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Name: Real name: Andrei, affectionately known as Amadeo by Marius
Age: Over 500 years old, born 1481
From: Kiev, Russia
Mortal Death: Fatally wounded and poisoned after a duel at the age of 17
Maker: Marius
Fledgling: Daniel
Books he appeared in: 'Interview With The Vampire', ''The Vampire Lestat', 'The Queen of the Damned', 'Memnoch The Devil', 'The Vampire Armand'

As a youth he was kidnapped and sold as an apprentice to the reclusive painter, and powerful vampire, Marius. Armand was clearly adored by Marius who gave him the Dark Gift after he nearly died from a poisonous sword after a duel. He lived happily with Marius in Venice until 1499, and even though he was curious about 'Those Who Might Be Kept', he never found out who they were.

Marius was captured and burned by Santino's Roman coven who abducted Armand and taught him Satanic ways. In 1500, he became the leader of the Paris coven who lived in a cemetry, terrified of religious artefacts and buildings, worshipping the devil and living like animals in the shadows.

Seeing Lestat and Gabrielle in 1780 living amongst mortals enfuriated the members of the coven but this appealed to Armand. He destroyed the majority of his coven and joined up with the surviving vampires to run the Theatre des Vampires. He was very upset when Lestat and Gabrielle rejected him after telling him of his history with Marius.

He met Louis and Claudia in 1862. He craved Louis' companionship but knew that Claudia was in the way. He turned a blind eye when his coven executed young Claudia (for killing Lestat) and saved Louis from burning in daylight after he torched the Theatre de Vampires in revenge. They became companions and travelled the new world together until they got bored of each other in the 1920s. Armand stayed in New Orleans until 1972.

He met Daniel Malloy - the interviewer in 'Interview With The Vampire' who became his first fledgling and companion after Louis.

In 1995 he attempted suicide when Lestat appeared with 'Veronica's Veil'. Proof of the existence of God was too much for him. He tried to burn in the heat of daylight, but couldn't die as he was too powerful.

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'Khayman sought for a name, but the creature's mind was a perfect blank; not so much as a glimmer of personality escaped from it. A boy he'd been when he died, with straight dark auburn hair, and eyes a little too big for his face.'

MY CHOICE
I never did like the idea of Antonio Banderas as Armand (he was cast in 'Interview with the Vampire'). He was far too old, and had JET BLACK hair. I don't deny that Banderas made a wonderful vampire - be might be a good Marius, for example, but Anne Rice described Armand as brown-eyed red-haired, youthful and beautiful.

My ultimate Armand has to be Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Just look at him. I do not even need to imagine him... there he is!

Jared Leto is also perfect for the role because he has the Armand's beautiful huge eyes.