As a fan who vividly remembers the impact of Brad Pitt‘s performances in 1994, I can’t help but feel a pang of empathy for him when I hear about his struggles during the filming of “Interview with the Vampire.” It’s fascinating to learn that the director, Neil Jordan, saw his suffering as not just a byproduct of the challenging production but also an integral part of portraying the character Louis de Pointe du Lac.
Brad Pitt was certainly no stranger to Hollywood prior to 1994, but that year arguably propelled him to movie star status thanks to him starring in The Favor, Legend of the Fall and Interview with the Vampire. That latter movie in particular has remained a fan-favorite all these years later, with Pitt starring opposite Tom Cruise in this adaptation of Anne Rice’s same-named novel. However, Pitt admitted last year that he was “miserable” when he filmed Interview with the Vampire, and now director Neil Jordan has shared his take on why the actor “suffered” during this time.
Approximately a year and a half ago, Pitt characterized his time working on “Interview with the Vampire” as six months in near-darkness, as he portrayed the submissive character Louis opposite Tom Cruise’s dominant Lestat. This discontent stemmed from Pitt’s anticipation for the role not aligning with the script he received only two weeks before principal filming began. When Jordan was questioned by Variety about Pitt’s dissatisfaction during production, the director responded:
As a fan, I can’t help but admire how brilliantly Brad embodied his character. It seemed to me that the problem wasn’t with him, but rather with the nature of the role itself. Often, the protagonist can be surprisingly passive within the storyline, and this was no exception.
Beyond verifying that the night scenes in the acclaimed vampire film “Interview with the Vampire“, one of the top vampire movies, were challenging, Neil Jordan also explained the demands placed on Brad Pitt to effectively portray Louis de Pointe du Lac. Given that his character is transformed into a vampire shortly after losing his wife and unborn daughter in 1791, and later regrets this decision due to his reluctance to harm innocents, he endured additional sorrow when Kirsten Dunst’s Claudia, whom he considered as his daughter, was reduced to ashes. It’s not surprising that Pitt experienced a sense of melancholy during the filming process. However, when Todd Gilchrist, the interviewer, questioned Jordan if he made an effort to “establish a set environment aimed at easing the heaviness” associated with Pitt’s possible emotional struggles, the director replied:
I don’t believe I played a significant role in the production. I worked alongside Brad Pitt as an actor, but since he stayed on set much longer than Tom Cruise, he experienced the entire production, which might have contributed to some weariness. However, I felt he did a commendable job in his role. Any criticisms of his performance may be more about the character Louis, who endures hardships throughout the novel, and the challenging nature of the story itself. So, it seems both Brad and Louis had a difficult journey during the filming process.
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Brad Pitt may have had a less-than-ideal time filming “Interview with the Vampire,” feeling let down that it turned out to be more of a “Tom Cruise showcase” according to his own words, but the end result was both critically and commercially successful. The following year, Pitt took on roles in “Seven” and “12 Monkeys,” solidifying his status as one of Tinseltown’s leading men. Thirty years later, “Interview with the Vampire” is still a favorite among many viewers, despite Pitt possibly not revisiting it himself.
At present, you can’t stream “Interview with the Vampire” as a movie, but there is an “Interview with the Vampire” TV series airing on AMC. You can stream the entire show on AMC+ and the first season is also available on Netflix with a subscription. The series will resume for its third season at an undisclosed date in the future.
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2024-11-12 02:37