Interview with the Vampire’s heart-wrenching episode says goodbye to fan-favorite Claudia S2/E7.

 

 

Interview with the Vampire (AMC) is based off of the book of the same name by the late great author Anne Rice. The successful book series spawned an equally cult-favorite movie (1994) directed by Neil Jordan, starring Brad Pitt (Louis), Tom Cruise (Lestat) and a young Kirsten Dunst (Claudia).

 

UP TO SPEED.

INTRO: Like the books and the movie, AMC’s Interview with the Vampire follows the heartbroken and suicidal Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), the brat prince Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), and their vampire fledgling, Claudia (played by both Bailey Bass/Delainey Hayles in their respective seasons).

 

CHANGES: Claudia is five years old when she is made a vampire from the pages of Anne Rice. Kirsten Dunst was eleven when she played her in the movie, and in the show now they have aged the character up to fourteen years old.

Armand is also portrayed younger (Assad Zaman) than Antonio Banderas played him in the original movie.

TIME PERIOD: The time period is also accelerated as we are swept through history into the flapper era and into World War 2.

FLASHBACKS: There are a handful of flashbacks and different changes to Daniel Molloy’s character which was portrayed by Christian Slater, now played by Eric Bogosian and Luke Brandon Field (flashback) respectively.

ACCENTS: Australian Sam Reid’s Lestat has an authentic French accent that many will remember from the books. Tom Cruise had an American accent in the film as well as Pitt and Dunst. This round, Claudia and Louis both have deep south accents to match with their environments.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. THE TRIAL

 

THE BLAME.

Interview with the Vampire has been setting us up for Claudia’s and Madeleine Eparvier’s (Roxane Duran) gut-wrenching deaths, and unfortunately–it’s finally here in episode seven “I Could Not Prevent It”.

As journalist Daniel continues his never-ending therapy sessions with lovers Louis and Armand, Louis can barely speak about his long dead daughter. Despite Armand’s guilt, he unhappily starts to verbally unravel Claudia’s fateful demise.

LESTAT’S RETURN.

In episode 6, Armand could only look on sadly as Claudia, Madeleine and Louis were literally sacked and forcefully taken away. “I Could Not Prevent It” is the aftermath.

Back in the theatre, mortals and vampires alike are all present for three people on the stage.

The lights are bright, Claudia’s yellow dress stands out the most among mundane and muted colors, a subtle nod to when Lestat touched the fabric of her yellow dress in the book.

Their feet are nailed to the stage and they have all been severely beaten.

Louis even speaks of how he could hear the rats that had gotten into Claudia’s box at one point.

Lestat reveals himself to the shocked trio (even if Louis could detect his scent immediately), and speaks out dull, rehearsed lines as if a death sentence for his former family (minus Madeleine) is a play. There is even an animated short on a projector, like shadow play of their romantic entanglement and betrayal playing for all to see.

REVENGE IS COMING.

Taking over from Bailey Bass (because of conflicting film scheduling for Avatar) in season one, Delainey Hayles portrays Claudia with vigor and heartbreak. She is not so much about revenge as she is about finding resolution.

Claudia speaks several times, as does Louis in an attempt to say their final piece or try to get others to pay attention to the truth. Lestat breaks his character, going off script several times and finally ending with an apology.

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

Daniel asks if it moved Louis, to which he replied he crossed oceans to get to him. But we all know how it ends, in revenge. Armand admits that he manipulated the others with the last of his strength to save Louis, knowing that he could not save the other two as it would result in his own demise.

The coven had a mind of their own.

LAST WORDS.

Claudia gets up from the stage, tearing her feet away from the nails and proclaims that they poisoned Lestat. To Santiago’s glee, it counts as a confession, though she later accepts Lestat’s apology and offers one of her own.

After reading through each of their crimes, they stop upon Madeleine and give her an ultimatum, she can join the coven, or die.

True to both of Interview with the Vampire’s counterparts, she chooses Claudia. Claudia begs for a last request to which only Lestat will hear her out.

She asks a man to remove his hat, as it is respectful to do so when someone has died. But also, she proclaims if there is an afterlife, Claudia has seen all of their faces and will come back to kill them all. And if there is no afterlife, she will find a way.

SING ME A SONG.

As stated in the present, Armand uses the last of his strength to manipulate the crowd into banishing Louis. This is a scene you will very much remember from the movie.

Where Claudia and Louis reach for each other’s hands before they are torn away from each other one final time.

Claudia holds onto Madeleine, and tearfully sings a song as the skylight opens to reveal the bright sun. Madeleine is the first to perish, with Claudia going last. Her dress is picked up from the dust, and Louis is shoved into a coffin full of rocks to starve to death for all time.

FAREWELL TO CLAUDIA AND MADDIE.

If you are a lover of this franchise and the books, you will definitely shed more than a few tears.

Thank you to Bailey Bass and Delainey Hayles for giving such steadfast and passionate performances of Claudia the child who could not die.

Roxane Duran, you have shown compassion, poise and elegance in your role as another fan-favorite Madeleine, both have gone out with grace.

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About the author: Katie Harden is a professionally repped New York-based/bi-coastal musical theater, entertainment journalist, and indie film actress. She is proudly part of the Actor’s Equity Association and frequently interviews colleagues, friends, and celebrities, along with reviewing television and movies. Find her at the bottom of a can of Arizona sweet tea or in the ocean!

Work: AMC, Tribeca, Showtime, HBO, The Emmy’s, The Walking Dead magazine, MGM, Universal, Sony Screen Gems, Fansided, Bloody Disgusting, and more.

INSTAGRAM: @KATIEHARDENOFFICIAL