The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 “Montreal” takes us back to the beginning, in a way. The hour focuses completely on the messy, toxic, beautiful, loving, supportive, chaotic relationship between Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac and their even more complex and troubled relationship with the child vampire Claudia. Anything else, from Lestat’s latest rehearsal to the shocking twist that ends the episode, is just a vehicle for telling us their story. As in, this episode is nothing if not a reminder of why Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson were the only two people who could’ve ever, ever done these characters and their connection any justice, whatsoever.
Sometimes, you know someone is bad for you, but you love them desperately and show up for them anyway. And sometimes, you know someone is the only one who will ever be able to understand you and all your broken parts, yet you have to accept that they’re going to break you along the way just the same. That’s Lestat and Louis, Louis and Lestat…Loustat, as many viewers have come to call them.
Seen through Lestat’s eyes, Louis is equal parts everything we’ve come to know in Interview with the Vampire and something far more complex. Louis’ still a little bit broken, far too human in a way; but he’s also so very strong, and charming, and beautiful, and delightful to be around. This exists alongside a certain ugliness. He can be cruel, detached, judgmental. Case in point: Louis almost abandons Lestat (again) after Daniel and Armand commit the unforgivable sin—and total, abusive violation—of exposing his incestuous relationship with Gabriella to the general public. But when he finally opens his eyes and sees Lestat’s violent unraveling in front of him, Louis’ the gentle one who supports him, quite literally holding him up as his agony pours out.
While Reid and Anderson dominate the hour (as they should), Delainey Hayles‘ return as Claudia—not Fraudia as Lestat calls Regina—is stunning in a way that makes all the gutting emotional work her costars are doing in reaction to her fade into the background. She’s that good. In fact, every element of this sixth episode, frankly, is that good.
Now, if someone could please pick our vampire boyfriends’ heads up off the ground so if I can pick my jaw up off the ground, that’d be fantastic.
MORE: Are we sure Sam Reid isn’t actually Lestat?
“He knew who I was”
The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 introduces Merrick Mayfair (or, if you’re looking through the Brat Prince’s contacts, you’d be looking for “Mary Rick”). With Merrick—whose portrayal by Sarah Afful is powerful in all the right ways, twisted and hateful when a certain vengeful ghost speaks through her but nothing short of commanding and otherworldly when she’s simply herself, calling on spirits—comes a reckoning. Merrick summons the spirit of Claudia. It’s something Lestat and Louis have been calling a “bad idea” since the beginning of the night. But it’s also something that neither of them can quite force themselves to avoid.
Louis goes into this thinking he’s going to get some kind of closure, the kind of loving goodbye he’s wanted all along from the little girl he adored. That’s…not Claudia. It wasn’t in her vampire life, and it certainly isn’t in death. If you watch some of Reid’s performance when that ghost first comes shuffling in, ankles in that same bloodied state they were in immediately before she burned up in the sun, he seems wary in a way Louis isn’t. Lestat experiences a certain horrified sort of awe, maybe a respect for her darkness even, when he sees Claudia again. Whereas, all Anderson brings to Louis is that same yearning and desperation for her love that made him easy to manipulate.
In what is a masterclass from Hayles—the physicality in everything she does in this scene is pure brilliance, as is the overwhelming amount of emotion, rage and hate both second only to that awful suffering when we learn she can’t find Madeleine where she is—Claudia forces Louis to see the truth. He’s idolized her in death, always underestimated her in her vampire life. She belittles him, mocks his and Lestat’s reconciliation in the hurricane, and makes it abundantly clear that she hates him. And she always liked Lestat better because, unlike Louis, Lestat was every bit the monster she was and saw the monster in her.
Louis begins this ghostly visit with a certain amount of grief and angst over what he thought he lost, and by the end, it’s like he’s feeling everything he never actually had. Lestat, for his part, meets the moment with a certain resolute acceptance. When Claudia turns her attention to him, it’s that quiet “bring your malice” from Reid that fully gives how much he’s used to this kind of thing, especially from her, away. But she manages to hit him where it hurts the most, too, playing up her own “innocent, little girl” act for Louis that nearly—if not for the Blood of Akasha—got Lestat killed. He didn’t lose Louis because he wasn’t good enough; he lost him because Claudia lied to Louis, manipulated him, played on his sympathies. And that hurts more than dead blood or a beheading ever could.
But, in the end, nothing gets a greater reaction out of Lestat and Louis than the most painful truth of all: Claudia is alone. She can hate them both; she can rage at them, and insult them, and lean in to force direct eye contact as she lands every single insult. But the meltdown, the boiling over grief, and rage, and infinite loneliness she reveals in those final moments brings out the most raw, emotional performance from Hayles yet. That’s echoed in even more overwhelming pain and angst from Anderson…and Lestat’s held back blood tears finally escaping, entirely against his will.
Whether it’s that shouted “DEAAAAD!” in Louis’ face, or the sarcastic applause for Lestat’s play, or even just that fire in her eyes throughout that’s totally at odds with that battered, stooped state of Claudia’s body, Hayles really, truly puts on a show. She unleashes—boldly, bravely—all the nastiness and all the venom. And she digs so much deeper as she exposes the truth of Claudia’s eternal d**mnation. Hers is a performance with a clear beginning, middle, and tragic end. It’s one with dynamics. A living, breathing thing.
This alone would make The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 a masterpiece. Just Hayles, doing the unhinged, unpredictable, evil child vampire true justice. I’m absolutely blown away, not just by her, not just by Reid and Anderson, but by the very concept of this hour having so much more going for it.
MORE: After watching Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Episode 7, we said “the most annoying thing about this series is that we didn’t get more time with Hayles’ version of Claudia.” That’s more true than ever now.
“I prefer Lestat”
Aside from being confronted by Claudia’s ghost, Lestat and Louis deal with some other major ugly truths in The Vampire Lestat Episode 6. Before we get there, though, there’s this amazing sense of fondness, and softness, and fun that the two characters get to experience in a way I’m not sure they ever did in Interview with the Vampire. We can look at that as two people who, having spent time apart, are just excited to be back together in a way that makes them forget why it didn’t work out in the first place. Or, we can remember this is how Lestat sees Louis—and sees himself when he’s with Louis. Throw in a dash of the TV adaptation’s use of Armand as a meddler in Louis’ memories, and. Well. Choose your own adventure and all, but I’m going with this is unfiltered Loustat.
Regardless of what brings them to this place, Lestat and his unbearably human fledgling are back together again. Louis’ adorably flustered, struggling to get himself ready for a night full of bad ideas. He’s the human—or, vampire—embodiment of angst when he suggests canceling. When Lestat begins to act out, the melodramatic tantrum at the ready for when something hurts him but he doesn’t want to actually look hurt, Louis knows exactly how to handle him. All Louis has to do is look at Lestat like he’s out of his mind (because he is) and ask what’s wrong. Painfully easy.
Even in those early moments, Lestat’s trying to push Louis away, afraid to say “please, stay with me” and therefore fully dedicated to being the one to end it before it starts. He nags like an offended spouse (because he is one), demanding a thank you for the custom coffin as he oh-so-dramatically puts that hand to his chest for emphasis on what he would do in such a situation, and he uses his latest alias to do it. “You know, if I woke up in a custom-built Hastens coffin, the first thing that I would say to my host is ‘thank you, Sheridan.'” But Louis knows him and his tricks, and he isn’t deterred by that daring tilt to Lestat’s head to end his little rant. He’s not calling Lestat by the Sheridan alias, or any other one he comes up with, because he prefers Lestat.
It’s one of those little moments that could get lost in the emotional tour de force that is The Vampire Lestat Episode 6. But really, everything that needs to be said, Louis says it right there. He just wants the real, walls-down, truth of Lestat. And Lestat, having watched Louis so lovingly even as he was shouting and acting foolish as ever, responds with a sort of quiet gratitude. It’s like he’s just starting to hope for the first time that this time, it’ll last. Truly beautiful, subtle work from Reid here.
Lestat plays the clown for Louis out there on the street, selling him on the idea of Merrick with a certain amount of upbeat glee that he probably doesn’t actually feel himself. He promises “a fun night” with that exaggerated expression of his (those eyes!). No matter what, he’s going to show Louis a good time. And really, that’s all this is about. The man will literally chat with a guy he loathes, then deal with a witch and a venom-filled ghost—anything for his Louis. He acts 100% the jealous lover when Louis gets his call from Lemuel, huffing and totally put out when Louis asks, “why are you…being nice? I don’t like it.”
Whatever issues they may still have, though, Loustat are a perfectly united front during that dinner with Daniel. Anderson gives Louis a sort of smug satisfaction every time Lestat sasses Daniel back, and as they lean in and gaze at each other at every opportunity, it’s obvious they are as wrapped up in each other as ever. The only time Lestat gives anything away is when the proud tilt of his chin melts away into total, vulnerable softness, and he admits, in that fragile way of his, “it was enough that he showed up.” For all the time he and Louis spend looking at each other and barely sparing Daniel much notice at all, it’s a pretty big deal that he can’t make eye contact with anyone on that one.
It’s such a different vibe from earlier this season, when it felt like Lestat and Louis were in the middle of very nasty divorce proceedings in front of everyone. As Daniel tries to enter both of their minds, Lestat maintains a laser-like focus on preventing exactly that…and so, Daniel drops some very pointed hints about “Sofia.” Which…well. There’s something in Anderson’s performance during Lestat’s rehearsal that says he knows something’s off about “Sofia,” so I wonder how much he guessed before Daniel and Armand’s dirty trick made it all too real.
Sickness…and a “ridiculous night”
That brings us to the place in The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 where Reid and Anderson are both at their absolute best. When Louis sees the video of Lestat “fanging Sofia” and learns who the woman really is, Lestat tries too hard to cover it. In fact, he tries way too hard, squirms away because he’s way too uncomfortable with anyone knowing this, can’t even manage his signature self-satisfied smirk, and confirms the worst. All his excuses about a deepfake fall flat. And Louis is so disgusted, he tries his very best to get away.
Lestat won’t let him go, though—not this time. There’s a raw sort of emotion to Reid’s voice as Lestat calls out after him, and when a furious Louis explodes, practically growling out that “this is a century long lie,” Anderson outdoes him. In fact, the two actors take turns playing the character with the most powerful hurt here. Lestat can’t stand Louis leaving him again, and he certainly can’t handle his lover going off on him about how sick he is or comparing him to Armand. And when Louis does compare Lestat to Armand, he’s so heartbroken—more than disgusted by the incest or angry about the lies—and maybe even a little afraid. The look in Anderson’s eyes there, coupled with the way he puts his hands up in surrender and gestures as if to wipe away the image, is absolutely stellar.
This is Lestat’s story, though. And his agony, as he finally, completely melts down and goes off about his “OWN FRACTURING,” is one of countless moments of Reid stepping into the spotlight where he so naturally belongs. He screams himself into a gasping, struggling fit. On anyone else, it could risk fracturing into tacky over-acting, but because Louis’ seeing the most broken part of Lestat and recoiling from it, and because Lestat’s had enough of being the villain in this story—no matter how much he gives, and gives, and gives of himself—and because Reid’s already set us up so well, and Anderson’s continued that foundation, it’s just raw, truthful suffering at a level we can only comprehend by watching and listening. No review is ever going to capture it in words.
There’s something about these characters, repelling each other, then being drawn back to each other like magnets, that plays out so perfectly well throughout The Vampire Lestat Episode 6. This one, exquisite scene lays that out more clearly than anything else, sure. But it’s really the story of this entire hour. An ode to their relationship, if you will.
Anderson makes the moment when Louis sees Lestat’s not just being his usual dramatic self and is, in fact, burning from the inside out painfully, searingly clear. It’s just in time, too, as Lestat begins to collapse. And that far too gentle way Louis tells him it’ll be ok, along with the pillar of strength he becomes for his Maker and the all-too-desperate way they cling to each other, leads to such a remarkable sight on screen. Louis and Lestat are just one mass of clinging, sobbing bodies. Lestat actually lets himself be weak, lets himself needs someone. It may start off entirely against his will as he gasps his way along and nearly collapses. But long after he could’ve recovered, he doesn’t. And Louis can’t bear to see him suffer that way, so he holds him up—wills him with every ounce of his being to stay up.
…these two. What else can anyone even say?
Later, they actually…discuss, in a roundabout way, everything that’s happened. Louis oh-so-carefully begins the conversation. A terribly soft, almost shy, Lestat admits maybe he wanted someone, anyone, but especially Louis to find out all along. And then, they take a seat on a bench. Start to dream…until it’s ripped away.
Daniel and Armand are the most evil for doing this to Lestat. It’s actually worse than a beheading. Revenge p**n, especially when it reveals abuse—whether it’s “different” or “complicated” for vampires doesn’t matter in this particular context—is never ok. Period. Some part of Lestat knows this is wrong, but it’s the only love his mother ever grudgingly, occasionally threw his way. Desperate for anything from anyone, he’s let it go on (and off, and back on again, over and over in a vicious cyle) for centuries. That doesn’t mean the self-loathing and “I’m a monster” aren’t there. Or, in short, f**k Armand and Daniel for this forever.
More The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 reactions
- “At the intersections of my many selves—the stutterer, the ape, the actor, the keeper, the tourist, the recluse, the rockstar…the nesting dolls of identity—there is a period of stasis, a hibernation in shabby robe. The autumn of 2025 was one of these periods. At the time, I thought it a bow on the goodbye box of Lestat. But here I am, dictating for you, still Lestat.” The voice work from Reid continues to be top notch. This opening voiceover, in particular, is such a lovely bit of quiet introspection, with some laughs at his own expense along the way, and ending on a certain sense of awe. Lestat’s still here. He’s survived. Even he doesn’t believe it.
- And then, there’s the increasing emotion as he scrolls through the charts and sees how low his own music is. Ouch.
- “I was tying off loose ends, coming out of a coma, feeling alive. Or maybe it was him…” LOUSTAT LIVES.
- Super work on that hurt, little self-conscious reaction Lestat has to hearing Louis say “I don’t sleep in coffins much now.”
- “Cancel the dinner, cancel the reckoning, let’s stay inside and answer the begging doorbell!” THE HOLLERING AT THE BEGINNING.
- “Drake. Dropped 50 songs today.” And he is just. AGHAST. “Oh, yeah. I saw that.” And, after a beat, “I liked him in Degrassi. It was a show on cable, when there was still cable.” AMAZING. 10/10. NO NOTES.
- “Lestat is dead.” The roughness in his voice and that tiny swallow? My heart.
- “You reached out to the worst kind of witch.” Ah, yes. A Mayfair.
- “How’d you know the uncle?” Lestat starts to say something, stops himself, raises those eyebrows for effect, and then eventually, “we were in a book club for a moment.” Comedic timing, folks. Sam Reid has it. Or the Brat Prince does. However you want to put it. And literally, this is all just to make Louis laugh that beautiful laugh of his.
- The visual, of Lestat and Louis walking through the street, just two dark smudges in a world of their own, is great. Super way to highlight that they’re the outsiders on so many levels, of course including that they’re vampires, but also just that “outsider” status that Rice’s books were always really about. Additionally, they’re so wrapped up in each other, the world is background noise anyway.
- “…that was my line, you know. I said To-peka. Give me some credit.”
- Like a puppy nipping at your legs to get you to play with him, I swear to God.
- “We could talk about the proximity of your restaurant to my home. GET HIM.
- Very clever use of Sheridan Blackwood. I was thinking “ah, yes. A Blackwood Farm tribute.” But. There was also…a patron of the arts in real life.
- Anyone else notice at the restaurant, when Reid takes that little beat to show how uncomfortable Lestat is with being in this particular type of spotlight? And, again, the pause before “Mr. Blackwood” slowly reveals himself by taking off that (ridiculous) cloak that he (somehow) manages to work.
- “I couldn’t hear anything. It was a hurricane.” Everything about the enunciation on “huri-CK-ane” killed me. And like…Louis lovingly leaning toward him with “I was just pretending to understand what you said.” “Same!”
- It’s the way Louis squints at Daniel for me.
- “Hmm-hmmm-hmmmm. One has to ask, what is with the tan, Dan? Did you indulge and overshoot your coffin again?” Love how he leans back here and smirks throughout, like “your move.” And Louis’ high-pitched “oooh” when Dan says he’s seeing someone. Amazing.
- Dude looks like he had the worst self tan job of all time, though. Yikes.
- “Always. He’s an awkward man. He has that ‘you think you’re better than me’ chip on him. And we are. It is exhausting to pretend otherwise.” The deep breath, the little back and forth motion of the head, “I owed him an ending.”
- “Fake death, Sheridan, Clarence, you really have done something. Congratulations.” That’s all he ever wanted to hear! And the joy when Louis finally thanks him for the coffin!
- Reid and Anderson are so good at the lovers’ quarrel stuff. Not even the big, dramatic scene (but definitely that). Just…talking over each other and bickering over that book. The timing and the frustrated little way they respond to each other…so good.
- Not Lestat grinning all big and pretty when he talks about his spirit walking beside Louis and Armand in Paris. Oh, he knows Louis loooooooves him and regrets “killing” him, huh.
- Talk about frustration in that guttural noise Anderson makes before this: “This is it! No! This is your thing! All this sh**! I sense! But you never share!” (Be careful what you wish for there, Louis.)
- “Justice for Antoinette.”
- “You dangled her.” “To provoke you out of a depression.” My heart.
- Ok but them just stopping mid-fight and cackling together? Louis and Lestat sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. (That’s more mature than they are here, honestly.)
- And Louis gets serious again on “why.” That scoff! “Because, Louis. I’m a monster…” And the sad little way he looks down? HE REALLY BELIEVES THAT ABOUT HIMSELF. JUSTICE FOR LESTAT.
- His little jump and twirl.
- Jennifer Ehle and Jacob Anderson: Also great together. “Sofia” is challenging this guy to see what he knows and if he’s going to hurt Lestat again. And he…is not standing for her BS, while also not doing anything that’s going to upset Lestat before his big show. Just fascinating stuff, two predators circling each other, seeking out a weakness.
- “I think he’d be hurt if I didn’t show.” “I think he’d be more hurt if you were hurt.” I’m really interested in that little look Gabriella gives Louis, as if to say, “you know I’m right.” Meanwhile, Anderson with the fake smile because Louis is obviously offended. He thinks she’s speaking out of turn, but like…this is Lestat’s mother. Might be the rare time she’s actually acted in his best interest, too. Because, well. She’s right. If anything happens to Louis….
- …let’s not finish that sentence. Moving on.
- “Sam does not get a vote.”
- Obligatory praise for Sam Reid’s musicality, and the depth of his voice on some of the more emotional parts of this song, goes here.
- THANK YOU FOR PULLING AWAY FROM HER WHEN YOU HAVE HIM NOW.
- “Maybe I should bring him up on stage, put him over my knee, and give him five whacks for the five Great Laws.” I mean, Marius would.
- His dramatic laugh!
- …is not fooling anybody, least of all Louis.
- “My mother is dead.”
- “It’’s a complicated multi-faceted set of circumstances!” “There’s no circumstances that would lead to, ‘oh yeah, I could see how THAT would happen!’” THE WAY ANDERSON GRITS THE BEGINNING PART OUT.
- Sam Reid, expert at “bitter hurt,” reporting for duty. “You’re being very judgy.”
- “We are unnatural beings! And this! This is the half-human soul that you conveniently whip out whenever you want to win an argument!” Dude’s cracking…and cracking up.
- “Maybe the source of all your sickness…” YES. THIS.
- He can barely make words when he’s hollering about Fraudia. It’s such an effort. Talk about an endless spiral. Just. WOW.
- THE HE USE OF HIS HAND IN THAT TENSE GESTURE. I SWEAR TO GOD.
- “You call me out of nowhere, and you say that you’re paying a girl to pretend to be Claudia, that you’re paying a girl to pretend to be Madeleine and what do I think? Do I say that you’re sick, Louis? Do I see sickness?! NO! I spent a month and a half talking you back from unimaginable frenzy in the middle OF MY OWN! FRACTURING!!!! I offer you room? Under my roof? I offer you the possibility of reckoning your crippling guilt! I offer you—I off—…” Give this man (vampire) some awards already, PLEASE.
- The fact that Anderson can still command so much attention, just with presence, continues to blow my mind. He doesn’t even have to, like, say his next line before you just…all that angst Louis feels both for himself and for Lestat in this moment is just…it’s there!
- I also think it’s insane how Lestat is every bit as overly dramatic as Louis described him to be in his interviews, but this is still a totally different flavor from what Interview with the Vampire had in store for us. So on point.
- “She was the only one growing up who showed me any kind of affection…she was not a doting mother, but I could picture a larger life outside of Auvergne because of her.” And she used that to her advantage to abuse you, Prince.
- Louis, bestie, this isn’t a time to make a joke.
- …but also, that’s…that’s also abuse. You two are both so f**ked up. (Which is why you’re perfect for each other.)
- “I conduct the chaos. She’s one of the many chainsaws I juggle.”
- Just a vulnerable baby, afraid of what everyone’s going to think of him, asking the love of his life to look for him.
- “I have my own zip code of mess right now. I’m not…proud…of how I just was. I’m sorry.” We call this…growth.
- THE LOADED LOOKS.
- The score during the Claudia scene? Diabolical callback.
- “They—they dragged me off the stage; they ripped you away from me. A—and I can’t…let you go? It’s there? A—at the bottom of everything…I wanted to block that out. I wanted…to say the goodbye I didn’t get to say? And tell you…I hope found a bit of—…bit of quiet.” Jacob Anderson, folks. His voice just shakes. He’s pleading with the universe. It’s pain.
- Top to bottom, seriously, every single thing Hayles does is a killer.
- “I didn’t call you, you dumb b**ch. I’d’ve tripped Armand on the stairs if I wanted you with me. Here’s some truth for you, sad boy: You weren’t even my favorite.” And that accusatory pointing toward Lestat on “liked him better.”
- “I hate you to the pit of all things.”
- “…and shi**y, little bit** that you are…revenge swelled in your brain…” AS HER HEAD LEANS AND NODS FOR EMPHASIS.
- To go from that hateful, mocking expression as she hugs herself…to this. Just…ouch. STUNNING. Brilliant. The best. “…cause I don’t see her here! And I can’t find her there! The one good thing! In my! Bleak! Black! Life! And I don’t know where she is!!! And I spend every F—ing second of nowhere looking for her…And where is she?!!! Why is she not here? WITH ME!!!”
- Can we talk about the detachment and numbness as a trauma response or.
- Ah, yes, the benches. So true. Nice callback to the very beginning.
- “Clearly, somewhere in the self-destructive scaffolding I house my heart in, I wanted it known. But where I’m a mystery to myself is why I wanted it now—the night before I go on stage, the hour before the witch arrives. Why do I actively, manically pursue failure?” That last sentence…is a personal attack on me.
- When you and your husband both realize you need to do work on yourselves.
- Lestat de Lioncourt, the Brat Prince, utterly terrified because Louis is giving him hope.
- “If it was just the two of us again—cause, yeah, who else is going to have us?”
- Oh. “Evening primrose,” and that hope is blooming on both of them now. My heart.
- “Could be nice.” They are so soft???? Lestat is so touched??? “Could be.”
- Oh, the intense gazing.
- You know, in retrospect, they drew this tension out for…a reason. I wish the reason had been a kiss!
- This is why Marius never came back for your a**, Armand.
- This, uh. Did not happen in the books, suffice it to say.
- The heads?! And the dripping blood?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 “Montreal”? Leave us a comment!
New episodes of The Vampire Lestat release Sundays on AMC and AMC+. The season finale premieres on Sunday, July 19.
