Sam Reid Shares How the ‘Sausalito’ Fight Between Lestat and Louis Almost Got Cut
The AMC series ‘The Vampire Lestat’ continues to delve into the tumultuous relationship between Louis and Lestat, with Episode 2 titled “Toledo” delivering just that.
This episode is part of the broader AMC adaptation of Anne Rice’s vampire universe, which began with ‘Interview with the Vampire’. In this new season, the narrative shifts back to Lestat, while Louis remains intricately tied to his emotional struggles and conflicts.
In Episode 2, the two characters find themselves in an unexpected setting: a plain conference room with lawyers, attempting to sort out legal issues. However, the conversation swiftly veers off course, transforming into a personal dispute laden with jealousy, history, and unresolved emotions.
Lestat provocatively brings up Louis’s past relationships, particularly Armand, portrayed by Assad Zaman. The exchange is filled with sarcasm and raw emotion, highlighting how deeply their shared history impacts both characters.
When Armand is mentioned, Lestat reacts with intensity, stating, “Santiago, I could understand. At least he had a presence. But Armand?”
Louis offers to discuss Armand more seriously, but instead of diffusing the tension, it escalates further between them.
The dialogue intensifies as they reflect on Louis’s past life with Armand. Louis mentions a second home in Sausalito, prompting Lestat to respond with mocking disbelief. This conversation blends playfulness, bitterness, and deep emotion, illustrating the complexity of their relationship.
Sam Reid, who plays Lestat, revealed that this scene was not initially intended to be a significant part of the episode. In an interview with Decider, he explained that much of the dialogue was added late in production and was not meant to be fully depicted on screen.
He stated, “Yeah, I mean, the crazy thing about that scene is that it was interstitial dialogue that came to us very late.”
Reid also explained that the scene was originally planned to be accompanied by voiceover rather than acted dialogue. He noted, “It was always going to have a voiceover over the top of it, so it was never supposed to be seen.”
As a result, the actors approached the scene in a relaxed and playful manner, not anticipating it would evolve into a pivotal emotional moment in the episode. Reid described it as a time when they were simply enjoying their characters.
Ultimately, the scene remained in the show, as showrunner Rolin Jones was so taken with it that he insisted it be included in the final cut. Reid remarked, “Rolin sort of fell in love with that and then decided it was the best thing he’d ever written and it was staying in the show.”
Jacob Anderson, who portrays Louis, also expressed his appreciation for how the scene turned out.
The outcome is a moment that captures both comedy and emotion, reflecting the ongoing tension between Louis and Lestat as they navigate their intricate past. According to Decider’s reporting and cast interviews, Episode 2 vividly portrays the unstable yet deeply connected relationship between the two characters.
‘The Vampire Lestat’ continues to stream on AMC+ as part of the expanding Anne Rice universe.
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