Sam Reid says the season finale of AMC’s The Vampire Lestat leans into failure, including the character’s inability to conquer the in-universe Billboard Hot 100, according to Billboard. In the series, Lestat’s album is not a smash hit and is instead beaten on the fictional charts by Drake.
In an interview with Billboard, Reid said he drew on a range of influences while shaping Lestat’s rock-star performance, including glam rock, David Bowie concert footage, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Fiona Apple and St. Vincent. He said he wanted the character to feel natural, alien and otherworldly without becoming too nostalgic or overly choreographed.
Reid also discussed one of the season’s more unusual touches: Lestat’s admission that he sometimes wishes he were a woman. He said the moment was not meant to suggest a gender crisis, but may hint at the character recognizing a toxicity tied to his masculinity.
The actor said the negative music reviews and harsh criticism built into the season were meant to keep Lestat from being portrayed as a global superstar like he is in the books. Reid said the character still craves love and validation, and the story shows him getting knocked down repeatedly but continuing to get back up.
