Interview with the Vampire: The Ruthless Pursuit of Blood with All a Child's Demanding Books Included

October 23, 2022 5:27 PM - Season 1, Episode 4

Claudia learns the balance between love, lust and prey.

Among all the choices made bringing Interview to television, the aging-up of Claudia is one of the most interesting.

Famously, the five-year-old Claudia of the novel was a stand-in for Rice’s own daughter, who died at the same age the character became immortal. Likely impossible for a five-year old to play on screen, the part was aged up to 10 for the film; in this version, she’s 14. Claudia is not a murderous, precocious little doll in this series: she’s wild, forever tossed to and fro in a perpetual storm of puberty.

posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul (5 comments total)

Yeah, it makes sense to age Claudia up for a TV series and put her into perpetual puberty. I guess teen vampires aren't unique like a 10-year-old one was, but I think there are a lot more possibilities here - and Bailey Bass, a 19-year-old actor can play a 14-year-old without the production having to worry about time limits on child actors.

Another great episode. Lestat and Louis' toxic relationship is beautifully portrayed and they aren't shying away from the queerness at all.
posted by crossoverman at 5:34 PM on October 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

I know we are in for a lot of angst and pain but I am clinging to the moments of happy-family domesticity we got in this episode.

This being from Claudia’s point of view, it’s interesting to see Louis and Lestat through her eyes, although I think the unreliable narrator stuff applies to her pov too.
posted by fancyoats at 7:56 PM on October 24, 2022

I really like this version of Claudia even if I do think this is the point where the series diverges farthest from what Rice was trying to write about. A nineteen year old playing a fourteen year old hits different than a twelve year old playing a ten year old who herself hits very different than the five year old on the written page. There are a dozen reasons why aging her up (both times) was the better choice from both a narrative and a practical standpoint but when you’re telling a story the genesis of which is a mother’s grief at losing her daughter I do feel the aging up robs it of some of its weight.

Still, everything in this show has been working for me and this episode was no exception.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 8:47 AM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

Another great episode. Lestat and Louis' toxic relationship is beautifully portrayed and they aren't shying away from the queerness at all.

Yeah, hanging the series on their relationship -- which, to be sure, is at the center of the book -- is a bold choice, but one that I think is really working well. Lestat's jealous terror when he realizes Louis and Claudia can communicate secretly was played so perfectly, and his continual undermining of all of Louis's other relationships is a beautiful underscore to the story.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:54 AM on October 26, 2022

omg guys I just binged up til now and this is everything I wanted from the movie. so queer! so just argghhh!!!! I love it all so far. everything I've wanted in a vampire show!! loved it!
posted by Bemused Recluse at 2:27 PM on October 26, 2022 [3 favorites]