When Merciless Intentions, the 1999 movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, hit theaters in 1999, crucial evaluations had been blended, however audiences weren’t. Grossing $76 million worldwide, the darkish and boundary-pushing (for its time) film was by all accounts successful and have become an prompt cult traditional, spawning a prequel, sequel, musical, and, simply in time to your Thanksgiving-weekend viewing pleasure, a juicy new TV adaptation for Prime Video.
The drama, the twisted scheming, the romance, the lies and revenge—it is all there within the 2024 tv model. However as a substitute of returning to the halls of New York’s elite highschool Manchester Prep, the present pivots to Manchester Faculty outdoors Washington, D.C., the place Greek life guidelines. Delta Phi Pi President Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook) is our new bold and diabolical queen bee, who, in an try to protect the status of the varsity’s sororities and fraternities in addition to her personal legacy, groups up together with her manipulating stepbrother Lucian Belmont (Zac Burgess) to assist recruit new pupil and daughter of the vp of the US, Annie Grover (Savannah Lee Smith), to hitch her sorority.
Very similar to the 1999 movie, the present options a beautiful forged of rising stars—like Sara Silva (American Horror Tales and The Boys), who performs Delta Phi Pi’s social chair and Catherine’s right-hand girl CeCe. The recent face is a scene-stealer because the tightly wound perfectionist, and never simply due to her on-screen wardrobe, which consists of Chanel-like tweed numbers and preppy blazers, however as a result of hers is a journey of development, and we love that. Not one to shrink back from a noteworthy style second herself, Silva, with the assistance of stylist Kat Typaldos, has been turning out take care of take care of look all through the Merciless Intentions press run, so after all, we needed to get all the particulars.
We caught up with Silva forward of the present’s Los Angeles premiere to speak concerning the imaginative and prescient for her press appears to be like, which included supporting younger designers and bringing the character of CeCe to life.
Let’s begin along with your press run for Merciless Intentions. Take me inside your fittings with stylist Kat Typaldos and the narrative you each wished to inform along with your appears to be like.
It was a blast attending to know Kat. We’re such kindred souls. That is our first time working collectively, however I’m tremendous stoked to maintain working together with her as a result of it has been a blast. Due to that, we had been in a position to collaborate fairly carefully on what we wished, and I felt actually snug. We took an strategy of amplifying my very own private fashion and dealing with youthful designers, like Puppets and Puppets, Alessandra Wealthy, and Sandy Liang, which I used to be tremendous enthusiastic about and honored to be sporting all of these manufacturers. We additionally wished to make use of as a lot classic as attainable as a result of this present day with consumerism and all the things, we each have an enormous ardour for classic.
We wished to do a very good quantity of preppy, Higher East Aspect vibes consistent with the Merciless Intentions vibe and a contemporary tackle what preppy means and a few nods to my character. Though my appears to be like felt extra personalised to me and what I’d put on, we undoubtedly had some very particular decisions that had been CeCe issues. … For instance, CeCe wears a watch, and I wore a watch in a few the appears to be like. The eye to element Kat has is so particular. She had me in these [Bonnie Clyde] glasses for one of many appears to be like, which I cherished, and it felt like a up to date tackle CeCe.
We’re seeing a largely black colour palette all through. Was that intentional?
I’ve little or no colour in my closet, so perhaps it was simply what I gravitated towards moreso, however I believe it is also the Merciless Intentions vibe, this darkness and sexiness. So it wasn’t simply CeCe’s character that we took inspiration from, however the world itself and in addition Kathryn within the [original] film is so iconic with all of the black, so we took inspiration from the film as an entire and many various characters.
Do you may have a favourite look from this press run?
I believe my favourite could be the premiere [Puppets and Puppets dress] as a result of I am simply excited to robe it up and actually stay in that. From what I’ve already worn, the [Bonnie Clyde] glasses look was my favourite as a result of I actually felt like a very totally different individual sporting these glasses, and after we had been doing interviews, I used to be simply pretending to be like a scorching scientist.
If you’re not dressing up for press days and pink carpets, what does your on a regular basis fashion appear to be?
It is attention-grabbing as a result of I truly really feel just like the ’90s are the most important inspiration for my fashion, nevertheless it’s so totally different from Merciless Intentions. Extra of the hip-hop, dishevelled denims, Aaliyah, TLC form of factor is one thing that I’ve all the time felt actually snug in, so I say my cartoon character look is dishevelled denims, a tank prime, and sneakers. That is most likely what you may discover me in through the day operating round.
However at nighttime, I do love to indicate off my physique. I really feel actually snug in fitted garments to exit and dance. I like a miniskirt. After which my Tabi heels and an oversize leather-based jacket.
You had been 2 when the unique 1999 movie got here out. What’s your first reminiscence of watching Merciless Intentions?
I watched it after I acquired the audition, so I actually haven’t any nostalgia in the case of the film, which, in a manner, is form of good for being on this new model as a result of I am not tremendous hooked up to the unique. I cherished it. I assumed the performances had been so superb. What I assumed was so iconic concerning the movie was the way it was pushing boundaries and the road for its time, and sadly, I simply did not actually get that as a result of in 2023, it did not have that very same shock worth. I really feel like we’re so desensitized. I nonetheless actually revere it, and I am nonetheless honored to be part of this world. I like Selma Blair’s portrayal of [Cecile]. As quickly as I learn the script, I used to be like, “That is utterly totally different.” It is a utterly totally different character from [CeCe], so there wasn’t numerous comparability occurring in my head.
What about this tv adaptation actually appealed to you?
The writing was unbelievable. I learn numerous scripts, and numerous instances, it is simply not that inspiring, however there was one thing about this writing that actually sweeps you off your ft when it comes to how daring and fast and witty, humorous, and horny [it is]—all issues that I like and gravitate towards. Additionally, the character CeCe is such a enjoyable character to look at and to play. You actually really feel for her, and I used to be tremendous excited to get to determine all of her loopy little mannerisms and stuff.
Inform me about that course of for you, discovering your CeCe.
It is undoubtedly an attention-grabbing journey as a result of after I first acquired the audition, I did not essentially assume that I used to be proper for CeCe. We’re very totally different. Sarah Catherine [Hook] and I’ll joke that she’s extra like CeCe in her actual life, and I am extra like Caroline. So it is like they did some form of reverse casting, which I believe does find yourself having such a cool impact in execution as a result of it creates such a deeper interior life for a personality. I do not essentially know if that was intentional … however with CeCe, it did come actually naturally to me, which has been an attention-grabbing means of realizing that, within me, I’m form of a CeCe—actually neurotic, a individuals pleaser, a perfectionist—however I masks it with this cool-girl aesthetic.
It was humorous to see how straightforward it was to be CeCe. She talks in these actually lengthy monologues. … I instantly was like, “I need to work with a voice coach.” I began working with this coach I labored with in faculty, and he was such a godsend as a result of with enormous chunks [of dialogue] like that, you’ll simply naturally energy by means of and never know what the fuck you are saying, and he actually helped me piece all the things collectively. That was a giant a part of CeCe. Visualization is basically large too. With CeCe, she all the time has actually loopy posture. She all the time stands up actually straight, so … as quickly as I might get on set, I might actually pull on that string on the highest of my head. And one factor I did was I made a playlist of chaotic jazz music as a result of I really feel like that might be the soundtrack of how her mind strikes—plenty of totally different devices and really dramatic and quick and actually loopy frenetics. I used to be listening to this one observe rather a lot and would actually begin transferring round. She would not cease transferring, and we even joke that she would not sleep as a result of she’s such an overachiever and desires all the things to be good, so she’s simply going to remain up all evening and transfer round. So I might do laps across the set.
Additionally, working with Sarah Catherine, we had such a pure chemistry, so we discovered a rhythm very well along with the characters and had numerous enjoyable. She’s a scene companion I may belief.
Did you and Sarah Catherine get to spend time collectively constructing that friendship previous to taking pictures?
As quickly as we came upon we each acquired forged, we instantly began texting and voice-noting. … Even when we weren’t essentially explicitly speaking concerning the characters and what it was, we had been changing into besties, and on the finish of the day, CeCe and Caroline are besties. They only have a extremely fucked-up manner of going about it. Attending to know one another and bonding felt like we had been doing character work as a result of they’re finest buddies.
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos; Styling: Puppets and Puppets shirt and bag; Falke tights)
CeCe has some actually nice polished appears to be like all through the present. Her lilac tweed gown stands out to me. How collaborative had been you with the costume division in shaping her look?
Truthfully, for this, I felt like I did not know what that world seemed like as a result of I do not actually put on garments like that. It is not likely my world, so I left it as much as the wardrobe division. They had been improbable and simply so superior and gifted, so I used to be in actually good arms. The fittings for CeCe had been all the time such a blast as a result of she has such superb appears to be like. It was undoubtedly one of many first instances the place I used to be obsessive about my garments. Generally, you get put in stuff and you are like, “Okay, it is my character, however I do not need to put on this.” However with [CeCe], I used to be stoked to be sporting these items. They’re so cool and enjoyable. It undoubtedly helped me get into character. We stated one thing about CeCe that her mother would all the time simply set out her outfit for the day, and she or he would put on it. She by no means had a say over what she’s sporting, and that is why it’s a little mothery but additionally extraordinarily wealthy and really put-together. The whole lot may be very thought-out.
What are you excited for audiences to see with this tackle Merciless Intentions?
As a result of it is a sequence, you get a lot extra. You get to dive into the totally different items of each character for a lot longer. It has been enjoyable to extrapolate on these sorts and see how they work together in a world that some individuals could be accustomed to and a few individuals perhaps had been in, the Greek life. I believe it is undoubtedly a world that everybody is inquisitive about as a result of it’s so taboo. And notably with CeCe, she’s such a enjoyable character, so I am excited for individuals to see the stuff that she will get into and the way she grows and finds herself a bit bit, which hopefully individuals will relate to.
Merciless Intentions is now streaming on Prime Video.
Stylist: Kat Typaldos
Hairstylist: Ricky Fraser
Make-up Artist: Johanna Nomiey
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