10 Actors Who Gave Two WILDLY Different Performances In The Same Year

6. Sarah Michelle Gellar - Simply Irresistible & Cruel Intentions

Tom Cruise
Sony & Fox

Sarah Michelle Gellar's characters in two movies released at the start of 1999 may look superficially similar - two beautiful, well-dressed brunette women - but there's a whole world between them.

First up, a week before Valentine's Day, the Buffy actress starred in the magical realist rom-com Simply Irresistible. Gellar played a young woman by the name of Amanda Shelton, who with the help of a magical crab (!) is able to cook dishes which bring out strong emotions in anyone who eats them. Yup.

Exactly a month later, however, Gellar gave a far more memorable performance in an altogether more iconic movie, classic teen romantic drama Cruel Intentions.

Here, Gellar played a far cry from the butter-wouldn't-melt Amanda. Kathryn Merteuil was a drug-taking, highly-sexed, conniving young woman hell-bent on doing anything to get what she wanted.

It was a performance quite unlike any Gellar had given before, and as such proved rather eye-opening for those more familiar with her vampire-hunting heroics on Buffy - let alone anyone who paid a ticket to watch her frothy rom-com jaunt a month prior.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.