Aahana Swrup
Episode 2 of ‘The Vampire Lestat,’ titled ‘Toledo,’ in reference to the city that the vampire’s meta band finds itself in, takes an intriguing dive into a sordid past while simultaneously continuing to explore the present and its precarity. As a part of Lestat’s ongoing documentation with Daniel Molloy, the vampire dives into his own abridged version of his childhood, wherein he grew up in a den of vipers, where his mother, Gabrielle, was a similar prisoner. In the present world, the latter picks up where she had last left off in her son/lover’s life. On the other hand, Louis witnesses his former companion’s music live for the first time and gets an opportunity to avenge a past wrong. The episode ends on a sobering note, with a parting tribute to Stuart Howell, a director of photography on ‘Interview with the Vampire.’
Stuart Howell Passed Away in 2024 Following a Battle With Cancer
Stuart Howell became a part of the ‘Interview With the Vampire’ in season 2 when he was brought in as a director of photography. Before then, he had already been in the industry for decades and had credits to his name in many recognizable projects like ‘Catherine the Great,’ ‘Cursed,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘A Small Light,’ and more. In the Anne Rice show’s season 2, he worked on four episodes in total, including episodes 1, 2, 5, and 6. Unfortunately, it was during the filming that the cinematographer received a diagnosis for a rare and aggressive form of Bladder cancer. Shortly thereafter, Howell had to leave the production, and his position was filled in by another cinematographer, Earle Dresner, who joined the show in season 2 episode 6.
Howell’s last credited work includes the Mitch Jenkins directorial ‘Ambleside,’ a 2025 romance drama film where he serves as the cinematographer. Even though he left ‘Interview With the Vampire’ in 2024, his impact on the production’s future remains. As per reports, Dresner got to spend a week with the Howells before his departure from the production to get an accurate lay of the land. In a conversation with Gold Derby, Dresner spoke about his time with Howell and how his influence shaped his work on season 2 of ‘Interview With the Vampire.’
Dresner said, “I only got to spend a week with him (Howell), but obviously all the prep that he had done was invaluable, and I would hope that I saw it through to his vision of the show and did half the episode as close to as he would have wanted.” Howell continued to undergo treatment and surgery for the cancer. Tragically, the spread still became too much until he passed away on July 14, 2024, at the age of 55. In his unfortunate and untimely passing, he leaves behind a loving family and a memorable legacy, of which ‘Interview With the Vampire’ gets to be a small part.
Read More: The Vampire Lestat Episode 1 Recap: Detroit
You must be logged in to post a comment.