Savannah Lee Smith On “Paying Homage” To Cruel Intentions

Savannah Lee Smith knows her way around a cult classic remake. The 24-year-old actor had her breakout role as mean girl Monet de Haan on HBO’s Gossip Girl reboot, and now she’s tackling another piece of iconic pop culture nostalgia: the Prime Video series Cruel Intentions, out Nov. 21. The eight-episode show takes inspiration from the 1999 film, which follows two stepsiblings on a ruthless quest for power and revenge.

In the 2024 reimagining, Smith plays Annie Grover, loosely inspired by Reese Witherspoon’s chaste character Annette in the movie. Annie is the daughter of the vice president of the United States, a freshman, and the No. 1 rush target for Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook), the sorority president who wants to keep her organization on top of the social ladder. Caroline’s horny stepbrother Lucien Belmont (Zac Burgess) also gets in on the plot — and yes, there is a lot of sex and betrayal.

The series will look familiar, though not identical, to anyone who’s a fan of the film. “It’s a new chapter,” Smith says. “Some things are different, and some things are paying homage to the film. It’s fun to get to recreate something that people love so much and have fresh eyes on it.”

But surprisingly, Smith has never seen the original. “I was a little too young and missed it,” she says. “When I got the role, I was like, ‘Ooh, maybe I should watch this now.’ Then I stopped myself because I didn’t want to be too influenced by it.” But now that the show is out, Smith is planning to watch the OG.

She hopes the original cast — Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe — will watch the remake, too. “I’m super curious and excited to find out if they watch it,” she says. “I really hope they like it, because they made something absolutely incredible.”

The actor went to college at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, which she describes as a “super different” experience than that of her character. “I was an art student. I was just going to drama class and making music,” she says. “Annie has eyes on her all the time, and she’s aware of the fact that she’s being looked at.”

One thing Smith can relate to is the intimidating feeling of stepping into freshman year. “You’re 18 years old, and you’re thrust into this world that’s so different,” she says. “There are groups and cliques, and you’re trying to figure out where exactly you fit in.” Throughout the series, viewers watch Annie find her voice and confidence, and at the end [spoiler alert], she makes a huge discovery about the stepsiblings’ malicious intentions.

“She’s new and maybe a little young and naive, but she’s not timid or dumb,” Smith says. “She sees what’s going on, so I think she’ll do something with that knowledge that benefits her.”

There are no confirmed plans for Season 2 yet, but Smith hopes to bring the character back to life to continue her story. “We have to see Annie figure it out,” she says.

Here, Smith chats about her best college memory, the remake she’d want to be a part of, and what makes an emblematic female villain.

Elite Daily: What is your go-to wardrobe staple for fall and winter?

Savannah Lee Smith: Probably a knee-high heeled boot, and I love a chunky heel.

ED: What is on your Spotify playlist right now?

SS: A lot of Ella Fitzgerald. My mom raised me on jazz, and I’ve gotten back into it. It makes you feel fancy.

ED: What is your favorite memory from college?

SS: There was this one class in my drama program where we got to write, direct, and put on a devised piece, and it was really fun watching everyone else’s ideas come to fruition. It gave me a good perspective on how I wanted to make art moving forward.

ED: Do you have a favorite nostalgic movie?

SS: I go back to Clueless probably once a year. It’s ingrained in my brain.

ED: What are the characteristics of an iconic mean girl?

SS: They take care of themselves and make sure they’re good. They don’t have time to deal with other people or their feelings.

ED: Do you have any favorite fictional mean girls?

SS: Blair Waldorf. She’s a classic.

ED: Chaotic good or chaotic evil: Greek life.

SS: A little bit of both. Probably more chaotic good, though.

ED: Any other remakes you would love to be part of?

SS: Clueless! I wish I was alive and old enough to be in it when the movie was made.

ED: Putting that into the universe for you. Are you manifesting anything right now?

SS: I’m a very chill, peaceful person, so I’m manifesting a peaceful day for today, and the next one, and the one after that.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.