Why Molloy From Interview With The Vampire Looks So Familiar
The passing of American novelist Anne Rice in December 2021 inspired fans of her work the world over to look back on her incredible legacy as a visionary who revitalized Gothic fiction, and vampire fiction in particular. Even among those who weren't specifically acquainted with Rice as a creative personality, the magnitude of her loss and the heritage she left behind were undeniable, as not only did Rice influence virtually every subsequent writer in the horror and fantasy genres, but a significant number of her books became best-selling, internationally renowned modern classics. The prime example of that may be "Interview with the Vampire."
Published in 1976 as Rice's debut novel and the first entry in her famed "The Vampire Chronicles" series, "Interview with the Vampire" tells the story of two vampires, Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt, as Louis recounts his life story to a reporter. The book spawned an equally beloved film version in 1994, directed by Neil Jordan and starring Brad Pitt as Louis, Tom Cruise as Lestat, and Christian Slater as the titular interviewer — unnamed in the book, but given the name "Daniel Molloy" in the adaptation. Now, nearly three decades later, Rice's most notorious work is once again being revisited via an AMC TV series adaptation, with Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid starring as Louis and Lestat this time around. But what of the actor who's playing Molloy? He is, in fact, a seasoned veteran whom you may have seen before in several notable roles.
Eric Bogosian is a veteran film, TV, and theater actor
The role of skeptical, inquisitive journalist Daniel Molloy calls for an actor with a certain amount of gravitas, and the one playing him on AMC's "Interview with the Vampire" is just the ticket. Bostonian actor Eric Bogosian has been a major figure of film, TV, and the stage for decades now, not only as a performer but as a writer, consistently serving up perfectly-calibrated performances that display a high degree of intelligence and purpose.
Bogosian had his beginnings in theater, writing and performing several award-winning monologues and authoring definitional works in 1980s American drama, such as "Talk Radio" and "subUrbia." "Talk Radio," first performed in 1987, became a particular sensation in the Off-Broadway circuit with its story of a tempestuous radio shock jock whose show is about to go into national syndication for the first time. A Pulitzer Prize nominee, the play was adapted into a film just a year later by director Oliver Stone, with Bogosian himself reprising the lead role of Barry Champlain. The film (pictured above) received significant acclaim and put Bogosian, who naturally knew the role inside and out, on the map of American film critics, earning him several awards and nominations (via IMDb).
From there on out, Eric Bogosian became a prolific character actor, playing supporting roles in various kinds of films, from Professor Goodwin in "Gossip" to Alan Caulfield in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" to legendary disc jockey Alan Freed in "Cadillac Records."
He starred as Captain Danny Ross on Law & Order: Criminal Intent
As any broadcast show that legendary is wont to do, "Law & Order" spawned a truly incredible number of spin-offs over the course of its recently-resumed 22-season run. And one of the longest-running and most successful overall was "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which followed the detectives working in the Major Case Squad of the New York Police Department and focused on crimes involving high-profile figures. The show had a rotating ensemble cast like every iteration of the "Law & Order" franchise, and among the actors who made up its regular cast at one point or another was Eric Bogosian. In what was arguably the most visible television role of his career, Bogosian played Captain Danny Ross for three seasons (and one episode).
Introduced on the premiere episode of Season 6, titled "Blind Spot," Capt. Ross enters the squad as the successor of Captain James Deakins (Jamey Sheridan). He takes a more involved approach to his captain duties, often joining the squad's detectives on the field and constantly making a point of being kept fully in the loop with regard to every ongoing case — an attitude that initially leads him into occasional conflict with Detective Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio). Ross remains as the captain of the Major Case Squad from Seasons 6 to 8, with his time on the show largely defined by his relationship with his ex-wife and especially his children, to whom he is devoted above all else in the world.
He was a stick in the Roys' craw as Succession's Gil Eavis
Following his stint on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which lasted between 2006 and 2010, Eric Bogosian went on to appear more frequently in a recurring capacity on prestige drama series, playing characters such as Nelson Dubeck on "The Good Wife" and powerful record exec Roy Asheton on "The Get Down." He then appeared on three total seasons of Showtime's "Billions" as investment bank CEO Lawrence Boyd, who acts as a mentor and later opponent to Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis).
One year after joining "Billions," Eric Bogosian also became a recurring cast member on a similar premium cable series: HBO's "Succession." And, much like Lawrence Boyd eventually became a stick in Bobby Axelrod's craw on the Showtime series, Bogosian's "Succession" character, Gil Eavis, was able to give the Roy family a hard time like nobody's business. A left-leaning senator making a bid for the U.S. presidency, Eavis makes it his mission to take down the Waystar Royco empire and put an end to their attempted takeover of local news, which causes some awkwardness among the Roys when Shiv (Sarah Snook) joins his campaign as a consultant. He ultimately becomes one of Logan's (Brian Cox) most dogged and intrepid opponents, the rare character on "Succession" who dares to take on the role of an out-and-out antagonist to the Roys — which, in this show's world, naturally means he's one of the most moral characters in the ensemble.
He proved an ideal screen partner for Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems
Despite having one of the most respected and decorated careers in theater of any actor or writer in his generation, Eric Bogosian only received awards attention for two movies in his career. One was, naturally, "Talk Radio." And the other, more recently, was 2019's "Uncut Gems," which netted him a nomination for best supporting actor at the Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards (via IMDb).
Watching the movie, it's easy to understand why it was the one to bring particular attention to Bogosian out of all the supporting parts he's played in films over the years. Directed by Benny and Josh Safdie and distributed by A24, "Uncut Gems" was widely touted for providing a fantastic acting showcase for Adam Sandler, who got to display all of his unique strengths as a performer in the jittery, sweaty, discombobulating role of New York jeweler and gambling addict Howard Ratner. But left somewhat unsaid amidst all the chatter was the fact that Bogosian, as Sandler's polar-opposite screen partner, was equally crucial to the movie's success.
Bogosian plays Arno Moradian, Howard's loan shark brother-in-law, who spends much of the movie attempting to get Howard to pay off his massive debt to him — to little avail, as Howard proves just as slippery as he is irresponsible. Bogosian's performance, a straight-man act full of muted rage, exasperation, impatience, and despair, perfectly complements Sandler's madcap turn, adding to the film's exquisite balance of conflicting moods.