HOLLYWOOD -- For Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon, love proved trickier on-screen than off.

Phillippe and Witherspoon, who got engaged in December, have been living together for two years.

Unlike many young couples in Hollywood, they did not meet on a movie set.

Cruel Intentions, which opens Friday, is their first film together.

"I went to Reese's 21st birthday party. I knew someone who was invited and figured there'd be free beer, so I went along," says Phillippe, whose films include I Know What You Did Last Summer and 54.

"We only talked for about an hour, but there was a real connection. Unfortunately, I had to leave the next day to start a movie. It ended up being five weeks of letter writing and phone calling before we had our first actual date."

Witherspoon says she was attracted to Phillippe because "he seemed so sincere and so not into himself. Too many young actors are so obsessed with themselves, it makes a relationship near impossible."

Phillippe says Witherspoon is "incredibly strong and fiercely independent. I find that very sexy in a woman."

He points out that, at 24, he's still a relationship novice.

"I haven't had a lot of what most people would consider serious relationships and this is definitely the first time I've been in love."

Witherspoon says the same is true for her.

"I certainly haven't thought of getting engaged before and the whole idea of marriage is very new to me. Ryan and I haven't set a date, but it's definitely in our future."

Phillippe felt so secure in his relationship with Witherspoon that he asked her to play his lover in Cruel Intentions, a modernization of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the classic French novel of lust and sexual manipulation.

Phillippe plays Valmont, the callous seducer, and Witherspoon is Annette Hargrove, his latest unsuspecting prey. Annette's strength, beauty and purity eventually make Valmont fall in love with her and he doesn't know how to cope with this phenomenon.

For the first time in his life, he is not in control of his emotions or his heart.

Even though Valmont and Annette confess their love for each other, Valmont is taunted into breaking off the affair. The scene proved harrowing for the young couple.

"Of course, we know it's only acting, but having to say all those nasty things to each other for a whole day is very difficult and emotionally draining," explains Witherspoon.

"Ryan got so into being cruel and nasty that at one point I slapped him. The director (Roger Kumble) loved the idea, so for the rest of the day, I had to slap him.

"His cheek was bright red by the end of the day. I felt so sorry for him."


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