Lestat de Lioncourt is a fictional character in several novels by Anne Rice, including The Vampire Lestat (1985). He is a vampire and an antihero in The Vampire Chronicles book series. Lestat is the lead character in most of the novels of the series.
In 1994, the novel Interview with the Vampire was adapted for the screen with a screenplay written by Anne Rice herself and directed by Neil Jordan. Actor Tom Cruise immortalized the character of Lestat de Lioncourt in this iconic film of the 1990s. Most recently, Lestat has been brought to the screen by the 2022 AMC show, Interview with the Vampire, played by Australian actor Sam Reid.
Lestat has curly blonde hair that falls to his shoulders. His eyes are gray with blue and purple hues that reflect the surfaces around him. His pointed and small nose as well as his mouth which is a little longer than his entire face are characteristics of his character. Lioncourt describes himself as six feet tall. Like all the vampires in the series, his fingernails appear to be made of glass.
Due to his boldness, enthusiasm, and rebelliousness, Lestat’s seniors refer to him affectionately as “The Brat Prince”, a title he is very proud of. He is very vain and preoccupied with the clothes he is wearing, always pausing mid-narrative to remind readers of what he is wearing. He likes to act on stage doing it both ways, as a mortal-being actor and as a vampire in a rock band called The Vampire Lestat which also shows that he is fond of music; he sings and plays the piano and violin. At one point in his life, he becomes a hermit and spends every night locked up at home, reading.
In the books, it is mentioned that Lestat is bisexual and that he has had male and female lovers both as a mortal and as a vampire. In fact, it is described that he is attracted to anyone who shows the greatest interest in him at the moment.
In a frequently asked question response to the reader, Rice confirms the character’s sexual orientation with her response, “Lestat is bi-sexual and always was.”