By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine
Mena Suvari chatted with Paul Salfen of AMFM Magazine about her latest plunge into the dark and deliciously deranged: Vampires of the Velvet Lounge, a horror-comedy that arrives in select theaters tomorrow, March 20th, courtesy of Strand Releasing.
Suvari, the actress, producer, model, and fashion designer who first captivated audiences with her BAFTA-nominated turn in the 1999 masterpiece American Beauty, has never shied away from the unconventional. She’s danced through the suburban satire of Slums of Beverly Hills, the teen chaos of Sugar & Spice, the high-octane grit of Domino, and now she’s stepping into the velvet shadows as Elizabeth Báthory herself—the infamous Blood Countess whose real-life legend is said to have whispered inspirations into Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
In the film, directed and written by Adam Sherman, Báthory runs a sultry back-alley absinthe bar deep in the American South. It’s no ordinary watering hole: this is a lair where a glamorous coven of vampires—joined by India Eisley and Sarah Dumont—hunt their prey not in moonlit forests, but through the cold glow of dating apps. They swipe right on the lonely, the desperate, the unsuspecting, luring them in for seduction, slaughter, and the eternal preservation of youthful beauty. It’s modern horror with a grindhouse twist—glitter, gore, green fairy wings, and terrible decisions colliding in a fever dream of fashionably fatal carnage.
But the plot thickens deliciously when Báthory matches with the wrong profiles. Enter a sharp undercover vampire hunter (Dichen Lachman) and a ragtag crew of emotionally stunted bros on what was supposed to be a harmless boys’ trip (Stephen Dorff, Lochlyn Munro, Tyrese Gibson). What follows is hilariously horrifying chaos: blood flies, fangs flash, and the bar erupts into pure mayhem.
Suvari’s take on Báthory is electric—seductive yet savage, timeless yet utterly contemporary. She channels the countess’s centuries-old cunning while infusing her with a wry, knowing humor that makes the character’s monstrous appetites feel almost relatable in our swipe-left world. The ensemble elevates the madness further, with standout turns from Mark Boone, Jr., Sherman Augustus, Timothy Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Rosa Salazar rounding out a cast that feels tailor-made for cult status.
Speaking with Paul Salfen, Suvari opens up about the thrill of diving into such an over-the-top genre mash-up. She laughs about the absurdity of vampires scrolling Tinder, the joy of working with a director who embraces the wild energy of grindhouse cinema, and how refreshing it is to play a villain who’s as stylish as she is deadly. “It’s campy, it’s bloody, it’s fun,” she shares, her voice carrying the same effortless charisma that has kept her relevant across decades. “We get to lean into the excess—the fashion, the gore, the bad decisions—and it feels liberating.”
As the conversation flows, it’s clear Vampires of the Velvet Lounge isn’t just another horror flick; it’s a love letter to bold storytelling, to actors willing to bare their fangs (literally), and to audiences craving something unapologetically entertaining. From the velvet-draped bar to the explosive finale, the film promises a night of laughs, screams, and perhaps a few lingering glances at your phone with newfound suspicion.
Strand Releasing brings Vampires of the Velvet Lounge exclusively to theaters starting Friday, March 20th, in select markets including New York and Los Angeles. An Adam Sherman Film & Storyoscopic Films, in association with The Exchange—this is one velvet-clad nightmare you won’t want to miss.
Mena Suvari has always known how to keep us guessing. In Vampires of the Velvet Lounge, she doesn’t just sink her teeth into the role—she devours it, and leaves us hungry for more.
About Paul Salfen: Paul Salfen is a Dallas-based TV host, producer, editor, writer, and consultant who currently holds the positions of co-host of Drew Pearson Live on KTXD (London Broadcasting), co-host of The ANE Show on iHeartMedia, and producer/writer for AMFM Magazine.
About Christine Thompson: Christine Thompson is the Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Writer and Video Editor of AMFM Magazine and AMFM Studios LLC.
