<P> Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 American drama horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt . The film focuses on Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), beginning with Louis's transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791 . The film chronicles their time together, and their turning of a ten - year - old girl, Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), into a vampire . The narrative is framed by a present - day interview, in which Louis tells his story to a San Francisco reporter . The supporting cast features Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas and Stephen Rea . </P> <P> The film was released in November 1994 to generally positive reviews, and received Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Original Score . Kirsten Dunst was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film . </P> <P> In modern - day San Francisco, reporter Daniel Molloy interviews Louis de Pointe du Lac, who claims to be a vampire . Louis describes his human life as a wealthy plantation owner in 1791 Louisiana . Despondent following the death of his wife and infant child, one night he is attacked by the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt while drunkenly wandering the waterfront of New Orleans . Lestat senses Louis' dissatisfaction with life and offers to turn him into a vampire, which Louis accepts . However, he quickly comes to regret it . While Lestat revels in the hunt and killing of humans, Louis resists killing them, drinking animal blood to sustain himself . He is disgusted by Lestat's pleasure in killing and comes to suffer tremendously as a vampire . </P> <P> Wandering the streets of New Orleans, amid an outbreak of plague, Louis can resist his hunger no more and feeds on a little girl whose mother has died in the plague . To entice Louis to stay with him, Lestat turns the dying girl, Claudia, into a vampire . Together they raise her as a daughter--Louis has a pure love for Claudia, while Lestat treats her more as a student, training her to become a merciless killer . As thirty years pass, Claudia matures psychologically but still remains a little girl in appearance, and she's treated as such by Lestat . When she finally realizes that she will never grow old, she is furious with Lestat and tells Louis that they should leave him . She tricks Lestat into drinking the "dead blood" of twin boys that she killed by overdosing them with laudanum and she slits his throat . With Louis's help, she dumps Lestat's body in a swamp and the two plan a voyage to Europe . However, Lestat returns on the night of their departure, having drunk the blood of swamp creatures to survive . Lestat attacks them, but Louis sets him on fire and, in the ensuing blaze, they are able to escape to their ship and depart . </P>

Who interviewed louis in interview with the vampire