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The Queen of the Damned is getting the chance to aura farm on AMC's The Vampire Lestat

Sheila Atim delivers best entrance of any new character in The Vampire Lestat

An image of Akasha from The Vampire Lestat — Image credit: AMC+

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Mon Jul 20 2026

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It's been over 20 years since Michael Rymer's Queen of the Damned film came out with Aaliyah as the vampire queen herself, Akasha. And it's never been a better time for Akasha to return to the screen once again in AMC's The Vampire Lestat show.

Obviously, because the role was originally embodied by Aaliyah onscreen (adapting Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned novel, naturally), the team behind The Vampire Lestat has a tall order. But according to showrunner and executive producer Rolin Jones, they absolutely deliver when it comes to giving Akasha the dramatic entrance she deserves.

Speaking at ATX TV Festival 2026, Jones painted a promising picture of what's to come for Akasha, played by actress Sheila Atim. "Sheila Atim's entrance in here is like a battle between her and Ben Daniels. If I had to be honest with you, this is the best entrance we've ever had of an actor into the show. It is a crazy entrance," Jones said.

We wouldn't accept anything less than a "crazy entrance" for the queen herself, Akasha. These days, the kids are all obsessed with "aura farming," so why can't vampires do the same?

The Vampire Lestat is streaming now on AMC+ with new episodes dropping on Sundays.

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.