This post was originally published on Audible.com.
Before Anne Rice, vampires in popular culture were primarily modeled after Bram Stoker's Dracula. She published her debut novel, Interview with the Vampire, in 1976 when she was just 35, and it launched one of the most influential vampire series in modern literature. Now considered a gothic horror masterpiece, the first book in the Vampire Chronicles series is told from the first-person perspective of Louis de Pointe du Lac, a 200-year-old vampire who recounts his life story to a young reporter.
In 1994, Interview with the Vampire was adapted into a star-studded film featuring Tom Cruise as the charismatic vampire Lestat and Brad Pitt as the tormented Louis. More recently, the novel has been reimagined as a television series for AMC, introducing Rice's rich vampiric world to a new generation of viewers. Now in its third season, the show has rebranded as The Vampire Lestat to align with the second book in the series.
The original audiobooks, narrated by Simon Vance, were recently updated and now include new voice talents. The newly recorded version of Interview with the Vampire, featuring Dan Bittner, was released earlier in May. The Vampire Lestat will release on June 4, followed by the third book, The Queen of the Damned, on July 2. So we caught up with Gabra Zackman, who directed the recordings of all three books, to find out what it was like working on these iconic titles with narrators Vikas Adam, Dan Bittner, Paul Boehmer, and Robin Miles.
"I find it extraordinary that these stories about vampires and the supernatural have shed such light on the human condition," Zackman, who is a beloved narrator in her own right, explains. "They continue to delight and inspire in many different mediums today."
Whether you're familiar with the Anne Rice cinematic universe, a die-hard fan of Louis and Lestat's complicated relationship, or are new to it all and ready to explore the consequences of immortality and the moral ambiguity of vampirism, read on to find out what makes these new audiobooks so special.
Jerry Portwood: What were you hoping to achieve for this re-recording of the Vampire Chronicles?
Gabra Zackman: We very much wanted to breathe new life into an old classic, and to re-envision the way these stories were told. The previous recordings and performances of these stories have been brilliant, and we built upon that legacy to open these up to the current moment.
The fandom around these books can be intense—which characters or scenes were particularly important to get right because the fans are so engaged?
My first thought is all of them? They are all iconic. I think the estate was brilliant in how they cast the narrators of this re-release, because all four actors are wildly skilled in shifting between characters as well as fully immersing in the passion and emotion of the scenes.
I will say that the Dropbox for this project—which included pronunciations of the French by a native speaker, New Orleans place names from one who lives there, dialect notes from our coach, voice samples of all the characters by all the actors, thematic notes from the estate, and my own notes—will be the stuff of legends.
In short: It was quite an undertaking by a massive team of creatives.
Dan Bittner is a versatile narrator and fans love his ability to create deep emotional connections. Why did he seem like the perfect person to narrate the first book in the series?
In addition to his vast skill set, Dan is a consummate professional. We knew he would be rigorous in crafting Louis as a full being, one that would dance in the imagination of the listener. He also has a divinely facile voice, and one that lent itself to the sensuality and power of the text and characters.
Did you provide any input for his renditions of Lestat and Louis?
Much of my job involved having everyone on the same page (literally and figuratively!) To that end, we had a brilliant dialect coach (Amanda Quaid) who helped both Dan and Vikas to find those voices, and to be able to seamlessly move between them. I helped to guide both actors on their choices, but most of the choices were their own.
Dan’s gentle delivery is quite hypnotic. Did you find yourself entranced during the recording process?
Deeply. I will say it is not the first time that Dan has cast a spell on me, and I know it won’t be the last.
For the second book, The Vampire Lestat, we hear Paul Boehmer as Marius and Vikas Adam as Lestat. That’s quite a combo, and a new way to capture the shifting perspectives in this book. Anything you can share with how you directed them in their respective parts?
I had a thrilling time working with both Vikas and Paul. Vikas and I have known each other for many years and collaborated on every decision made. Paul was new to me, and I just fell in love with him! A large part of my work was making sure they were on the same page, but their choices were their own. I supported them as best I could, encouraged, and amplified their choices.
Was there anything you wanted Paul to do to capture a 2,000-year-old vampire?
Really there wasn’t anything I needed to do. I have my suspicions, but this came a bit too easily to Paul. Also he’s gorgeous and seems ageless, so there’s that. Point being: He seemed to have that character down pat.
Lestat becomes a rock star in the 1980s in this book. Anything about Vik that gave you “rock star” vibes?
Everything about Vik gives me rock star vibes! In all seriousness, Vik walks through the world like a rock star, and he easily fell into the role. His work was so nuanced and also so free—he really blew me away.
Vikas co-narrates The Queen of the Damned alongside Robin Miles. What was it like recording with them both?
They are both dear friends of mine, as well as people I’ve looked up to for all of my career! And Robin was my very first director, so getting to direct her felt very full circle. Both Vik and Robin are brilliant tacticians, vibrant actors, geniuses with dialects, and passionate about craft. So my job was one of pushing a well-built ship one way or the other rather than building the ship from scratch. Truly, it was the honor of a lifetime.
Was there anything in particular you feel Robin brings to the role of Akasha? What about that accent?
Robin is one of the grand dames of audiobooks, and she effortlessly holds herself as a woman of greatness. The combination of her regal bearing, acting skills, and dialect work was truly remarkable to witness.
Any epiphanies or surprises in the studio?
I think what surprised me most of all was how accessible the material was, and how topical! This was written in an entirely different moment in the world and, yet, not so different. How the material spoke to audiences in the 1970s, '80s and '90s and into the 2000s varied, but has been universal in scope. The reflections of love and loss, morality and boundary breaking, loneliness and desire—these themes are universal even if seen from a different perspective in time.
