Ella Ballentine as Baby Jenks - Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat _ Episode 01 - Photo Credit: Sophie Giraud/AMC
Baby Jenks (Ella Ballentine) went to see a concert in The Vampire Lestat season premiere, “Detroit.” Along the way, she ends up playing a huge role in Lestat’s drug-fueled journey of self-reflection…and self-realization. In a lot of ways, Baby Jenks was much more than an accidental spirit guide. She was Lestat’s Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future, all wrapped into one denim-clad package.
After taking a heavy dose of MDMA and LSD, Baby Jenks rushed the stage to get up close and personal with Lestat (Sam Reid), who ended up doing the Little Drink trick on her. Little did he know, she was high as a kite and her blood hit him like a wrecking ball.
Lestat rushed her off the stage and straight to Daniel (Eric Bogosian) and Dee Pharma (Amaka Umeh), both of whom had experienced overdoses before. Fareed (Gopal Divan) rushed in and the team worked to save Baby Jenks’ life while Lestat started tripping balls, as they say.
It was during the early moments of his trip that Lestat saw Baby Jenks hovering above him. Worse yet, it was like she had a bird’s eye view straight into his soul and Lestat wasn’t so sure he wanted her to peek.
Baby Jenks’ Conversation with Lestat
Here’s the conversation between Lestat and Baby Jenks:
Baby Jenks: “You done this to me?”
Lestat: “I lost myself on stage for a moment.”
Baby Jenks: “Seems you still lost. These song’s gonna kill you. You know that, don’t you?”
Lestat: “I can’t die,” he replies.
Baby Jenks: “Everything dies. You die, I die.” (She looks at Christine.) “She dies.” (She looks at Dee.) “She dies.” (She looks at Daniel.) “Oh, he dies bad.”
Lestat: “I’m immortal.”
Baby Jenks: “Yeah. You kill some wolves and fall in love. Get the gift. Fall in love. Go to ground, get dug up and fall in love. You’re like some wet clothes in a coin-op dryer, just 265 years round and round. Why you so sad? Thousands of fans loving you.”
Lestat: “I want millions.”
Baby Jenks: “And that’ll top off that heart of yours?”
Lestat: “Billions.”
Baby Jenks: “Then why you always gotta make it so hard for someone to give it to you?”
Lestat: “Huh? Who told you that?”
Baby Jenks: “Don’t worry. They comin’”
Lestat: “Who’s coming?”
Baby Jenks: “Oh, they gonna tell you themselves.”
Lestat: “Who’s coming?”
Baby Jenks: “Great show tonight.”
Baby Jenks as Christmas Past, Present and Future
With so many drugs in his system, it’s hard to know whether Lestat was engaged in a battle with his inner demons or if she was really there.
Baby Jenks (aka Christmas Past) mentioned several key moments in Lestat’s life and how they always come back to him falling in love. She took him on a magical history tour in the span of five seconds and it really seemed to hit him hard.
She pressed him about whether having “millions” and “billions” of fans would make him truly happy in this moment. This is Baby Jenks aka Christmas Present. She’s getting him to think about what it is that he really wants…and it’s a question Lestat isn’t prepared to answer.
As the Ghost of Christmas Future, though, Baby Jenks gives Lestat a stark warning that he’s in danger. As we know, the Fang Gang isn’t too happy about Lestat’s concert and they’re waiting to take him down once he gets on the elevator.
Though the drugs eventually wear off, Baby Jenks’ words have a huge effect on Lestat. She was like an oracle, really, giving him an occasion to pause and reflect on the state of his life.
Of course, we’re talking about Lestat here. Lestat will do whatever Lestat wants to do. But we’re willing to bet that Baby Jenks left quite an impression on him.
The Vampire Lestat airs Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and streams the same day on AMC+.
