Vampires were everywhere in 2017. Honestly, it felt like you couldn't turn on a TV without seeing a brooding teenager with fangs and a leather jacket. But then Lifetime dropped Drink Slay Love, and things got weird. In a good way. It wasn't just another Twilight clone; it was based on Sarah Beth Durst’s novel and featured a protagonist who was actually allergic to the sun until a freak stabbing changed her biology.
The Drink Slay Love cast is the real reason people still hunt this movie down on streaming services. You have Cierra Ramirez leading the pack, fresh off her momentum from The Fosters, playing Pearl. She’s a "classic" vampire—cold, murderous, and totally fine with the family business of harvesting humans.
Then she gets stabbed through the heart with an enchanted unicorn horn. Yes, a unicorn horn.
Who Was Who in the Drink Slay Love Cast?
Cierra Ramirez was the perfect pick for Pearl. She has this ability to look incredibly intimidating one second and totally vulnerable the next. In the film, after the "incident," she suddenly gains the ability to withstand sunlight. Her family, the quintessential vampire royalty, decides to use this "malfunction" to their advantage. They send her to high school to recruit—well, basically to cattle-herd—fresh blood for the King’s feast.
But Pearl starts catching feelings. Not just for a boy, but for humanity in general.
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Gregg Sulkin plays her love interest, Evan. If you grew up watching the Disney Channel or Wizards of Waverly Place, Sulkin was a familiar face. He plays the "sweet human" role without making it feel like a total cliché. There's a genuine chemistry there that keeps the movie from drifting too far into camp territory, even when the plot involves mythical creatures.
Then there is the rest of the Drink Slay Love cast that really fleshed out the vampire family dynamics:
- Zach Peladeau played Pearl’s brother, Sebastian. He was the perfect foil—arrogant, traditional, and deeply suspicious of Pearl’s newfound "sun-walking" abilities.
- Angelique Rivera portrayed Sarah.
- Sarah Desjardins (who many now recognize from Yellowjackets or Riverdale) played Tara. Her inclusion is one of those "before they were famous" moments that makes rewatching the movie in 2026 actually pretty fun.
The Dynamics of a Vampire Family
The movie succeeds because the family feels like a family, albeit a murderous one. Vanessa Walsh and McKaley Miller added layers to the social hierarchy within the vampire world. It wasn't just about biting necks; it was about the politics of the "Blood Moon" and the social pressure to remain a monster when your heart is literally telling you otherwise.
The transition Pearl undergoes is jarring. Imagine being a predator your entire life, seeing humans as nothing more than a juice box, and then suddenly you're sitting in a cafeteria wondering if you should join the choir. Ramirez sells that internal conflict. It’s a performance that deserved more credit than "TV Movie" usually gets.
Why the Casting Worked for a Niche Audience
Usually, these adaptations fall flat because the actors don't seem to buy into the world-building. That wasn't the case here. Director Vanessa Parise leaned into the supernatural elements while keeping the "high school" vibes grounded.
The Drink Slay Love cast had to navigate a script that was part-parody and part-serious drama. If the actors didn't play it straight, the whole unicorn horn premise would have been too ridiculous to watch. Instead, Sulkin and Ramirez treated the stakes as if they were in a Shakespearean tragedy, which is exactly what a movie like this needs to work.
Where is the Cast Now?
It's been years since the premiere. Cierra Ramirez went on to executive produce and star in Good Trouble, proving she’s a powerhouse in the industry. Gregg Sulkin stayed busy with Runaways and various indie projects. Seeing where the Drink Slay Love cast ended up shows that the film was a scouting ground for serious talent.
Most people don't realize that Sarah Desjardins, who had a smaller role here, would go on to be a staple in high-end prestige TV. It’s a testament to the casting directors who looked for actors who could handle the "weird" and make it relatable.
The Production Reality
Shot primarily in Canada (specifically around British Columbia), the movie has that crisp, Pacific Northwest look that became synonymous with the vampire genre after Twilight. However, the color palette is brighter. Once Pearl can go into the sun, the movie opens up visually.
Budget-wise, it was a Lifetime original. We aren't talking Marvel money. But the practical effects and the costuming for the vampire elders gave it a polished feel. The "King," played by some veteran character actors, added a level of menace that reminded the audience that despite the teen romance, these people were still dangerous.
Common Misconceptions About the Movie
A lot of people think this was a parody. It actually isn't. While it has funny moments, it’s a sincere adaptation of the book.
Another misconception is that it was a pilot for a series. While the ending definitely left room for more adventures with Pearl and Evan, it was always intended to be a standalone feature. That’s probably why the pacing is so frantic. It tries to cram a whole novel’s worth of world-building into about 90 minutes.
Making the Most of the Experience
If you're planning on revisiting this cult classic, keep an eye on the background characters. Many of the extras and smaller roles in the Drink Slay Love cast were filled by local Vancouver actors who have since appeared in every CW show imaginable.
To really appreciate the film today, you have to view it through the lens of late-2010s YA fiction. It was the tail end of the "supernatural romance" craze. It was a time when authors were trying to find any new hook—unicorns, zombies, aliens—to keep the genre fresh.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're a fan of the cast or the book, here are a few things you can actually do to dive deeper into this specific pocket of pop culture:
- Read the Source Material: Sarah Beth Durst’s novel has much more detail on the "science" of why the unicorn horn changed Pearl's biology. It explains the mythology of the vampires' origins which the movie mostly glosses over.
- Track the "Good Trouble" Connection: If you liked Cierra Ramirez here, her work on The Fosters and Good Trouble shows her range in a completely different, non-supernatural setting.
- Check Out the Director's Other Work: Vanessa Parise has a knack for directing female-led stories that balance grit with heart. Look into her episodes of Charmed (the reboot) for a similar vibe.
- Streaming Search: Since rights shift constantly, check platforms like Hulu, Lifetime Movie Club, or Amazon Prime. In 2026, many of these "buried" hits are finding new life on ad-supported platforms like Tubi or Pluto TV.
The movie isn't a cinematic masterpiece in the traditional sense. It’s better than that. It’s a fun, slightly campy, and surprisingly heartfelt look at what happens when your identity is shattered by a fluke accident. The Drink Slay Love cast took a wild premise and made it something people are still talking about nearly a decade later.
If you're looking for a nostalgic trip back to the era of supernatural teen drama, this is a solid choice. Just don't expect it to play by the usual vampire rules. Pearl is a different kind of monster, and that's exactly why the movie works.