‘Cruel Intentions’ NBC Pilot Casts Coby Bell In Key Role

Burn Notice alum Coby Bell is set to co-star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions, NBC’s drama pilot based on the cult 1999 feature that starred Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon.

Set in present day, Cruel Intentions picks up more than 15 years after the movie left off. It follows the beautiful and cunning Kathryn Merteuil (Gellar) as she vies for control of Valmont International as well as the soul of Bash Casey (Taylor John Smith), the son of her brother, the late Sebastian Valmont (played in the movie by Ryan Phillippe), and Annette, Witherspoon’s character in the movie, played in the pilot by Kate Levering. Upon discovering his late father’s legacy in a hidden journal, Bash is introduced to a world of sex, money, power and corruption he never could have imagined.

Bell plays Kathryn Merteuil’s husband, Pascal Barrett, a dashing and smug California power lawyer, who is the attorney for billionaire Edward Valmont. Polite and concerned when he first meets young Bash Casey, Pascal quickly drops his pleasant facade with Kathryn as the two plan their strategy.

Also co-starring in the pilot are Samantha Logan and Sophina Brown.

Cruel Intentions comes from the film’s writer-director Roger Kumble and producer Neal H. Moritz as well as Lindsey Rosin and Jordan Ross, the duo behind the The Unauthorized Musical Parody Of Cruel Intentions. Kumble will direct from a script he co-wrote with Rosin and Ross. He also executive produces with Moritz and Pavun Shetty of Original Film; Rosin and Ross co-executive produce.Sony Pictures TV is producing alongside Original Film and AMBI.

Bell did an 8-season run as Jason Pitts on The Game and a 4-season stint as Jesse Porter on USA’s Burn Notice. He recently wrapped a season-long arc on Amazon’s Mad Dogs. Bell is repped by Innovative Artists and Barbara Stark Management.