Interview: The Cast and Executive Producers of ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ on their New Take on the Classic Story

Starz debuts the latest interpretation of the classic late 18^th century novel Dangerous Liaisons, focused this time on the early years of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. It’s a deeply engaging world full of vibrant costumes and constant betrayal, one that makes great use of its source material but also explores rich new territory.

Awards Radar had the chance to speak with the lead cast and creative talent involved with the show. Stars Alice Englert and Nicholas Denton commented on how this show still manages to feel fresh:

“That’s probably why this story can be told so many different ways and so many different iterations without it becoming tired. That’s why I’m most proud of it. It doesn’t feel like an exhaustive version of the novel. We’ve made a new world for it, and I’m really proud of that.”

Executive producers Colin Callender and Harriet Warner shared their perspectives on keeping the novel’s original title despite covering something original:

“Half the fun with something like this is subverting people’s expectations and surprising them…We would not have this show without this novel. I keep pointing to it just because I carry it around like a kind of comfort blanket. The themes, very much season one was always about the world of the novel, the seduction, the wit, the humor, and the danger. I think the joy and the hope that we get to continue telling this story is we will always take these wonderful gems from the novel, slightly repackaged, and take them in a direction they’re not expecting.”

Supporting players Kosar Ali, Colette Dalal Tchantcho, and Carice Van Houten also explained what they liked most about their characters. Here’s Houten’s take:

“I always like playing suppressed people. Anyone who has a secret or something to hide, there’s a tension. There’s no way people can do that forever. The more we try to push it down, the more it will come up. I am always attracted to those kinds of characters who have that extra layer. The fact that she is really not black-and-white too. We see her as this aloof, very religious character, but I think we find out quite quickly, basically when she meets Valmont, that it sparks a whole lot of stuff inside her. To then unravel that thread is an interesting thing to do as an actor.”

Watch the full conversations below:

Dangerous Liaisons premiered Sunday, November 6^th at 9pm on Starz, with new episodes dropping weekly.