The Mayfair Witches follows the story originally penned by Anne Rice in her novel The Witching Hour. The plot includes elements of family secrets, passion, and the power of witchcraft. The history of the Mayfair family is "An intricate tale of evil...an evil unleashed in seventeenth-century Scotland, where the first 'witch,' Suzanne of the Mayfair, conjures up the spirit she names Lasher...a creation that spells her own destruction and torments each of her descendants in turn."
Rice creates a nearly flawless popular gothic horror for today's reader by fusing literary fiction with clichéd romanticism. Can AMC deliver her recognizable style? Fans of Rice are wondering if there will be any series crossovers with her other works. Only time will tell, but for now, the 8-episode order is filming in New Orleans, and this is everything we know so far.
The Mayfair Witches: The Plot
The series, which is based on Rice's trilogy Lives of the Mayfair Witches, tells the story of a young neurosurgeon (played by Alexandra Daddario) who unintentionally learns that she is the witch family's heiress. She must battle with a terrible force that has followed her family for many generations as she wrestles with her newly discovered abilities. Jack Huston will portray a shape-shifting entity that has been imprisoned by the Mayfair witches for hundreds of years as the wicked Lasher.
Much of the story takes place in the past, but recent photos of the production show that the series will be set in the present day, at least for now. Executive producers Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford stated:
“The world of witches has fascinated and terrified for centuries, and yet Anne Rice’s particular lens on witches explored something new altogether - women who are powerful, and often brutal, and always committed to subverting our current power structures. We are so excited to join our partners AMC and Gran Via Productions in making this mysterious and provocative world come to life.”
The Mayfair Witches: The Cast & Crew
As reported by Variety, Alexandra Daddario will play the lead role of Rowan Fielding. Along with a lead role in the series Why Women Kill, she has also had recurring appearances in shows including White Collar, Parenthood, and American Horror Story: Hotel. Additionally, Daddario has appeared in a number of motion pictures, such as the Percy Jackson series, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Rampage, and Lost Transmissions.
Jack Huston is cast to play the role of Lasher, the enigmatic shape-shifting entity that has been connected with the Mayfair family for centuries. Huston’s credits include the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, the film Hustle, and the tv series Fargo. Joining his former cast member Huston from Antebellum, Tongayi Chirisa will play the role of Ciprien Grieves – an unknown name in the novels. As he appears in all eight episodes, some speculate on what this role will be in the series as Ciprien is not a character in the books.
Last but not least, Harry Hamlin will play the role of Cortland Mayfair, a patriarch of the Mayfair family but not the heir to the fortune. Hamlin is best known for his iconic role in Clash of the Titans and the television series LA Law.
Casting searches have turned up nothing for two of the most essential roles in the novels -- that of Aaron Lightner, the Talamasca investigator who keeps a watch on the Mayfair family, and Michael Curry, Rowan's spouse and love interest. Granted, key plot lines and characters in TV and film frequently need to be changed to conform to specific restrictions. As Chirisa's Ciprien Grieve has no confirmed background information, will he play the mysterious Talamasca investigator or the love interest for Rowan?
One may make an informed guess based on a few recently revealed photographs and very little other information. The Witching Hour's casual reader will remark that Ciprien is smartly dressed, much like the Aaron Lightner character. However, a closer glance at the image reveals that he is also sporting gloves, which is a crucial narrative detail from the book and a hint as to who Ciprien Grieve might be. He might be a hybrid of Curry and Lightner, giving the TV show a fresh and different plot twist.
One final character in the novel that will make its big debut on the screen is the mysterious Mayfair Manor, a mansion home to the Mayfair witches and plays a major role in the story. How this will translate to the screen is anyone's guess, but fans of Rice will certainly be eager to see it.
The series' executive producers and writers are Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford of Masters of Sex, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, and John Adams, respectively. The showrunner will be Spalding, who has an overall contract with AMC Studios.
Release Date
An initial green light for eight episodes of the series was given, and is expected to appear on AMC in late 2022. Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks, said in a press release:
"2022 will be the biggest year for original programming in the history of our company, and we are literally over the moon that it will now include the first two series in an expanding Anne Rice universe built around stories and characters that have captivated millions of fans around the world.”