“His venom hurts…”: 30 years ago, Tom Cruise was bruised by criticism from this huge auteur who didn’t want him in his movie.

In San Francisco in the 1990s, a young journalist, Daniel Malloy, chats in a room with an elegant, aristocratic-looking and pale man, Louis, who gives him a strange confidence. Meloy, charmed by the seduction of his interlocutor, asks him, at dawn, to bring him into his world. One of the vampires…

For the adults among you, you’ll definitely know the synopsis for the great movie Interview with the Vampire. The artwork was released here on December 21, 1994, just 30 years ago! Cast in the guise of its vampire duo Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, the film was a huge success in France with 1.63 million in attendance. And even at the worldwide box office, earning more than $223 million.

Adapted from Anne Rice’s bestseller, published in the United States in 1976 (and two years later in France) Interview with the Vampire For seventeen years he rotated among Hollywood agents, from Richard Gere to Cher, from John Travolta to Daniel Day-Lewis, before finding new blood: Neil Jordan in the lead and Tom Cruise as Lestat; Noble vampire, lover, brother and father of Louis (Brad Pitt).

“As before every start of filming, I was nervous”

The film’s success may have warmed Cruise’s rather bruised heart. This is because the person concerned publicly suffered the wrath of the author, who was categorically against his role as the main character.

“As before every start of shooting, I was nervous. The most difficult thing, in front of this explanation, was to remain indifferent. I was already sufficiently moved by the theme of the film: the fight for life, the fight against death in any case. Value.” – said the actor in an interview. He told Esquire magazine: “When I heard about it, it touched me. His venom hurts… You don’t usually start a movie with someone you don’t like. This is unusual.”

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Anne Rice’s novels were an authentic literary phenomenon with colossal success. Kind of like J.K. Rowling ahead of her time, with a hypersexual dimension. A dimension that takes the form embodied by the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, in its heart. The Vampire Chronicles.

Associated with writing the screenplay, alongside Neil Jordan, he modeled his character on Dutch actor Rutger Hauer. His first desire was to see Daniel Day Lewis Put on Lestat’s clothes. The person concerned declined the role on the grounds that he “Enough with costume movies”. He then suggested the name Jeremy Irons to Warner. The Major not only refused, but scorned him, directly choosing the bankable star of Top Gun.

“To do that when he’s won $2 million is a whim.”

Producer David Geffen, who has struggled to get the film made for years, launched a counterattack against Anne Rice. “Anna, at best, is a difficult person and understands her motivations There is something beyond me.

and add: “He was doing this when he was paid $2 million And making even more money by selling his books is a whim. He lacks generosity. He lacks discretion. And he lacks professionalism. “

To the writer’s credit, many at the time believed that the casting of Tom Cruise in an 18th-century costume film, let alone a vampire, was nothing more than a casting mistake. century.

Despite his bitter animosity towards Tom Cruise, the novelist was the first to admit his mistake after seeing the film. It had the elegance of a Hollywood bible Diversity A kind of open letter to write two pages, in the form of an honorable mention, explaining that he liked the movie.

He later wrote this (you can read the full post here): “When it was announced that Tom Cruise would play Lestat, I had deep reservations and severe criticism. As did many of my readers. I spoke openly about it. Then the veil was drawn between me and the film’s producers, and rightly so. .

Nobody likes criticism, and that includes people working in film. I haven’t seen any fuss, any scraps, I haven’t done any screening tests. Until David Geffen took the risk of sending me a VHS copy of the film so I could watch it. And I approached this VHS with a deep fear of being disappointed, saddened, devastated by the final work.

I found it Interview with the Vampire special. From the first appearance, Tom was Lestat to me. He had this tremendous physical and moral presence. He was sublime beyond description, even prone to cruel deeds. The beauty of the tribe was incredible; His subtle acting, his ability to delve into Lestat’s soul and understand his personality was absolutely thrilling. I’m not modest. I like to believe that the character of Lestat played by Tom will be remembered as much as we remember his performance Laurence Olivier in Hamlet.

It is difficult to give a more refined compliment and respect, especially from someone who does not have harsh enough words for an actor whose talent has long since ceased to be demonstrated.