Sam Reid

Sam Reid (born 19 February 1987) is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Lestat de Lioncourt in the AMC drama series Interview with the Vampire (2022–present), for which he received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination. He received four AACTA Award nominations for his leading roles in The Newsreader (2021–2025) and Lambs of God. Reid also played John Davinier in Belle (2013) and Hugo Fraser-Tyrwhitt in The Riot Club (2014).

Early life Sam Reid was born on 19 February 1987, in New South Wales, Australia. He was raised on a cattle property in the Monaro region. Reid is of Irish descent from his mother's side. He has an older brother, Rupert Reid, who is also an actor, and a sister, Kali Reid, who is a producer.

Reid developed a love of acting at the age of six. As children, he and his brother would stage plays and cabaret performances in the cattle shed on the property. Expressing his admiration for Orson Welles, Reid said, "I will never stop marvelling over Citizen Kane. It's impossible to think that that film was made by a 26-year-old. It's impossible to think that he had that confidence and that talent so early." During his final semester at LAMDA, Reid had the opportunity to audition for a role in Anonymous (2011). Although he did not receive a script prior to the audition, he was offered the role of the Earl of Essex the next day.

Reid portrayed the young Harry Pearce in series ten of the BBC drama Spooks in 2011.

In the period drama Belle (2013), he played John Davinier opposite Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Belle. He was cast relatively late in pre-production after actor Sam Claflin left the project due to scheduling conflicts. That same year, Reid played Young Finlay in the war film The Railway Man, alongside Stellan Skarsgård, who portrayed the older version of the character.

In 2014, Reid appeared in '71 as Second Lieutenant Armitage, an inexperienced commanding officer deployed to Belfast at the height of The Troubles. He later played Hugo, "a louche postgrad", in The Riot Club, a film adaptation of Laura Wade's Bullingdon Club-inspired play Posh. The following year, Reid portrayed American astronaut John Glenn in The Astronaut Wives Club, a historical drama series based on Lily Koppel's book of the same name. The book focuses on the lives of the Mercury Seven astronauts' wives.

Reid appeared in the music video for Flume's song "Never Be Like You" alongside Sophie Lowe in 2016. That year, he also played the young Alexander "Sasha" Ivanov in Shamim Sarif's Cold War espionage film Despite the Falling Snow and a "controlling husband" in The Limehouse Golem.

In 2017, Reid played DCI Len Bradfield in Prime Suspect 1973 opposite Stefanie Martini, who portrayed the young Jane Tennison. The series is a prequel to the original series Prime Suspect (1991-2006), which starred Helen Mirren in the lead role. Reid then starred in the supernatural thriller 2:22 (2017), alongside Michiel Huisman and Teresa Palmer.

In 2019, Reid played Mikey, the boyfriend of Sunny, in Standing Up for Sunny, a rom-com that "successfully breaks down barriers around disability and mental illness". That same year, he played Young Max opposite Phoebe Tonkin in the supernatural mystery Bloom, which centres around an enchanted plant that can revive physical youth. Reid portrayed young teacher Ray in the drama miniseries The Hunting (2019). It explores a teen nude photo scandal affecting schools and families while exposing systemic misogyny. According to Dom Fisher of Geek Vibe Nation, Reid "goes through such a transformative metamorphosis that only a skilled actor could pull off". His performance earned him his first nomination for the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama. whilst Helen Hawkins of The Arts Desk praised his "impressively delicate performance, an unnamed fear lurking behind his confident smile". For this role, Reid received three AACTA Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama nominations. Kayleigh Donaldson of Consequence described Reid's performance as "directly taken from the novels, as opposed to the camp eccentricity of Tom Cruise". Reid was included in IndieWire 28 Best Film and TV Performances of 2022, which stated: "Every minute of Reid's performance here is a master class in manipulation". Similarly, Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised Reid's ability to "convincingly command every room" in his review of the series. He was nominated for the 2025 Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance. "Butterscotch Bitch", and "Your Biggest Fan" for the series' third season The Vampire Lestat, renamed after Anne Rice's 1985 novel of same name, in which Lestat becomes a rock star. Reid was credited in the songs as The Vampire Lestat. On 2 June 2026, Reid performed a one-night only concert in-character at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Theatre In 2011, Reid played Soranzo in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore at the Leeds Playhouse alongside Sara Vickers and Damien Molony. He later played Gene Laine in The Old Vic and Noël Coward Theatre productions of the musical Girl from the North Country (2017–2018), alongside Claudia Jolly, Sheila Atim, Shirley Henderson, and Ciarán Hinds.

Personal life Reid is private about his personal life and not on any social media. Since 2018, Reid has been dating Australian actress Philippa Northeast after starring in the film Standing Up for Sunny together. They have a blue heeler dog named Rani.

Filmography Film

Television

Music video + Year Title Performer Notes 2016 "Never Be Like You" Flume With Sophie Lowe

Stage + Year Production Venue Role Notes 2010 One Night in November Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Michael Credited as Sebastian Reid 2011'Tis Pity She's a Whore Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Soranzo Credited as Sebastian Reid 2026 Doubt: A Parable Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney Father Flynn 2024 "Come to Me Again" 2026 "Long Face" As The Vampire Lestat "All Fall Down" "Dancing with Myself" "Your Biggest Fan" 2021 The Newsreader 2024 2026 Astra TV Awards 2025 Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Interview with the Vampire Best Cast Ensemble in a Cable Drama Series Critics' Choice Super Awards 2023 Best Actor in a Horror Series Critics' Choice Television Awards 2025 Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Equity Ensemble Awards 2020 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Mini-Series/Telemovie The Hunting 2022 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series The Newsreader Logie Awards 2022 Most Outstanding Actor The Newsreader 2024 Best Lead Actor in a Drama Pride Awards2025 Best Supporting (Actor)Interview with the Vampire Best Ensemble Cast (Series or Miniseries)