Honestly, most people probably know Sarah Catherine Hook from that one scene in First Kill. Or maybe you recognize her as the ice-cold Caroline Merteuil in the Cruel Intentions reboot. She’s everywhere lately. But here is the thing: what you see on screen is basically the opposite of who she actually is.
If you've spent any time on the "fancam" side of the internet, you’ve likely seen the clips. People are obsessed. There is a specific kind of magnetism she has that makes every character feel lived-in, whether she is playing a blood-thirsty teen or a wealthy socialite.
But there’s a lot more to the Alabama-born actress than just being a "scream queen" or a "mean girl."
The Opera Singer Nobody Expected
Most actors have a "waiter" story. Sarah Catherine? She has an opera story.
Before she was running from ghosts in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, she was literally training to be a professional soprano. She didn't just "take a class." She earned a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance with an opera specialization from SUNY Purchase. Think about that for a second. The girl playing a high school vampire in 2022 was, just a few years prior, hitting high notes in Italian and German.
It’s kinda wild.
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You can actually see it in how she carries herself. There is this discipline to her movement. Even when she’s playing someone totally unhinged, there’s a precision there. She’s mentioned in interviews that her opera background actually helps with her breath control during long, emotional takes.
That First Kill Chaos
Let's talk about the vampire in the room. When First Kill dropped on Netflix, it was a moment. The show became a massive hit for the LGBTQ+ community, specifically for its "sapphic Romeo and Juliet" vibes.
Sarah Catherine played Juliette Fairmont. She was soft, nervous, and—frankly—adorable.
Then Netflix canceled it.
The internet basically exploded. Even now, in 2026, you still see "Save First Kill" hashtags popping up. Why? Because Sarah Catherine and her co-star Imani Lewis had a chemistry that felt genuine. It wasn't just "TV chemistry." It felt like they actually liked each other. They even have a shared Spotify playlist for their characters.
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Why the Cruel Intentions Role Was a Risk
Stepping into a role previously owned by Sarah Michelle Gellar is a bold move. Some might call it career suicide. But Sarah Catherine didn't try to mimic the 1999 version.
She made Caroline Merteuil her own.
In the Prime Video series, she plays a sorority leader at an elite D.C. college. She’s calculated. She’s mean. She wears six-inch platform heels like they’re sneakers. It was a complete 180 from the "soft girl" energy of Juliette.
She once joked that her Cruel Intentions character and her White Lotus character were "making out" because the filming schedules were so close together. One day she’s a villain, the next she’s a spiritual seeker in Thailand.
The White Lotus Shift
Speaking of Thailand, Season 3 of The White Lotus really changed the game for her. Playing Piper Ratliff—the middle child of a dysfunctional Southern family—allowed her to tap back into her Alabama roots.
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She wasn't just another guest at the hotel.
Her character, a college student obsessed with Buddhism, was the emotional anchor of the Ratliff family (which featured Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs, no big deal). It’s the role that finally proved she isn't just a "genre" actress. She can hold her own against heavy hitters in a Mike White production.
What's Actually Next for Her?
If you think she’s slowing down, you’re wrong.
Just this month (January 2026), the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation hit Netflix. Sarah Catherine plays "Sarah"—Alex’s girlfriend. It’s a smaller role compared to her lead work, but she’s the kind of actress who steals every scene she’s in.
She also has a project called Capsized in the works.
Basically, we are watching the middle-act of a very long career. She isn't just a flash in the pan from a canceled Netflix show. She’s a classically trained powerhouse who happens to look great in a vampire cape or a Chanel suit.
How to keep up with Sarah Catherine's career
If you want to actually see what she’s capable of, stop scrolling TikTok and do this:
- Watch The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It to see her handle high-intensity horror.
- Binge Cruel Intentions on Prime Video to see her "mean girl" range.
- Check out her guest spot on Law & Order: SVU (Season 21, Episode 4) for a raw, dramatic performance.
- Follow her Instagram for the "double name" reminders—it’s Sarah Catherine, never just Sarah.