13 Things You PROBABLY Didn't Know About INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994)

Today marks Interview With The Vampire’s 27th anniversary. The film hit theaters on November 11th, 1994. The film has gone on to be a cult favorite for many Horror fans. Basd off the best selling novel of the same name by Anne Rice, Interview With The Vampire had a ton of production issues and re-writes that many are not aware of. That’s where we come in.

So without further adieu, here’s…

13 THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE.

All The Actors Who Played Vampires Had To Go Through A Grueling Process

All the actors playing vampires were required to hang upside down for up to thirty minutes at a time during make-up. This would force all the blood in their bodies to rush to their heads, causing the blood vessels in their faces to bulge. The make-up artists would then trace over the swollen veins, creating the eerie, translucent-skinned look. Unfortunately for the actors, they would have to repeat the process several times over, as the blood would quickly drain from their heads. This, in part, accounts for the lengthy make-up process.

River Phoenix Was The First Choice For The Role Of The Interviewer

Christian Slater was given the role of Malloy upon the death of River Phoenix, the original choice for the role. Slater donated his $250,000 salary to two of Phoenix's favorite charities.

Brad Pitt Wanted To Quit The Film

In an EW interview in September 2011, Brad Pitt revealed that he had a miserable experience while making this film. He recalled the discomfort of the makeup, colored contacts and particularly filming in an enclosed dark indoor area. He said at one point he called his friend and producer David Geffen and begged him for a way out. Learning that it would cost $40 million, he toughed it out for the remaining months.

Anne Rice Didn’t Agree With Tom Cruise Playing Lestat

Upon learning that Tom Cruise had been cast, Rice was livid and stated Cruise could not carry the part, calling the casting "so bizarre; it's almost impossible to imagine how it's going to work" and "the worst crime in the name of casting since The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)." Rice recused herself from the production and did not view the film until a producer sent her a VHS copy. Rice was so impressed by Cruise's performance that she wrote him a letter of apology and recorded a two-minute video endorsing the film that was included as a pre-feature on mid-1990s VHS releases of Interview with the Vampire.

The Film Was Kirsten Dunst First On Screen Kiss

Kirsten Dunst shared her first on-screen kiss in this film with Brad Pitt, even though there was an 18-year age difference between them. In a subsequent interview, she revealed the scene had made her uncomfortable. She remarked: "I thought it was gross, that Brad had cooties. I mean, I was twelve."

Tom Cruise Needed Lifts To Properly Play Lestat

Tom Cruise was placed on an elevated platform during some scenes to reduce the height difference between his character and other vampires.

Louie Never Had A Wife Or Child

In the book, the reason why Louis becomes depressed in the beginning of the movie is because he feels guilty about the death of his brother; not because he had a wife and child that died. In fact, he never had a wife in the book version.

Lestat Was Almost Played By Forrest Gump

Anne Rice met with Tom Hanks to take the part of Lestat after seeing his performance in Philadelphia (1993), but Hanks turned down the part in order to star in Forrest Gump.

Brad Pitt Stank On Set

During filming, tensions developed between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt over the latter's alleged poor personal hygiene. According to Cruise, his co-star didn't use any deodorant and the resulting body odor became noticeable.

An Attempted Murder Took Place After Watching The Film

The film was a subject of controversy due to inspiring a real life crime shortly after the film's theatrical release. On November 17, 1994, a man named Daniel Sterling and his girlfriend, Lisa Stellwagen, watched the film together. The next day, Sterling stabbed Stellwagen seven times in her chest and back and sucked the blood from her wounds. Fortunately, Stellwagen survived and Sterling was arrested. He claimed in court that the film influenced his plan, and the jury convicted him of attempted first-degree murder, among several other charges.

Lestat Gives A Shout Out To Dracula

Lestat tells Louis that eating rats is a good way to stay alive if you're "in a ship for a month at sea." This is a reference to Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, in which Dracula hides on a ship below decks and survives by eating rats until he can arrive in London.

Oprah Was Not A Fan Of The Film

Oprah Winfrey walked out of the premiere during the first reel, disgusted by the amount of blood in the film.

Lestat Originally Was Involved In The Death Of Claudia

The original novel includes a scene where Lestat appears in the tunnels under the Theater des Vampires in Paris, to confront Louis immediately after Claudia's death. This scene was filmed with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, but was cut from the final film.