Is Anamaria Vartolomei stepping into Merteuil. That is the question surging in searches. Here is the answer that matters : as of November 2025, no official casting links Anamaria Vartolomei to the Marquise de Merteuil in any confirmed screen or stage project. The interest is real, the match is compelling, but the deal is not announced.
Context helps. Merteuil is the razor sharp strategist at the heart of “Les Liaisons dangereuses”, a French classic first published in 1782. The role has shaped actresses careers for decades, on film and on stage. Anamaria Vartolomei surged to international attention with “Happening”, which won the Golden Lion at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on 11 September 2021. She received the César Award for Most Promising Actress on 25 February 2022. Sources : La Biennale di Venezia, Académie des César.
Anamaria Vartolomei : awards, dates, momentum that fuels the Merteuil idea
There is a simple observation at the start. Casting conversations follow heat. Anamaria Vartolomei has serious heat, built on concrete milestones. “Happening” by Audrey Diwan premiered in Venice in September 2021 and took the festival’s top prize that same month. Source : La Biennale di Venezia.
Then came national recognition. At the 47th César ceremony on 25 February 2022 in Paris, Anamaria Vartolomei earned Most Promising Actress. Source : Académie des César. Those two facts alone put her in the small circle of French talents who can anchor a literary icon without blinking.
The curiosity around a possible Merteuil ties to range. The audience saw endurance on screen, a precise way of holding tension across long takes, and a cool surface that lets subtext breathe. That toolkit aligns with a character built on calculation, letters, and power plays.
Merteuil in focus : the role’s history, from 1782 to Oscar night
Before asking what comes next, the record so far matters. “Les Liaisons dangereuses” appeared in 1782, a novel in letters by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Source : Bibliothèque nationale de France. Since then, Merteuil has traveled across centuries and formats without losing bite.
In cinema, the 1988 film “Dangerous Liaisons” featured Glenn Close as Merteuil and won 3 Oscars out of 7 nominations at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989. Source : Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In a late 90s update, Sarah Michelle Gellar reinvented the archetype as Kathryn Merteuil in “Cruel Intentions” released in 1999, embedding the character in teen culture.
Those benchmarks outline a high bar. They also explain why a new Merteuil always sparks debate. Casting redraws power, desire, and language. It shapes how the story lands for a new generation.
Key timeline points worth keeping in one place :
- 1782 : Publication of “Les Liaisons dangereuses”. Source : Bibliothèque nationale de France.
- 11 September 2021 : “Happening” wins the Golden Lion at Venice. Source : La Biennale di Venezia.
- 25 February 2022 : Anamaria Vartolomei wins Most Promising Actress at the César Awards. Source : Académie des César.
- 1989 : “Dangerous Liaisons” scores 3 Oscars at the 61st ceremony. Source : Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
What an Anamaria Vartolomei Merteuil would change, and what to watch now
The middle of the discussion often turns to mistakes. One is thinking Merteuil only needs icy cruelty. The character is a strategist who shifts tone, registers, tempo. Without vulnerability in tiny flashes, the mask looks flat and the game loses stakes.
Another common slip : underestimating language. Merteuil lives in sentences. Precision counts. “Happening” offered a different world, yet the performance showed clarity of intention from beat to beat. That makes dialogue heavy roles read clean and unforced on screen or stage.
There is also a factual layer that anchors expectations. The last universally acclaimed Merteuil on film produced measurable impact. “Dangerous Liaisons” converted 3 wins from 7 Oscar nominations. Source : Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Glenn Close remains without an Academy Award win after 8 nominations, which equals 0 percent wins as of 2024. Source : Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The point is simple : the role is coveted, but it is not automatic awards bait.
So what would an Anamaria Vartolomei Merteuil change. Age reframes power dynamics. Fresh casting reopens Valmont and Tourvel, pulls the story closer to contemporary anxieties, and invites a sharper focus on class and performance of self. It also asks directors to update the letter game for screens shaped by messaging and receipts without losing the original’s rigor.
Looking for a practical next step. Watch the work that built the case. “Happening” is the cornerstone, with the Golden Lion dated 11 September 2021 as a verifiable seal. Source : La Biennale di Venezia. Then monitor where official news drops first. For films and series, trade outlets such as Variety, Deadline and Le Film Français report casting and greenlights early. For French theater seasons, announcements usually land each spring via institution press kits. That is where a real Merteuil will surface, not in rumor. And if the pairing becomes real, expect unforgetable debates to follow.