AMC’s Interview With the Vampire will be recasting Claudia, the adopted daughter of vampires Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid).
The network broke the news on Friday evening as part of an email sent to press confirming season two would start production next week over in Prague. Per the the email, original actor (and scene stealer) Bailey Bass couldn’t return for “a variety of reasons.” The press release further called her “a talented actor who did a remarkable job bringing the character of Claudia to life in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. […] We are grateful for Bailey’s unforgettable performance in season one and wish her nothing but the best.”
Going forward, the role will be played by Delainey Hayles, best known for the 2019 short film Something in the Closet and 2021 shows Too Close and Holby City.
In a separate statement posted on her Instagram, Bass said confirmed she wouldn’t return due to “a variety of unforeseen circumstances. Playing Claudia has been a dream role and an incredible ride. I wish Delainey the best of luck in taking over. I cannot wait to watch. I’m extremely appreciative of AMC, the producers, Jacob, Sam, the crew and, of course, the wonderful fans.”
Along with playing Claudia, the 19-year-old actor is also set to return Tsireya in Avatar 3 and Avatar 4. Ahead of the release of Avatar: The Way of Water last year, director James Cameron talked at length about his desire to ensure the franchise’s teen actors (such as Bass and Spider’s actor Jack Champion) don’t drastically age up between sequels, which he called “the Stranger Things effect.”
Interview With the Vampire is expected to return for season two in 2024, with the returning cast of Anderson, Reid, Eric Bogosian, and Assad Zaman.