Zac Burgess stars as Lucien Belmont in Amazon Prime Video's Cruel Intentions series.
Burgess appears in the leading man role (played by Ryan Phillippe in the original film). While not a direct sequel, the streaming series is seen as a continuation of sorts of that 1999 blockbuster.
Zac Burgess - Actor Biography Details
Zac Burgess Graduated from WAAPA
While fans may not have seen Zac Burgess before his work on Cruel Intentions, he has a long history of training as a professional actor.
The five-foot-nine acting star studied his craft at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in Perth, Australia, starting classes in 2021.
During his time there, the Cruel Intentions actor honed his craft earning a diploma in acting.
He joins fellow WAAPA alumni currently working in Hollywood like Black Sails' Luke Arnold, Bryn Chapman Parish, and Ben O'Toole.
Prior to his arrival at WAAPA, Burgess was pursuing a career in nursing, even earning a certificate in the field from TAFE NSW in 2020 (per his official bio).
Zac's Dad Was Also an Actor
Acting was in the family in the Burgess household, as Zac Burgess' father was also an actor.
The Bellingen, Australia native is the son of Australian actor Scott Burgess, known for his work on titles like Dead Easy and the World War I drama 1915.
Scott Burgess worked as a professional actor during Zac's young life, until he passed away in 2016 at the age of 57.
Zac Previously Starred in Boy Swallows Universe
Cruel Intentions is not Za Burgess' first acting credit, having starred in the Netflix mini-series Boy Swallows Universe earlier in 2024.
In the series, Burgess starred as the 17-year-old version of the show's main character Eli Ross. With the Netflix drama, he got the chance to act opposite some heavy hitters in Australian TV/cinema including Simon Baker, Bryan Brown, and Phoebe Tonkin.
He also has credits on One Night and Totally Completely Fine.
Zac Used Gossip Girl as Inspiration for His Cruel Intentions Role
In finding his voice for Lucien Belmont, Zac Burgess used (of all things) Gossip Girl as inspiration.
Speaking in an interview with Brit + Co. Burgess revealed he watched clips of Ed Westwick's Chad Bass and told himself, "'I like that, I am going to steal a little bit of that:"
"I have not seen 'Gossip Girl'. Who did Chad Westwick play? When I was finding Lucian's voice, I saw a clip of him talking on YouTube, and I was like, 'I like that, I am going to steal a little bit of that.'"
In the series, Burgess' Lucien is a college student, who, along with his sister, Caroline Merteuil (played by Sarah Catherine Hook), attempts to seduce the daughter of the American Vice President.
Zac Is in a Relationship with Leah Gersteling
Zac Burgess is also in a thriving relationship with kinesiologist Leah Gersteling.
Gersteling owns her own Australian kinesiology practice known as Higher Ground Healing, where she helps her clients get in touch with their bodies and how they move to improve their overall physical health.
The pair have been together for at least the last year and a half, as that is when they started to pop up in social media posts with each other.
In their time together, the pair have been able to see the world with one another, sharing images from several trips to Bali where they soaked in the sun and enjoyed its white sand beaches.
How To Follow Zac Burgess on Social Media
Set in the world of the 1999 film of the same name, the new streaming drama tells the story of two siblings climbing the social ladder at a Washington D.C. university, attempting to eke out social influence by seducing the daughter of the Vice President.
Fans looking to keep up with Zac Burgess online can do so on Instagram and TikTok.
Cruel Intentions is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
