‘Interview With the Vampire’ Stars Discuss Shocking Finale Twist

Sometimes, it takes a simple “huh” to unravel a nearly 80-year-old relationship. This seemingly innocent reaction becomes the catalyst for uncovering what investigative journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) dubs a “seismic lie” in the thrilling Interview With the Vampire Season 2 finale.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Interview With the Vampire.

Daniel has been acting as both a reporter and couples therapist to the vampires Armand (Assad Zaman) and Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) in this AMC adaptation of Anne Rice’s best-selling novel. Since Armand manipulated Daniel’s mind in 1973, Daniel’s mistrust and disdain for him have soared. So when Daniel gets hold of an annotated play script documenting the trial that led to Claudia’s (Delainey Hayles) death in the late ’40s, he is ready to reveal Armand’s long-kept secret: Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), not Armand, saved Louis from execution on the Théâtre des Vampires stage.

It gets even uglier: Armand sold Louis and Claudia to the vampire coven, which doubled as a theater troupe, and directed the play that functioned as their trial and punishment—leading to Claudia’s death. Louis overlooked many of Armand’s past transgressions, but this betrayal is too much. Before heading back to New Orleans to reunite with Lestat, Louis tells Armand, “You’re not to touch him,” referring to Daniel. However, it seems Armand ignored this instruction.

Next time we see Daniel, he’s in an unusually buoyant and combative mood while promoting his best-selling memoir, Interview With the Vampire, on local Atlanta news. His exuberance and DGAF attitude toward WYZL Atlanta host Leonard Micheal (David Costabile) aren’t just from his book’s impressive five million sales in four months. Daniel’s newfound zest comes from becoming a vampire himself.

When The Daily Beast’s Obsessed sat down to talk to Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman about this bombshell finale, the show’s Season 3 renewal hadn’t been announced yet. However, that didn’t stop the pair from speculating about the future. “I want to see mad Armand, crazy gremlin Armand. We get a glimpse of it in Episode 5. I’m ready to play with that next season,” says Zaman.

During a telepathic conversation between Louis and Daniel, Daniel seemingly refers to Armand as his maker. When asked how Daniel became a vampire, Bogosian jokingly suggests, “I think we get really shit-faced together, and all of a sudden, his [Lestat’s] teeth are in my neck.”

In real life, Bogosian and Zaman share a great rapport and are excited to return to work together. They discussed the significant moments leading to Louis and Armand’s breakup, Daniel’s transformation into a vampire, and how behind-the-scenes camaraderie helps in emotionally intense scenes.

Bogosian learned about Daniel’s transformation during the shoot. He was thrilled as playing a vampire had been on his acting bucket list. “I’ve always wanted to play a vampire. This offer came in, and I was like, ‘What a coincidence!’” he shared.

Zaman warned Bogosian about the inconveniences of vampire nails and contact lenses. “There are two kinds of nails; not-permanent ones drive you crazy. Permanent nails, like the ones Sam [Reid] has, are even worse. You can’t do anything with them. When you do the eyes, you can’t really see,” Zaman explained. Despite these challenges, both actors share a strong commitment to their roles.

Armand’s decision to turn Daniel into a vampire feels like an act of revenge because Daniel disrupted his nearly 80-year relationship. Zaman equates it to the most heinous crime one could commit out of desperation and anger.

Next season, we’re set to uncover how this transformation occurred. This season raised questions about San Francisco; the next will address what happened in Dubai. Zaman and Bogosian are eager to explore these instances further.

Daniel’s warning in the sushi bar, “Others have tried to pull this off, and they’re not around to talk about it,” echoes his deep, albeit rationally conflicted, desire to become a vampire.

Throughout the season, the dynamics between Daniel, Armand, and Louis constantly shift. This trio navigates an intellectual ménage à trois rather than a simple chess game. The scene where Daniel reveals critical information, heightening the tension while maintaining a playful quality, showcases the actors’ skill and the solid scriptwriting.

Bogosian remarks on the supportive directorial environment and the fantastic script. One unscripted moment, where Louis offers a handshake to Daniel, added an emotional layer to an already intense sequence, reflecting their off-screen camaraderie.

This group of actors excels at inhabiting their characters, creating a believable alternate reality. “I think [Robert] De Niro once said, ‘I get to do all this stuff without the consequences.’ For me, that’s the game. Let’s play pretend,” Bogosian said.

Both Zaman and Bogosian are enthusiastic about continuing their roles, hoping for more opportunities to dive deeper into their characters’ complexities and relationships.

Read more at The Daily Beast.