STARZ CASTS ALICE ENGLERT AND NICHOLAS DENTON AS MERTEUIL AND VALMONT IN BOLD RE-IMAGINING OF "DANGEROUS LIAISONS"
LEONORA LONSDALE SET TO DIRECT THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Santa Monica, Calif. -
STARZ announced today that Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures, "Ratched") and Nicholas Denton ("Glitch," Pillars) will portray the notorious lovers Merteuil and Valmont in the new STARZ Original series "Dangerous Liaisons."
"Dangerous Liaisons" is a bold reimagining of the iconic characters from Laclos' classic 18th century novel and tells the origin story of how the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont meet as passionate young lovers in Paris on the eve of revolution. Driven to right the wrongs of their past, we follow the couple as they rise from the slums of Paris and scale the heights of the French aristocracy, seducing and manipulating both the nobility and each other to survive.
Englert stars as Camille, a beautiful young woman from nowhere with a mysterious past who seeks revenge on the wealthy aristocrats who led her to ruin. Betrayed by her lover, Valmont, she turns heartbreak into empowerment as she strategizes to gain status, power and freedom.
Denton plays her lover Pascal Valmont, driven to regain the title and status stolen from him by his stepmother after his father's death. Without status or money, he must seduce and blackmail to get what he wants, even if it risks losing the one he loves most - Camille.
At its core, "Dangerous Liaisons" is the story of a young woman who negotiates love, sex, class and power to navigate an oppressive, unjust establishment on the brink of collapse.
Leonora Lonsdale ("The Pale Horse," Beast) has been tapped to direct the first four episodes of the season. The series is created and written by Harriet Warner ("Tell Me Your Secrets," "Call the Midwife") who also serves as executive produce. The series is produced for STARZ by Lionsgate Television and Playground.
The series is executive produced by Playground's Colin Callender ("Wolf Hall," "Howards End"), Tony Krantz ("24," "Blood & Oil") for Flame Ventures, Bethan Jones ("Les Misérables," "Sherlock"), Scott Huff ("The Spanish Princess," "The Missing") and Christopher Hampton (The Father, Atonement). Coline Abert ("Les Revenants"), James Dormer ("Medici") and Rita Kalnejais (Babyteeth) will serve as writers on the series alongside Warner.
"Dangerous Liaisons" will air on STARZ in the U.S. and Canada and on its international premium streaming platform Starzplay across its complete footprint in Europe, Latin America, and Japan.
STARZ recently launched its #TakeTheLead initiative, the company's comprehensive effort to deepen its existing commitment to narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.
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About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly-rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ(R) service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its STARZPLAY international premium streaming platform to provide subscribers access to the "best of global SVOD." STARZPLAY, coupled with its STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture, has expanded its global footprint into more than 55 countries throughout Europe and Latin America along with Canada, Japan, India and Indonesia. STARZ and STARZPLAY are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.
About Playground
Playground is a New York and London-based television, film and theatre production company founded in 2012 by award-winning producer Colin Callender. Playground has produced over 90 hours of primetime television drama garnering 16 Emmy nominations, 26 BAFTA nominations, and 12 Golden Globe nominations, including winning a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries.
Recent television productions include BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Wolf Hall (BBC/Masterpiece), The Dresser (BBC/Starz), Howards End (BBC/Starz), Little Women (BBC/Masterpiece), King Lear (BBC/Amazon), The Missing (Starz), and The White Queen, The White Princess and The Spanish Princess (Starz) and the recent critical and ratings success All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/Masterpiece). Stage productions include the Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen and the Tony and Olivier Award-winning box office sensation Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
About Lionsgate
Combining the STARZ premium global subscription platform with world-class motion picture and television studio operations, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) brings a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. Its film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and the largest collection of film and television franchises in the independent media space. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for the audiences it serves worldwide.
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