Sean Patrick Thomas Opens Up About Returning toCruel Intentionsas 'a Much More Seasoned Man': 'Full Circle Moment'

Mar. 15, 2025

Sean Patrick Thomas in ‘Cruel Intentions’.Photo:Amazon

Amazon

Sean Patrick Thomasis returning to hisCruel Intentionsroots!

The actor, 53, who starred in the original 1999 movie of the same name, opened up about returning toCruel Intentionsthrough Prime Video’s latest television adaptation after 25 years.

“It’s very exciting for me to come back and doCruel Intentionsafter all this time,” he toldThe Hollywood Reporter. “It’s rewarding on so many levels, because I’m still here, number one. This is a tough business and I’m still here, and there’s something symbolic about that full-circle moment that really hits me.”

Sean Patrick Thomas and Selma Blair in ‘Cruel Intentions’ in 1999.Melissa Moseley/Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock

Melissa Moseley/Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock

He continued, “Also, I’m a much more seasoned man right now than I was then, a much more seasoned actor. So to get another chance to do this type of material with 20-something years more experience under my belt is a real treat and a real gift.”

According to the streamer, the new drama series — from writers and executive producers Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher — takes placean elite college in Washington, D.Cand chronicles “two ruthless step-siblings" who “will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy.”

“After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system at their school, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation, even if that means seducing the daughter of the vice president of the United States,” the official logline reads.

In Prime Video’s new adaptation, Thomas takes on the role of Professor Chadwick, Manchester College’s new history professor who must navigate the intricacies and manipulations of rich sorority and fraternity members.

He eventually strikes up a relationship with his teaching assistant CeCe (Sara Silva) after she campaigns for the position to beef up her resume. Thomas' new role parallels his character from the 1999 adaptation. In the original film, he took on the role of Ronald Clifford, a music tutor for Selma Blair’s Cecile Caldwell.

Sean Patrick Thomas as Professor Hank Chadwick on ‘Cruel Intentions’.Amazon

In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, showrunners Sara Goodman and Phoebe revealed that having Thomas reprise his original character was never a consideration, and instead wanted to give the actor an opportunity to play a three-dimensional character with Professor Chadwick.

“That was the goal,” Goodman said, before recalling, “Actually, we had created Professor Chadwick first, and then our casting director, Lauren Grey, said, ‘What about Sean Patrick?’ And we were like, ‘Are you serious?'”

“Yeah, we fangirled, for sure,” she continued. “I think that was to his benefit and to ours because we wrote Chadwick as a full character who had overlap with the character he played in the original, obviously, but was a full-fledged part of our world and very important soul-beating heart of Manchester College.”

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Cruel Intentionsis now streaming on Prime Video.

source: people.com