Interview With the Vampire's Bailey Bass Says She Was "Obsessed" With Claudia (Exclusive)

While the first two episodes of AMC's adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire have largely centered around Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), this week's third episode, "Is My Very Nature That of the Devil", sets the stage for the introduction of the third major character in the story: child vampire Claudia. Played by Bailey Bass, the character is very much a reimagining of the girl first introduced in Rice's iconic novel, but even with the differences, Bass says that not only is the essence of Claudia there, but she was obsessed with the character.

"It was exciting. I read the book and I fell in love with Claudia as much as I did when I read the script," Bass told ComicBook.com. "The essence is there, the need to be loved, the need to want to love someone, to want a companion. The complex relationship she has with Louis and Lestat, that's all there in the show. And I felt the same way reading Claudia, the reimagined Claudia in the script, as I did reading the book."

"I was obsessed with Claudia," Bass continued. "I got the audition, and by the time I was doing my third callback I was like, 'I love playing her.' It's an actor's dream. I get to experience every emotion you could possibly think of in the highest caliber, because she experiences everything in such an extreme way. And I love her, I really do. There's such a special place in my heart for her."

Bass also explained that not only was she obsessed with Claudia, the experienced of playing the character was one that had a bit of meaning for her as well in that she was always learning something new on set as the very human tale of these vampires unfolded.

"There's so much. I mean, from the lenses, to the fangs, to the costumes, being able to be in a period piece is so fun. And then we got to do these extreme action scenes that are really, really intense, but then also for all of our scenes, despite the fantasy, despite us being vampires, are really grounded in truth," Bass said. "And they're people. Yes, they're vampires, but they feel just like anyone else would feel and they're in circumstances, even though they're very extreme, feel heartbreaking at times. And every character is so intricate and unique, and all the relationships are so specific that every day on set, I was learning something new."

What is Interview With the Vampire About?

A sensuous, contemporary reinvention of Anne Rice's revolutionary gothic novel, Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), and Claudia's (Bailey Bass) epic story of love, blood, and the perils of immortality, as told to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Chafing at the limitations of life as a Black man in 1900s New Orleans, Louis finds it impossible to resist the rakish Lestat de Lioncourt's offer of the ultimate escape: joining him as his vampire companion. But Louis's intoxicating new powers come with a violent price, and the introduction of Lestat's newest fledgling, the child vampire Claudia, soon sets them on a decades-long path of revenge and atonement.

Will There be a Second Season of Interview With the Vampire?

While the first season of Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire is just getting started on AMC and AMC+, the critically acclaimed series has already been renewed for a second season, a renewal that was handed out ahead of the series' premiere.

"The scope and breadth of this show, and what Mark and Rolin have delivered, is just stupendous," Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios, said in a statement. "They have rendered the rich and vibrant world of Anne Rice's Interview in a wonderful way, and we're incredibly proud. From the set build to production design, costumes, and more — no detail was overlooked. This stellar cast delivers powerful performances that emotionally connect us to these characters and their humanity. We look forward to sharing the final product of this extraordinary effort with audiences in just a few short days and are thrilled that this story will continue. This is only the beginning of an entire Universe featuring enthralling stories and characters that capture the spirit of Anne Rice's amazing work."

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC. You can also stream new episodes on AMC+.