Throughout the years, Anne Rice’s popular character Lestat de Lioncourt from The Vampire Chronicles has been portrayed on-screen by some of the hottest actors of their time, including Tom Cruise, Stuart Townsend, and most recently Sam Reid. This has inadvertently cemented his legacy in pop culture as a multi-generational bad boy who embodies everything we want in a vampire. Sexy, unfazed, and fearless. Best of all, he’s been deliciously on-brand as of late … So much so that he has sunk his teeth into a real-life pop star’s fanbase.
The Viral Collision: Lestat vs. Taylor Swift
In a strange turn of events, that is wholly unsurprising given all the weird and wonderful things 2024 has given us, Taylor Swift and Lestat are now at the center of an unexpected digital feud. Ahead of the highly anticipated third season of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, fans are buzzing about the promo released at San Diego Comic-Con, which features Lestat, played by Sam Reid, embracing his rock star persona.
It went further, though, as the internet quickly drew parallels between Lestat and Taylor Swift’s song, “Blank Space” when one fan’s tweet juxtaposed images from the teaser with Swift, captioned with a lyric “I’ve got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.” The post, which was intended to be a comparison of Lestat’s complex relationships with his exes Louis and Armand to Swift’s well-documented romantic history, quickly spiraled into a digital clash, though.
The Taylor Swift/Lestat de Lioncourt beef is getting juuuuuust enough attention that we may be able to manifest an actual vampire rockstar so, like, let’s keep this fire burning. pic.twitter.com/E3xlWirXqk
— harley (@harleygolightly) August 1, 2024
Stan Culture Run Amok
The amassing of fans to defend their chosen celebrities online is a classic example of stan culture running amok, often escalating benign comments into full-blown digital wars. And the reaction from the Swifties was … well, swift. Not to mention intense. Across almost all the major social media platforms, some fans took offense at the comparison and expressed their outrage at the mere association of their idol with Lestat. For those who know and love Lestat, however, this entire scenario was both ironic and amusing — and definitely the type of publicity he would prefer.
Feuding fandoms is nothing new, but it seems like cancel culture has become a marketing tactic that thrives on the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”.
The Digital Age and Cancel Culture
As celebrities and fictional characters alike navigate the treacherous waters of public opinion, the fear of being “canceled” for a misstep is ever-present. Taylor Swift, no stranger to controversy, has managed to maintain her status by either addressing her mistakes openly or finding ways to divert attention.
Lestat, on the other hand, embodies a character who has never shied away from controversy. His reckless abandon and disdain for societal norms make him a figure who would likely mock the very idea of cancel culture. Eminem has done this with his latest album release, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in which he actually tried to get canceled by Gen Z but instead had his single, “Houdini”, going viral on social media, which in turn saw it topping the charts.
Subversive Marketing Tactics
Through careful strategizing, subversive marketing tactics take an unconventional approach to sell products, craft brands, and launch fictional characters to a whole new audience. Case and point: Eminem. By utilizing his alter-ego, Slim Shady, he effectively played the various generations (Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z) against each other and, through online battles by fans and haters, went viral.
Lestat’s latest publicity, in contrast, was a happy accident that simply played into his nonchalant brand, all thanks to one fan’s meme …
Funnily enough, it’s not the first time a vampire has gone viral online thanks to memes — Damon and Klaus from The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith, Edward Cullen from Twilight by Stephanie Myer, and Eric from True Blood (a.k.a The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris), and even Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead all had their moments thanks to Facebook, Twitter (now X) and Tumblr in the past.
Embracing the Chaos
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu said, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” And since vampires and other traditional monsters are making a resurgence in pop culture, it’s safe to say that we’re going to see some new twists featuring the most beloved creatures that have ever graced our favorite books’ pages. So, as the lines between reality and fiction blur, remember that embracing the chaos and unpredictability of the digital age may be the key to staying relevant and resonant.
Check out our interviews with Anne Rice:
Interview With Anne Rice on Vampire Culture and The Best Writing Tips
Interview With Anne Rice on The Pros & Cons of Social Media
Interview With Anne Rice On Werewolves | The Wolf Gift