves up for a roller coaster. That's how their relationship is... it starts in one place, then shifts to another, and then goes back, and we end on this note of uncertainty, which I think is going to be so much fun to watch and wonder, 'Where is this going to go?'"

Discussing the ensemble cast and their intertwined storylines, costar Brooke Lena Johnson shared, "I think it's fun! When you have a series that has very individual characters on their own and watch how they interact with each other differently, I think it just creates fresh new environments all the time. You never know how someone’s weaving their web through others. I think Phoebe Fisher has done a great job in creating those worlds and the scenarios within it."


Savannah echoed her co-star’s enthusiasm, praising the show's creators for their intricate storytelling. "Since we’re not always on set together all the time, when we get to be [together], it's really fun and rare. It’s amazing to see how Phoebe Fisher and Sara Goodman, the masterminds behind the show, have created such an intricate web," she said.

'Cruel Intentions' which released on 21 November 2024, is streaming on Prime Video. The 8-part series is set in an elite Washington, DC college, where two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien Belmont (Zac Burgess), will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy—even if it means seducing Annie Grover (Savannah Lee Smith), the daughter of the Vice President of the United States.