Sam Reid Clashed With Lestat Script's 'Crazy Taylor Swift Take' on Vampire Origin

Sam Reid, star of AMC’s Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat, initially slammed his script for a pivotal scene. The actor, who embodies the iconic Lestat, was "pissed" by episode three’s depiction of Lestat's brutal turning into a vampire by Magnus. Showrunner Rolin Jones revealed Reid even "threw the script across the room" after seeing the scene described with an "80s music video" aesthetic, complete with Lestat singing "Your Biggest Fan." Reid didn't hold back, questioning if it was a "crazy Taylor Swift take on a very abusive transformation."

But he eventually finished the script and understood the vision. The scene, far from trivializing the trauma, leads to Lestat crashing his car, underscoring its profound impact. "Then obviously, you get to the end, and it's a much better payoff," Reid admitted, "I was just blown away." This is a common creative struggle, especially with beloved IP.

The upcoming rock-and-roll centric season sees Lestat on a multi-city tour, haunted by muses from his past. His rising star power coincides with the "Great Conversion," an unnatural surge in the vampire population. Sam Reid returns alongside Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, and Jennifer Ehle. Sheila Atim joins the cast as Akasha, the first vampire.