Actor-Inspired Element: Glenn Close came up with Merteuil's final scene. A line in the screenplay describes her as "her soul was on her face". Glenn responded "I know how to show that."
I felt some trepidation going in, but it was an art movie. It was based on this classic novel set in eighteenth-century France, and the scene was appropriate. When Dangerous Liaisons came out, the scene was sensationalist in this really creepy, voyeuristic way. It made it seem out of character and it didn't make sense to me...I certainly didn't want to become a sensational sex symbol.
Disabled Character, Disabled Actor: To play a castrato, the movie cast Brazilian singer Paulo Abel do Nascimento, whose voice naturally fell in the soprano range due to a hormonal imbalance.
Dueling Works: With Valmont, another adaptation of the book. Michelle Pfeiffer was even offered the role in that first - as Merteuil - but wanted to play de Tourvel instead. It was the other way around with Annette Bening, who was considered for this first and ended up in Valmont instead.
Fake Nationality: None of the characters are played by French actors, but this is visible just in Keanu Reeves' case, who is part Chinese and Hawaiian.
A young Drew Barrymore auditioned for and nearly came close to getting the role of Cecile. Sarah Jessica Parker was also offered the role. Meg Tilly was also considered, but was cast in Valmont instead.
Alan Rickman had made the role of Valmont famous on the West End and on Broadway. The studio however wanted someone more notable, so he wasn't even considered. He would end up getting a Star-Making Role in Die Hard instead.
Annette Bening went through several auditions for the role of the courtesan Émilie, but in the end the role went to Laura Benson. Bening was auditioning for Valmont, in which she would play the role of the Marquise de Merteuil.
, the movie cast Brazilian singer Paulo Abel do Nascimento, whose voice naturally fell in the soprano range due to a hormonal imbalance.