Sam Reid Plays TWO Roles in The Vampire Lestat Rotem Rusak | usagoldmines.com

We’ve all been waiting with bated breath for The Vampire Lestat to arrive and continue the incredible world of AMC’s Immortal Universe. We knew this season would belong to Sam Reid, who captivates as Lestat in all his glory. Playing Lestat alone requires a chameleon of an actor, of course. The vampire has so many moods, modes, layers, and emotions, and they all move through him at the drop of the hat, often several at once. But if that weren’t enough, Sam Reid actually plays TWO roles in The Vampire Lestat. Yes, in addition to Lestat, Sam Reid also plays a mortal called Jarda in the series. But just who is The Vampire Lestat‘s Jarda? Why do we need him? And why do we love him? Let’s break down this Czechian karoke fanatic.

Who Is Sam Reid’s Second The Vampire Lestat Character, Jarda?

In short, Jarda is Lestat’s body double in The Vampire Lestat, so it only makes sense that Sam Reid plays him as well. But as far as everything else about Jarda goes, he could not be more different than Lestat. Jarda, in a word, is kind of a loser. Most of the time, he’s drunk and singing off-key to himself as he gets bossed around by Lestat’s right-hand woman, the tough-as-nails lawyer Christine Claire.

Lestat describes Jarda as a “brick-laying, karaoke fanatic from Oztrova.” And reveals that Christine found him working construction in the Czech Republic. He also makes sure we know that Jarda is three inches shorter than he is, and needs blue-eyed contacts (which he’s always forgetting to put in) and a wig to truly become Lestat. Or, in short, he’s “Neanderthal Lestat.”

Why Does Lestat Need Jarda in The Vampire Lestat?

It turns out that becoming a nice celebrity with a cult following is a bit of an issue when you’re a vampire. Suddenly, eyes are on you everywhere you go. And that makes hunting and killing people, or at least drinking their blood, a bit hard. That’s where Jarda comes in. If Lestat makes a mess, Christine sends Jarda to Applebee’s to order a tuna melt and take some selfies with fans, while Lestat hunts in the other direction. It’s a pretty good system for keeping suspicious eyes off our favorite diva vampire.

But What Is the True Purpose of Jarda in The Vampire Lestat?

But, most importantly, The Vampire Lestat‘s Jarda is there to be very, very mortal. His chief job, beyond protecting Lestat from minor mishaps, is to be so painfully human that other mortals cease to question whether Lestat is a real vampire. Jarda is there to obscure Lestat’s true vampire nature and have the world come to believe that he is only a farce… A tribute to a figment of imagination born from Daniel Molloy’s mind. For the most part, Lestat notes that this works pretty well, as humans aren’t really that prone to doing much more than “huh-ing” at anything interesting before returning to their phones and algorithms. But, of course, some persist who won’t be swayed. Still, when Jarda is openly posing as Lestat in the open, it does make it kind of hard to believe vampires are real.

We Love Sam Reid as Jarda

In a season where Sam Reid is already doing so much, we didn’t really expect him to do even more. But we are obsessed with Sam Reid’s second role as Jarda in The Vampire Lestat. It really goes to show you HOW talented an actor Reid really is. Lestat, although quite changeable, NEVER approaches anything as bumbling and comedic as Jarda. And seeing Reid flex this muscle of his acting chops is absolutely a delight. Although Reid is literally playing Jarda AND Lestat, the two characters barely resemble one another. They literally feel like they are played by different people. And is that not the wonder of acting?

The Vampire Lestat is now releasing weekly on Sundays at 9p ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Rotem Rusak is Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist and a huge fan of The Vampire Lestat. She can’t wait for everyone to watch this season.