Back in 2021, I heard about a new television adaptation of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice coming to AMC. Interview with the Vampire, the series’ first novel, is about Louis de Pointe du Lac being interviewed about his life as a vampire by a young reporter. You may have heard of the 1994 Interview with the Vampire film starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst, which is probably the most mainstream of all Vampire Chronicles iterations due to the high-profile cast. I had not yet seen the film (and was hesitant due to my distaste for both lead actors) nor read the books, but as a general fan of vampire media, I was really excited about the show when I saw the first teaser trailer. Color me pleasantly surprised to find out they were finally leaning into the queerness of the source material and were not at all afraid to market it as such.
Season one of Interview with the Vampire (2022) was incredible from episode one, solidifying the opinions of many that this is one of the best shows on television (including myself). AMC’s Interview makes several adaptational changes, but they’re all done thoughtfully and thoroughly. The original story takes place in the late 18th century, but the show has moved it up to beginning at the dawn of the 20th century. This is also the second interview between Louis (Jacob Anderson) and the interviewer, Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), occurring in the present day (at least when it first came out–2022), while the first interview was the same as the book canon in 1973. Louis, having reflected on the previous interview, decides he has had more time to understand his past and wants a new shot at telling his story.
The most notable change was casting Black actors (Jacob Anderson and Bailey Bass) for two of the lead characters, Louis and Claudia, who were both white in the original books and movie adaptation. This was not an example of race-blind casting, though, as both characters’ experiences as Black people in early 20th century New Orleans were significant to the story and the characters’ backstories and motivations. Both characters are given much more depth than even the original novel, and many fans have mentioned that Louis’ character, in particular, is made more likable and relatable in the show compared to other iterations, which is frequently attributed to Jacob Anderson’s outstanding performance.
Season one really embodies the queer history of vampire stories and using vampirism as a metaphor for queerness. Louis, following his turning, struggles to come to terms with his vampiric nature–he doesn’t want to kill people, and he wants to hold on to whatever he has left of humanity. Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), Louis’ maker and lover, is the opposite; he has had well over a century to accept what he is, and he does embrace the violence and power of being a vampire. Lestat is also pretty shameless in his desire for Louis from the moment they meet, while Louis, a man raised Catholic in the South, is very much still repressing that part of himself. In season two, we get to see more of an embrace of both Louis’ vampire self and queerness over time.
While this is a show about vampires, it does deal with very real issues like racism and abuse. The writers show a lot of care in telling these stories and depicting complex relationships and dynamics. This is a gothic horror at its core, and vampires, by nature, are cruel and violent creatures. Still, there is a lot of romance, joy, and profound emotional moments in the show.
Season two was just as great, if not better than season one, and it was just released earlier this summer. Louis and Claudia have left New Orleans to find other vampires, particularly in hopes of discovering some sort of vampire history, so they make their way to Europe. Delainey Hayles joined the cast as Claudia after Bailey Bass, unfortunately, had to leave the project, but Hayles was a wonderful addition and played a more mature version of the character that was suited to her arc in Paris. Assad Zaman also became a more prominent figure in season two after the reveal in the season one finale that he was playing the vampire Armand, who would be a lead character in the second season. Armand is another character who had a bit of a change from the novels when it came to his age and race, but the heart of the character is very much the same, and Zaman really captures the quiet intensity and ancient nature of the character.
Interview with the Vampire stands out as an adaptation because it truly elevates the source material to a new level. The cast and crew all make their love for the books known; the cast has mentioned book plots they’re excited to get to and characters to meet in various interviews. Sam Reid’s casting as Lestat is one of those fated casting decisions that are always a joy to see, as he has stated before that he had been a fan of The Vampire Chronicles since he was a young teenager after having seen Queen of the Damned (2002), a movie adaptation of the third novel (which I have yet to watch personally), and then read all of Anne Rice’s books. The writers are very intentional in what they do or don’t include when it comes to plots from the novels, including references to later stories and characters that will certainly become important. It also helps that the show has a really good budget; the special effects look great, the costuming is stunning, and the set design is intricate and thoroughly crafted. The Theatre des Vampires (a major season two location) is a standout in this–it was a mostly abandoned building in Prague that they made look like a small theater from 1940s Paris.
To call this a gay vampire show as a way of getting people to watch Interview with the Vampire feels like downplaying the artistry and seriousness of the show, but it still is. If you like complex queer stories and fantasy/supernatural stories, you should absolutely give this one a shot. After season two, I can confidently say Interview has become my all-time favorite television show, and as someone very critical of book adaptations, I have nothing but high praise. I have been working through The Vampire Chronicles, and seeing what the show has already done with just the first novel makes me incredibly excited for future seasons. Season three was confirmed just before the release of the season two finale, and the writers are currently getting started on scripts to continue the story with the next book, The Vampire Lestat, which could not come soon enough.
Written and Illustrated by Alec Conwell
