‘Queen of the Damned’ Star Aaliyah Described Herself as a Real-Life Vampire

In 2002, Aaliyah played Akasha, the first vampire, in the film Queen of the Damned. Critics generally disliked the film, but she spoke about her excitement to take on the role, describing it as a “dream” part. It provided a chance to establish herself as an actor and, she said, she loved vampires. She explained why she sometimes felt like the creatures in her real life.

Aaliyah said she sometimes felt like a vampire

While Aaliyah was a major star, she didn’t want to sacrifice any of her privacy. She said she had even been this way before fame.

“I’ve always been mysterious,” Aaliyah told Vibe Magazine in 2001. “My mother and father always used to ask me, ‘What are you thinking, what’s going on?’ There are times when I don’t understand myself, you know what I mean?” 

Her desire for privacy began to make her feel like a vampire. She wanted to conceal herself away in the dark comfort of her apartment, keeping away from the world outside.

“I have black-out shades in my apartment, I push a button, it’s totally dark,” she said, adding, “I think I’m a bit of a vampire in real life, and there are times when I just want to be myself. I wanna be alone.”

She said that if she was overly forthcoming, she wouldn’t feel like her own person.

“People feel like they own you in this business, and, to a certain degree, they do,” she said. “But there’s a part of me that will always be just for me.”

Aaliyah played a vampire in ‘Queen of the Damned’

Aaliyah portrayed a vampire in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned. Director Michael Rymer said that while she had relatively limited experience as an actor, she did an excellent job in the role.

“There were two factors for casting Aaliyah. I was very keen that Akasha, an Egyptian queen, not look like Elizabeth Taylor,” Rymer said. “And not only did [Aaliyah] do a good job on Romero Must Die, but people went to see her. This is a really difficult role, and she took on a huge challenge. She worked her a** off for this film.”

Aaliyah described the role of Akasha as a dream come true.

“I have to exude power and be regal,” she said, adding, “I love Egypt. I love vampires. It was the dream role, so I worked very hard.”

The film was dedicated to Aaliyah following her death.

Anne Rice praised her performance

Queen of the Damned was at the top of the box office on its opening weekend. Still, it went over extremely poorly with critics. It currently has a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. While Anne Rice, the author of the source material novel, disliked the film, she enjoyed Aaliyah’s performance.

“Fans of Aaliyah, who died so tragically in a plane crash, will probably be more than delighted with her remarkable performance,” she said, per The New York Post.

She added that Aaliyah was “a gifted singer and actress.”