Director Neil Jordan says Brad Pitt struggled during the making of *Interview with the Vampire*, largely because Louis was a relatively passive central character beside Tom Cruise’s Lestat and Kirsten Dunst’s Claudia. Jordan believes this reflected Anne Rice’s Victorian-novel structure, in which the narrator observes events while more flamboyant characters drive the action.

The production was also physically demanding: filming took place mainly at night for six months, while Pitt had to wear contact lenses, endure extensive make-up and hang upside down each morning. Although Jordan acknowledged that the experience could be frustrating for actors, he said he valued working with Pitt and believed they remained friends at the time.