Sam Reid Reveals Why He Refused Playback for ‘The Vampire Lestat’

Sam Reid has spoken about why it was important for him to perform live vocals while filming The Vampire Lestat, according to Entertainment Weekly. The actor, who plays Lestat de Lioncourt, said he pushed for a more raw and imperfect sound during musical scenes in the upcoming season.

The new season follows Lestat as he becomes a rock star on tour in 2025, blending performance, storytelling, and personal reflection. While the music was pre-recorded for production, Reid also insisted on singing live during filming so the emotional moments would feel more real on screen.

He explained that he did not want the performance to feel overly polished or artificial. Reid said, “I don’t want it all to be perfect.” He also shared that part of his goal was to avoid the feeling of a traditional musical or music video style, instead aiming for something more grounded and human.

Reid added, “I want to see some f—-ups. I want to see the veins when I’m singing. I don’t want it all to be perfect. I want it to feel like it’s an organic happening.”

According to the actor, the production team still used the pre-recorded tracks for the final soundtrack, but blended them with his live vocals in certain scenes. This mix was designed to keep the energy of a live performance while maintaining the structure of the recorded music.

He also said that singing live allowed him to focus more on acting in the moment rather than lip-syncing. Reid explained that this helped him stay connected to the emotional side of Lestat, who often expresses trauma, anger, and revenge through music. He said it made it easier to perform scenes naturally without breaking focus.

Reid also took a similar approach with instruments featured in the show. Although he admitted he cannot fully play all the instruments seen on screen, he worked closely with the production to learn specific parts for filming. He said he made sure to match his performance exactly to the recorded music so the scenes would feel believable.

He explained, “I’m very specific that we work out when you’re going to see me play the instrument, and then I’ll learn that part exactly.”

The series is a continuation of the story from Interview With the Vampire, now focusing on Lestat’s life as a public performer and the chaos that follows his fame. Music plays a central role in the storytelling, shaping both the character’s identity and the emotional tone of the show.

The Vampire Lestat is set to premiere on June 7 on AMC and AMC+, according to AMC’s official release information.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!