As the world gears up to witness the highly-anticipated final episode of the second installment of AMC's critically acclaimed offering "Interview with The Vampire", the wickedly talented Delainey Hayles joins ReVamp to talk about her portrayal of 'Claudia' in the immensely loved adaptation based on the best-selling work by Anne Rice, what it was like transitioning to this iconic role, pressures of joining such a sensational ensemble, her most memorable sequence to shoot; also peering into Claudia's intricate relationship with the other characters, her experience meeting the phenomenal cast and what the fans can expect from the project's forthcoming finale! 

Hi there Delainey! Thank you for joining us on ReVamp today! How are you doing?

I’m doing great today, thank you for asking!

You recently starred in the second installment of the highly-anticipated production of AMC's  "Interview With the Vampire”; portraying 'Claudia' further taking over the role from the wonderful Bailey Bass. 

First of all, massive congratulations on your involvement! 

What was that particular transition like? Having had that character be already established in the first season, did you have enough time on the production to adopt the required mindset of the role? 

The turn around for Claudia was very quick but I truly enjoyed every moment of discovering her. I was lucky enough to be able to read the book (Interview With The Vampire) whilst getting the scripts so everything was fresh in my mind. Doing that helped a lot because truth be told I think I work best in organised chaos so being able to bounce back to the book when getting the scripts worked for me.

Now that you have successfully taken over this role, I'm sure there must be some pressure on you especially when you are working alongside such a phenomenal ensemble and crew; playing a character that has already been introduced before and having a massive amount of people extremely eager to witness your portrayal. 

So, did this transition add any sort of pressure on you? 

Only pressure from myself really. I never felt pressure from anyone else that being said I was fully aware of the task I had. I had support from every corner of this show whilst filming. You are your own harshest critic though, there were definitely moments I found challenging but you push through, it helps you learn a lot about yourself.

What was your experience like shooting this project and meeting the impeccable cast and crew of this production for the first time? 

Shooting this show I had the time of my life! I made great memories and met some incredible people. On set I was trying to absorb everything around me from the camera crew to the stunts team. It was a playground for me. Everyone involved in this production gave it their all. I learned so much and I am forever thankful.

Talk to me more about your portrayal of your character. What were your first impressions of Claudia when you were initially offered the script?

One thing that really stuck with me was the writing. The characters are so well written in this show that you never truly know anything about them. I found Claudia's circumstances are so horrific. She is a candle light personified maybe Vampified a small flame, going only so long till it’s done. With that being said there’s still fire there so she’s not one to be messed with. When I got the scripts I saw a girl who knows everything and nothing. She scares others because she’s unsettlingly, a monster in a childs body. At the core of it she’s just the loneliest girl ever.

This project has a plethora of fascinating sequences and I personally can't pick out my favourite. But I have to ask you, is there any memorable sequence for you that you absolutely loved to shoot and be involved in? 

I loved all of it but I think filming the Revenant stunt sequence was a lot of fun. We had a few stunt rehearsals and when we got to the filming I loved seeing how each department played a part to create it. I found the whole process of creating/filming really interesting. 

How did you prepare yourself to successfully garner the mindset of your character? Did you immerse yourself into any sort of acting ritual before going infront of the cameras? 

Music helps a lot for me, Jacob would play a lot of it which I was very thankful for.

When it comes to playing such a role which has already been personified by someone else beforehand, the audience usually already perceives some rigid expectations of the particular character. 

Pertaining to that, I'm very curious to know how do you personally amalgamate the viewer's pre-establishing expectations of who Claudia is while also incorporating your own novel definition and interpretation of her as a character? 

Claudia’s still the same vampire we love. She is just a bit older this season and she has a bit more life experience behind her. I think the subject of vampire loneliness helped me figure Claudia out. She’s never alone but always lonely. You could put that down to her tragic circumstances or her company. The book was the thing I would always revert back to.

A lot of creatives that I talk to usually have one specific element that they take away from their time on the project- be it the costumes, the makeup, the props, or sometimes even the ambience of the set. 

What element was it that stood out personally for you pertaining to this production? 

I think it was the lenses. When I put my lenses on for the first time I truly felt like a vampire, all my other senses became heightened because it was hard to see.

Claudia seems to be having an intricate relationship with a lot of characters especially Madeleine alongside Louis and Lestat. 

But as Delainey Hayles, if you could have the opportunity to get into the mindset of any of the other characters within the world of "Interview With The Vampire", what character would you love to explore more and interact with? 

I think Daniel. I love Daniel's quick wit and dry humor. In another universe I think Claudia and him would get along well. They would read everyone together.

The show is already out and new episodes are dropping every week as we speak. Are you enjoying the reception you are currently receiving from the fans from around the world? 

It’s been incredible. It doesn’t escape me for a moment the Coven family I’ve joined. I really do appreciate every bit of it and I am truly so grateful to be here. And it seems that everyone in the Coven are such amazing and talented artists!

For the people who are yet to be introduced to this exceptional project, what can you tease us about your character's forthcoming arc in the second season and the overall plotline of this remarkable production? 

There’s gonna be rainbows and sunshine, I’m joking. This season we see Claudia and the strength she’s always possessed. She’s full of so much love we get to see that but also she’s full of so much tragedy and we get to see that too. 

(Thank you for joining us for this wonderful interview, Delainey! Wishing you lots of luck on this project!) 

Lastly, I would love to ask you if there's any message that you'd wish to convey to your fans and supporters currently reading this interview? 

Thank you for tuning in to the Interview with The Vampire. Thank you for expressing your love for Claudia. It only gets crazier from here!