Lestat is a tall, blond French nobleman born into a cash-poor aristocratic family. Refusing to conform to the traditional expectations of his father and brothers, he moves to Paris to become an actor at Renaud's theater. After being forced into vampirism at the age of 21, he defies the established rules of the undead. He possesses a deep curiosity, a love for the arts, and an insistent desire to remain connected to the mortal world.

Gabrielle is the Marquise and Lestat's mother. Highly educated and blunt, she feels stifled by the traditional roles assigned to noblewomen and encourages Lestat to leave for Paris. After Lestat turns her into a vampire to save her from a terminal illness, she embraces her new existence. She adopts male clothing and develops a predatory, unsentimental approach to her immortality.

Nicolas, known as Nicki, is the son of a wealthy draper. He plays the violin with raw intensity and shares Lestat's desire to escape their provincial lives. He is highly cynical, believing himself to be inherently flawed or evil, which contrasts with Lestat's search for goodness. He finds work as a musician in a Parisian theater before encountering the supernatural world.

Armand is a hauntingly beautiful, auburn-haired vampire who leads the Children of Darkness, a Parisian coven that lives in cemeteries. He enforces strict, Satanic rules upon his followers and demands total obedience to the old ways of vampirism. Originally turned in Venice centuries prior, he harbors deep resentment toward those who break vampiric traditions.

Marius is an ancient, powerful vampire with origins in the Roman Empire. Unlike the subterranean covens, he loves human culture, surrounds himself with art, and moves easily among mortals as a scholar and painter. He guards deep secrets regarding the origins of the vampire race and acts as a reluctant mentor to younger immortals.

Akasha is an impossibly ancient vampire of Egyptian origin, revered as one of the source figures of the immortal race. She exists in a silent, immobile state, though she possesses immense, untapped telekinetic and psychic power. She is kept hidden away from the rest of the vampire world.

Enkil is an ancient Egyptian king and one of the original vampires. Like his consort, he is primarily immobile but physically impenetrable. He is highly protective of his domain and prone to sudden, violent outbursts if his queen is disturbed.

Magnus is an old, eccentric vampire and former alchemist. He operates entirely outside the rules of the Parisian covens. He kidnaps Lestat from a theater, determined to make the young actor his heir after centuries of solitude, transferring his immense wealth to the young man.

Louis is a brooding, introspective vampire and Lestat's former companion in New Orleans. His publication of an autobiography detailing vampire secrets spurs Lestat to wake up in the 1980s and set the record straight through rock music.

Claudia is a vampire turned at a very young age by Lestat. Because she was turned as a child, she develops a powerful, mature mind trapped permanently in a small body. Her creation violates the unspoken rules of vampirism.

The Marquis is Lestat's blind, impoverished father. He clings tightly to his aristocratic title and traditional values despite the family's lack of funds. He heavily disapproves of Lestat's theatrical ambitions and relies on him to hunt for food.

Augustin is Lestat's eldest brother. He strictly adheres to the family's aristocratic expectations and frequently clashes with Lestat's rebellious nature. He acts as the dutiful heir to a penniless estate.

Pierre is a Parisian lawyer who handles Lestat's mortal affairs. He distributes Lestat's newfound wealth to his family, arranges property purchases, and manages correspondence without asking too many questions about his client's strange habits.

Renaud is the manager of the Parisian theater where Lestat and Nicolas find employment. He gives Lestat his first major acting opportunity on stage and attempts to keep the theater running smoothly despite unusual circumstances.

Eleni is a vampire in Armand's Children of Darkness who eventually seeks a different existence away from the graveyard. She corresponds with Lestat to keep him updated on the events unfolding among the Parisian vampires.

Mael is a Celtic Druid who abducts Marius for his tribe's religious rites. He serves the ancient pagan entities of the forest and educates Marius in his beliefs prior to a major supernatural ritual.

The Elder is a terribly burned, ancient vampire who serves as the miserable custodian of Akasha and Enkil. He provides Marius with the history of the original vampires and explains the dangers of the sun to their kind.

The God of the Grove is a severely burned, ancient vampire worshipped as a deity by Celtic Druids. He relies on human sacrifices for sustenance and selects Marius to pass on his powers.

Christine is Lestat's modern-day lawyer. She helps him navigate the complex logistics, paperwork, and financial arrangements required to launch his career as a 20th-century rock star.

Alex is a mortal musician and a member of the rock band "Satan's Night Out." He unwittingly welcomes a genuine vampire into the band as their new lead singer.

Larry is a mortal musician in the rock band "Satan's Night Out." Along with his bandmates, he achieves massive success after Lestat joins the group.

Tough Cookie is a mortal musician in the rock band "Satan's Night Out." She is part of the group that is propelled to stardom under Lestat's eccentric leadership.

Pandora is an ancient vampire created by Marius. She shares a deep history with him, representing one of his few lasting connections to another immortal being.