It's a sad day in the world of gothic romance and literature. Anne Rice, who is best known for writing Interview with the Vampire and creating modern-day vampire icon Lestat de Lioncourt, has passed away at the age of 80.
Anne Rice's son Christopher Rice confirmed her passing in a post on Anne's Facebook page. Christopher shared that Anne died due to complications resulting from a stroke. He also revealed that Anne passed away "almost nineteen years to the day" that his father and Anne's husband Stan Rice died.
"The immensity of our family’s grief cannot be overstated. As my mother, her support for me was unconditional — she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions," Christopher wrote of his mother.
Christopher also confirmed that Anne Rice was accompanied by family and friends in her final hours. "Let us take comfort in the shared hope that Anne is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions, the quest for which defined her life and career," he wrote.
Anne Rice has written several novels in her long career which all started with 1976's Interview with the Vampire. The gothic horror novel would be the first in The Vampire Chronicles series which included some of her most popular works.
The Vampire Chronicles are being adapted into shows. Interview with the Vampire has already begun development with AMC, casting Sam Reid as Lestat and Game of Thrones alum Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac. It is truly sad to know that Anne Rice will not get to see her book being turned into a live-action series.
Rice passed away on December 11, 2021, at the age of 80.
Related: Game of Thrones Star Jacob Anderson Cast as Louis in Interview with the Vampire Series
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!