Entertainment
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Fans Get New Look at Loustat’s Brutal Love Story [Exclusive]
Sam Reid‘s global tour as a rock god is nearing its end. Tonight, AMC and AMC+ released the penultimate episode of The Vampire Lestat, and it was a heavy one. The third, renamed season of Interview with the Vampire has thus far followed Lestat as his band rose to superstardom, and thus gave him unparalleled influence over humans and vampires alike in the wake of the Great Conversion. Last week, however, saw him reunite with his love, Louis (Jacob Anderson), and stir up some emotions, thanks to an imposter pretending to be Claudia (Delainey Hayles). With Episode 6, titled “Montreal,” the duo was forced to confront some painful truths, and for the occasion, everyone’s favorite undead rocker had a new soul-bearing ballad prepared.
Collider can exclusively share a new behind-the-scenes video that breaks down the complexities of Lestat’s latest single, “Brutal Love.” Compared to his more swaggering, David Bowie-inspired tracks like “Long Face” or his upbeat cover of Billy Idol‘s “Dancing With Myself,” the new song slows things down to let Reid’s voice shine with some hauntingly beautiful vocals. It’s one of many original pieces with music and lyrics by the show’s acclaimed composer, Daniel Hart, but the most important aspect that gives it metaphorical fangs is where it’s placed in Episode 6. Lestat performs it with the lights down low, violins in the background, and with both Louis and Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle) in the audience watching on.
In the breakdown, Reid remembered being blown away by “Brutal Love” from the moment he first heard it, but also recalled how much meaning it gained with two important people from Lestat’s life listening along. The beauty of it, he believes, comes from lyrics that leave it initially unclear whether the immortal rock deity is singing it to his mother or the man with whom he’s forged such a stormy, yet inherently unbreakable bond. Ehle found it especially delicious playing things out firsthand, depicting the initial contentment of Gabriella until she slowly realizes she isn’t the most important person in the room. Lestat made this an anthem to his and Louis’ turbulent love, one that not only encapsulates everything they’ve been through in the series but also where they are now.
‘The Vampire Lestat’s Music Remains Key to Its Future
After two acclaimed seasons centered on Louis, The Vampire Lestat, under showrunner Rolin Jones, has once again wowed critics by adapting Anne Rice‘s sequel novel and telling Lestat’s side of the story, in all its glitz and glam. Tracks like “Brutal Love” have been an integral part of that success, helping to forge a new persona that still echoes the immortal vampire’s past and passion for music. In addition to helping him express his feelings for Louis, it’s also been the key to connecting Lestat with the vampiric queen herself, Akasha. In an interview with Collider’s Carly Lane after Episode 5, Sheila Atim teased how that rock star phase could shape the future of Interview with the Vampire and expressed her hopes that music will continue to be an integral part of the series as it looks to the Season 3 finale and beyond.
“I can’t say much because there’s still a lot to be worked out and discovered there between us as a team. I probably think a bit of all of those things. They connect over music. Yes, she senses him and wants him to come and be the keeper, but the thing that really wakes her up is his music, his love of music, his passion for wanting to learn instruments. Then, here we are, all these hundreds of years later, and now he’s a rock star, and not only is he a rock star, but he’s singing about her.
That already is like the perfect tinderbox for something very, very exciting in terms of how she feels about that, [and] why she comes back into his life. It’s also painful, but I think it’s going to be fun. I hope the music continues in some way — not in the same way necessarily, but in some way, because it’s so at the heart of their connection, and it’s just a very potent, emotive… Everyone can connect to that. Through song, you can tell similar stories. So, I’m excited about that.”
The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 is now streaming on AMC+. Check out our exclusive sneak peek in the player above and visit The Vampire Lestat’s official page on Spotify or other music platforms to listen to “Brutal Love” and other new tracks as they drop in the show.
- Release Date
-
2022 – 2024-00-00
- Network
-
AMC
- Directors
-
Levan Akin, Alan Taylor, Craig Zisk, Emma Freeman, Keith Powell
- Writers
-
Jonathan Ceniceroz, Coline Abert, Eleanor Burgess, Ben Philippe
-
Jacob Anderson
Louis de Pointe du Lac
-
You must be logged in to post a comment Login