What makes vampires so attractive?
Maybe it's the mystery. Maybe it's the danger. Maybe it's the promise of eternal youth. Or perhaps it's simply the combination of supernatural power, confidence, style, and forbidden desire.
Whatever the reason, vampires have been among the most seductive creatures in horror and popular culture for generations.
From Dracula and Carmilla to Lestat, Eric Northman, Selene and Santanico Pandemonium, cinema and television have given us countless memorable vampires who are as attractive as they are dangerous.
So I decided to revisit my original list and create an updated selection of the sexiest vampires in movies and TV shows.
This isn't meant to be an objective scientific ranking. Beauty is subjective, and vampire fans will inevitably have very different favorites. Instead, consider this a celebration of some of the most attractive, charismatic, stylish and unforgettable vampires to appear on screen.
I've included both male and female vampires, as well as characters from classic horror movies, cult films, blockbuster franchises and popular TV shows.
And because this list is constantly evolving, feel free to tell me which sexy vampire I have overlooked in the comments.
Lestat de Lioncourt – Tom Cruise
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Tom Cruise's Lestat is arrogant, theatrical, charismatic and dangerous. He practically embodies the idea of the glamorous vampire. Cruise's performance is one of the main reasons Interview with the Vampire remains such an iconic vampire movie.
Eric Northman – Alexander Skarsgård
True Blood
Eric Northman has almost everything you could want from a vampire: confidence, power, intelligence, dark humor and an intimidating presence. Alexander Skarsgård's portrayal made Eric one of the most popular vampires on television.
David – Kiefer Sutherland
The Lost Boys (1987)
Few vampires look cooler than David. The blond hair, leather jacket and rebellious attitude make Kiefer Sutherland's character one of the definitive sexy vampires of 1980s horror.
Louis de Pointe du Lac – Brad Pitt
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Brad Pitt's Louis offers a very different kind of vampire appeal. He's tragic, melancholic and romantic, making him the perfect contrast to Lestat's more flamboyant personality.
Armand – Antonio Banderas
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Antonio Banderas brings sophistication and mystery to Armand. His elegant appearance and centuries-old vampire presence make him one of the film's most memorable characters.
Dracula – Gary Oldman
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Gary Oldman's Dracula is romantic, tragic, frightening and extravagant. Francis Ford Coppola's film presents Dracula as both a monster and a deeply passionate figure, giving Oldman plenty of room to create an unforgettable interpretation.
Spike – James Marsters
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel
Spike became one of the most beloved vampires in television history. The bleached-blond hair, leather coat, sarcastic attitude and unpredictable personality made James Marsters' character instantly recognizable.
Angel – David Boreanaz
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel
Angel is the classic tortured vampire. David Boreanaz's brooding performance combines romance, guilt and danger, making Angel one of the most recognizable vampires of the television era.
Damon Salvatore – Ian Somerhalder
The Vampire Diaries
Damon is charming, sarcastic, arrogant and dangerous. Ian Somerhalder's performance helped make Damon one of the defining heartthrob vampires of the 2000s and 2010s.
Stefan Salvatore – Paul Wesley
The Vampire Diaries
Edward Cullen – Robert Pattinson
Twilight
Before becoming one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Robert Pattinson became internationally famous as Edward Cullen. His pale, mysterious and romantic vampire helped turn Twilight into a worldwide phenomenon.
Bill Compton – Stephen Moyer
True Blood
Stephen Moyer's Bill is the more traditional gentleman vampire. He's polite and romantic on the surface, but there is always a dangerous supernatural creature lurking underneath.
Jerry Dandridge – Chris Sarandon
Fright Night (1985)
Chris Sarandon's Jerry proves that a vampire doesn't have to look monstrous to be terrifying. He's sophisticated, charming and seductive—and that makes his predatory nature even more disturbing.
Jerry – Colin Farrell
Fright Night (2011)
Colin Farrell's interpretation of Jerry takes the character in a more modern direction. He's confident, cocky and effortlessly cool, while still being a genuinely dangerous vampire.
Mitchell – Aidan Turner
Being Human
Aidan Turner's Mitchell is a vampire struggling to live among humans without giving in to his darker instincts. His combination of vulnerability and danger makes him one of the show's most memorable characters.
Mick St. John – Alex O'Loughlin
Moonlight
Mick St. John is a private investigator who happens to be a vampire. Alex O'Loughlin gives the character a mysterious, romantic and tortured quality that fits the classic vampire archetype perfectly.
Lestat – Stuart Townsend
Queen of the Damned (2002)
Stuart Townsend's Lestat is very different from Tom Cruise's version. This Lestat is more of a rock star—flashy, rebellious and seductive—which fits the movie's music-driven aesthetic.
Dracula – Gerard Butler
Dracula 2000
Gerard Butler brings a dark and imposing presence to this modern interpretation of Dracula.
Barnabas Collins – Johnny Depp
Dark Shadows (2012)
Johnny Depp's Barnabas Collins is an eccentric and comedic interpretation of the classic vampire character. His gothic appearance and bizarre personality make him stand out from the more traditional vampires on this list.
Maximillian – Eddie Murphy
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Eddie Murphy brings his trademark charisma and humor to this unusual vampire comedy. Maximillian is certainly not the most traditional vampire—but that's part of the fun.
Klaus Mikaelson – Joseph Morgan
The Vampire Diaries / The Originals
Klaus combines menace, charisma and vulnerability. Joseph Morgan's performance helped make Klaus one of the most popular vampire characters to emerge from The Vampire Diaries universe.
Henry Fitzroy – Kyle Schmid
Blood Ties
Kyle Schmid's Henry is another vampire worth remembering, particularly for viewers who enjoy supernatural television beyond the most famous franchises.
Boya Zsekely – Gordon Currie
Blood & Donuts (1995)
A more obscure choice, but that's exactly why this list includes cult vampire movies as well as mainstream hits.
Dracula – Luke Roberts
Dracula: The Dark Prince
Michael – Jason Patric
The Lost Boys
The Sexiest Female Vampires in Movies and TV Shows
Mae — Jenny Wright
Near Dark
Jenny Wright's Mae is mysterious and alluring while remaining genuinely dangerous. Near Dark remains one of the great alternative vampire films.
Star — Jami Gertz
The Lost Boys
Star's combination of innocence and supernatural mystery makes her one of the most memorable female vampires of the 1980s.
Santanico Pandemonium — Salma Hayek
From Dusk Till Dawn
Salma Hayek's unforgettable performance as Santanico Pandemonium became one of the most iconic vampire moments of the 1990s.
Miriam Blaylock — Catherine Deneuve
The Hunger
Catherine Deneuve brings sophistication, beauty, and an unsettling sense of immortality to Tony Scott's stylish vampire classic.
Nyssa — Leonor Varela
Blade II
Leonor Varela's Nyssa is elegant, powerful, and far more sympathetic than many of the other vampires in the Blade universe.
Selene — Kate Beckinsale
Underworld / Underworld: Evolution / Underworld: Awakening
Kate Beckinsale's Selene helped redefine the modern action vampire. The combination of gothic style, combat skills, and confidence made the character instantly recognizable.
Sonja — Rhona Mitra
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Rhona Mitra brings both elegance and strength to Sonja, a character caught in the middle of the vampire-Lycan conflict.
Dracula's Brides
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Monica Bellucci, Michaela Bercu, and Florina Kendrick make Dracula's brides some of the most visually striking vampires in Coppola's film.
Marie — Anne Parillaud
Innocent Blood
Anne Parillaud's Marie is another memorable example of a vampire who can be both seductive and deadly.
Darla — Julie Benz
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel
Darla is one of the most enduring vampire characters from the Buffy universe, and Julie Benz gives her plenty of personality and menace.
Drusilla — Juliet Landau
Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel
Drusilla's combination of unpredictability, madness, and gothic beauty makes her one of the most distinctive vampires on television.
Rachel — Jennifer Beals
Vampire's Kiss
Jennifer Beals adds a memorable presence to this unusual vampire-themed film.
Rayne — Kristanna Loken
BloodRayne
Kristanna Loken's Rayne brings a strong action-hero presence to the video-game adaptation.
Katrina — Sheryl Lee
John Carpenter's Vampires
Sheryl Lee's Katrina is another memorable vampire from one of John Carpenter's darker takes on the genre.
Sophie-Anne Leclerq — Evan Rachel Wood
True Blood
Evan Rachel Wood's Sophie-Anne is glamorous, powerful, and appropriately eccentric for the world of True Blood.
Regine Dandrige — Julie Carmen
Fright Night Part 2
Julie Carmen's Regine is a stylish continuation of the seductive vampire tradition established by the original Fright Night.
La Vampire — Olga Kurylenko
Paris, je t'aime
Olga Kurylenko appears in one of the film's many memorable segments, offering another unusual interpretation of the vampire myth.
Countess Carody — Soledad Miranda
Vampyros Lesbos
Soledad Miranda became an icon of European cult cinema, and her performance remains one of the highlights of this psychedelic vampire classic.
Santanico Pandemonium — Eiza González
From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Eiza González puts her own spin on the character originally made famous by Salma Hayek.
Lilith — Angie Everhart
Bordello of Blood
Angie Everhart brings a knowingly over-the-top gothic presence to this Tales from the Crypt horror-comedy.
Miriam — Anulka Dziubinska
Vampyres
A cult classic of 1970s vampire cinema, Vampyres is remembered for its provocative and atmospheric take on the genre.
Clara — Gemma Arterton
Byzantium
Gemma Arterton brings strength and vulnerability to this more intimate and character-driven vampire story.
Carmilla / Mircalla — Ingrid Pitt
The Vampire Lovers
Ingrid Pitt's performance helped establish her as one of the great icons of Hammer horror.
Genevieve Bennett — Barbara Capell
Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman
A wonderfully obscure choice for anyone who enjoys digging deeper into vintage European horror.
Sasha — Brigid Brannagh
Kindred: The Embraced
Brigid Brannagh's Sasha is another memorable television vampire from the 1990s.
Sarah — Sharon Tate
The Fearless Vampire Killers
Sharon Tate brings charm and beauty to Roman Polanski's wonderfully eccentric vampire comedy.
Princess Asa Vajda / Katia Vajda — Barbara Steele
Black Sunday
Barbara Steele is one of the undisputed icons of gothic horror. Her performance in Black Sunday helped make her a legendary figure in European genre cinema.
Petra — Mackenzie Davis
"Who do you think is the sexiest?"
2 comments:
Klaus from The Originals, Kyle Schmid from Blood Ties, Aidan Turner from Being Human UK
Thank you, I have added those except Aidan Turner because he was already on the list.
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