The setting of the series primarily takes place in a historic red-light district of New Orleans called Storyville. It was open from 1897-1917. Most buildings from that time were leveled and demolished during the Great Depression and only a few structures managed to survive. As a result of this, most of the set presented in certain scenes had to be built from scratch. Storyville was also known as the birthplace of New Orleans jazz, and is associated with famed musicians Louis Armstrong, Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton, and Buddy Bolden
The opening credit sequence is an emerging composite image consisting of the skyline of Dubai and New Orleans. Dubai is on the bottom of the frame, with New Orleans on the top, which brought together resembles a set of "Vampire fangs".
Anne Rice, the author of the novel, adapted this series and served as an executive producer prior to her death in 2021.
Interesting Facts about Anne Rice:
- The character Lestat's full name is Lestat de Lioncourt. He was modeled on Anne Rice's husband, Stan Rice, and even given his birthday; November 7th.
- Rice has stated that the "Interview with the Vampire" novel was inspired by her grief over the death of her daughter Michele, who had died of leukemia at 5. In the novel's character of Claudia, she imagined what it would be like to keep a child alive, or undead, forever.
- According to Stan, "the history of a blood disease (leukemia) led into images of the vampire."
The show's second season was greenlit before the show's first season aired.