Lestat is the protagonist of several novels by Anne Rice, but takes on this role for the first time as the narrator of The Vampire Lestat. He is tall, blond, and defiant. Lestat’s father is the Marquis de Lioncourt, who owns property, but lacks money. Lestat hunts on his family’s land to provide food for his family and hunts wolves that were attacking the village. He is called “Wolfkiller” (74) for ridding the village of the wolf menace. Lestat also loves the theater and performs under the stage name Lestat de Valois. The main role he plays is Lelio, a young aristocratic lover, in a traveling acting troupe and in Renaud’s theater in Paris.

Right after he becomes a successful actor in the Parisian theater, Lestat is turned into a vampire by Magnus. He becomes immortal at the age of 21. Magnus dies by suicide by jumping into the fire after creating Lestat, so Lestat never learns the rules of the coven that Magnus left, the Children of Darkness. This causes the vampires of the coven to call Lestat an “Outlaw” (166). Initially, Lestat simply lives his vampiric life in the way he desires—consuming the arts, procuring a lawyer, and killing only evil humans.