Director Neil Jordan's 1994 Gothic horror film Interview With the Vampire is once again in the spotlight. This movie, adapted from Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same title, features actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. At the time, many were displeased with Jordan's choice to cast Cruise instead of Daniel Day-Lewis. In his memoir, as reported by Variety, Jordan reflects on his decision to cast Cruise with Pitt and the subsequent criticism. He also mentions that he initially approached Day-Lewis for the role of Lestat. Jordan explained, 'Brad Pitt had agreed to portray Louis and assumed, along with Anne Rice, that Day-Lewis would play Lestat. I offered the role to Daniel, who read the script but, as anticipated, declined. A few years prior, he had confined himself to a wheelchair for My Left Foot, and for this role, he would have needed to sleep in a coffin throughout filming. Thus, we pursued other options.' After two meetings with Cruise at his Brentwood residence, Jordan became convinced of his choice, noting the many parallels between Cruise and Lestat. He wrote, 'Cruise had to live a secluded life, away from public scrutiny, and had made a pact with hidden forces. He thrived in the shadows, even in Hollywood's glare, remaining eternally youthful. He was a star, perfectly suited to be Lestat.' Jordan acknowledged Cruise's acting prowess, which was overshadowed by the initial backlash. He noted, 'Many Americans, having read Rice's books, felt entitled to weigh in on the casting. Rice herself initially criticized the choice, comparing it to casting Edward G Robinson as Rhett Butler, but later conceded she was mistaken.' Eventually, Cruise's performance was praised by critics.