Peter Gallagher has established himself as a versatile TV actor: He’s been a cool dad on The O.C., played the cuckold on Californication, and led a division of the CIA on Covert Affairs. Over the last year, we’ve also seen him disrupt the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the law firm of Stern, Lockhart & Gardner on The Good Wife, as well as mess with the Tina-Alex chemistry on Togetherness. But soon he’ll be navigating the world of dirty, sexy money on NBC’s Cruel Intentions, as Variety reports that Gallagher has been cast as a “beguiling billionaire” looking to groom an heir (that’s probably not just a euphemism for his magnificent eyebrows).
Gallagher will play Edward Valmont, a “sophisticated, powerful and ruthless billionaire hotel magnate” who occasionally employs extralegal means to maintain his empire. His son Sebastian (played by Ryan Phillippe in the film) died as a teenager, but not before leaving behind a son of his own. Once Edward learns of Bash’s existence, he immediately wants to prepare him for life in the fast, impossibly rich lane, as well as (hopefully) change his name to something other than Bash.
Gallagher joins Taylor John Smith, Kate Levering, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in the cast. So far, Gellar appears to be the only actor from the original to reprise their role for the revival—that is, unless Selma Blair’s recent appearance on American Crime Story was just the first of many upcoming TV spots.
