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Brad Pitt’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Transformation Was a “Pain in the Ass” [Exclusive]
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.
In short
- Brad Pitt found filming the vampire drama difficult.
- Louis was less dynamic than the surrounding characters.
- Night shoots and demanding make-up added to the strain.
Explained simply
Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 film directed by Neil Jordan, adapted from Anne Rice’s novel. Brad Pitt plays Louis, a vampire telling the story of his long life; Tom Cruise plays Lestat, the vampire who turns him, and Kirsten Dunst plays Claudia, whom they bring into their unusual family.
The novel is shaped around Louis’s account of events, while Lestat and Claudia often drive the action. The film was also demanding to make, with months of night filming and lengthy make-up and costume work. The story matters because the contrast between Louis’s reflective role and the more forceful characters helps explain the different experiences actors had on set.