Interview With The Vampire's makeup is a cut above its Emmy competition

Particularly in its sophomore run, ITWV relies on a distinct theatrical visual style. Louis and Claudia (Delainey Hayles) shift base from NOLA to post-World War II Paris, hoping to begin anew in the French city and leave behind their toxic memories of Lestat, whom they falsely believe to be dead. It’s a failed attempt because their fresh start arrives in the form of a troupe he co-founded a long time ago called Théâtre des Vampires, whose specialty, as seen in episode two, is putting on a boisterous performance with projectors, with the vamps openly drinking blood from a preyed-upon human while those in the audience eat up the mania. Santiago (Ben Daniels) forms the pièce de résistance of this play. Mastrantonio gives him a pale-as-ash complexion to contrast the black striped suit and crimson cape, so when Santiago snarls, smiles, or sinks his teeth into a human, the effect is haunting.  

Then there is Claudia, enamored by Théâtre des Vampires to the extent that she plays a baby doll in a different play. Her makeup reflects a certain bubbliness—that bright-blue eyeshadow matches the ribbons in her hair, for example—that contrasts with Claudia’s frustration and desire to be seen as a grown, independent woman instead of a child. For a show like ITWV, whose vamps embrace opulence and spectacle, makeup becomes a transformative tool to express themselves. And what better place to do it than on a stage, as evidenced by, say, Lestat’s elevated presentation in episode three‘s flashbacks that unpack his time with Armand (Assad Zaman) and Théâtre des Vampires. 

All the looks in IWTV, no matter the time period, feel like an essential component of the spooky, surreal narrative. Much like the acting itself, the makeup aids the storytelling about the horrors and joys of being alive forever.  A decade or so ago, AMC was a magnet for Emmy Awards with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. The rise of streaming platforms like Apple TV+ and Netflix (along with the usual competitors) changed that. While it’s a shame that Interview With The Vampire hasn’t gotten any major above-the-line nods for its critically acclaimed season two, it would be a disservice to let its creative prowess go without this win.