INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE’s Raglan James TALAMASCA Cameo, Explained

How Does Interview with the Vampire‘s Raglan James, Played By Justin Kirk, Appear in Talamasca: The Secret Order?

It’s every man for himself in Talamasca: The Secret Order—that’s a lesson that Justin Kirk’s Raglan James wants Guy Anatole to learn. But it seems like Guy has a pretty good idea about it already. In episode four of Talamasca, Guy ostensibly betrays the Talamasca, choosing to work instead with the vampire Jasper. Together, they’re trying to snatch the Talamasca’s historical record book, also known as the 752. Jasper believes that whoever wields that amount of information, wields all the power. And he also believes he knows who posesses the tome at the moment—and that’s what sends Guy hurtling into Raglan James’ path in Talamasca.

At Jasper’s behest, Guy heads to The West Croft hotel to listen in on a coven of vampires that Jasper reveals killed Keves, the witch Guy believes was in possession of the 752. It turns out vampires run The West Croft hotel. But when Guy arrives to spy, he runs into, who else, but Justin Kirk’s Raglan James—arrived from Interview with the Vampire to cameo in Talamasca. Raglan James is there to make a deal of his own, and he doesn’t want Guy interfering.

What Is Raglan James Up to In Talamasca?

Ever a bit green at the whole spycraft business, Guy believes that Raglan James is also there to make a deal with the vampires for the 752. And Raglan plays him like a flute. Justin Kirk really delivers an inspired performance as Raglan James in Talamasca, doing a lot of acting with this teeth, his eyebrows, and his hands.

Raglan James quickly figures out that Guy is a Talamasca agent and urges him to leave the hotel bar. But Guy, overhearing in Raglan James’ mind that he has some kind of deal in process with the vampires, flatly refuses. Instead, he co-opts Raglan’s meeting with the vampires and forces himself into the room. But, oops, Justin Kirk’s Raglan James sells him out without compunction in the hope of saving his money. He tells the vampires that Guy can read minds… and then things get messy. The vampire Harris shoots Raglan James and threatens to kill Guy. But unbeknownst to the other vampires, Jasper’s revenant vampire creation, Checkers, has crept into the room. Checkers makes short work of slaughtering vampires and creeps away. Guy, sure, he has finally found the 752, makes Raglan James open the locked case the vampires had kept in the side room… but he doesn’t find what he’s looking for.

What Did Raglan James Actually Want in His Talamasca Cameo and What Does It Mean for the World of Interview with the Vampire?

It turns out that Justin Kirk’s Raglan James DID have a deal with the coven of vampires in Talamasca. But he wasn’t looking for the 752. Instead, Interview with the Vampire‘s Raglan James was making a deal for ancient vampire blood in his Talamasca cameo. Uhm, dislike button!

Raglan James explains that ancient vampire blood is “exponentially more valuable than anything else” one can get their hands on. The vampire coven in Talamasca was actually keeping an ancient vampire barely alive to drain it of its blood in order to sell it to the highest bidder.

In truth, this Raglan James cameo might seem like a bit of a non-sequiter, but it is essential for painting the picture of the Talamasca in Interview with the Vampire‘s world. Raglan James, a Talamasca agent, was abusing his knowledge, power, and connections for his own profit; he didn’t care that there was vampire torture involved in that aim, and he didn’t care if he was dealing with unsavory people. The Talamasca is an organization that claims to be purely research-oriented, just wanting to observe and record, in case knowledge proves valuable to humanity. In Interview with the Vampire, Justin Kirk’s Raglan James WAS helpful to Daniel Molloy, and in a way to Louis, but here we see the true ambitions beneath. It’s not a pretty picture of the Talamasca.

Does Raglan James Die in His Talamasca Cameo?

No! While Justin Kirk’s Raglan James gets shot in his Talamasca cameo, he doesn’t die. He has the ancient vampire blood, after all. One sip of that and he’ll be right as rain.

Justin Kirk’s Raglan James and His Appearances in Interview with the Vampire 

Justin Kirk’s Raglan James appeared in two scenes in Interview with the Vampire season two and several times off-screen. Raglan aided Daniel by sharing a trove of materials relating to the vampires Louis and Armand. In the finale of Interview with the Vampire, Raglan James also dug out the original script for Claudia and Louis’ trial at Daniel Molloy’s behest. This script allowed Daniel to finally unravel the greatest of Armand’s lives and set Louis, Armand, and Daniel on a whole new course. In that way, we might say Justin Kirk’s Raglan James was instrumental to Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat—and so we were glad to see him again in Talamasca.

Raglan James in Anne Rice’s Writings

Raglan James is actually one of the original Talamasca agents from Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire books. We meet Raglan in The Tale of the Body Thief, where he is a former Talamasca agent, with the power to switch bodies with others. Raglan James doesn’t yet appear to have those powers in Talamasca: The Secret Order or Interview with the Vampire… but we bet he might get them before long.

Will We See Interview with the Vampire‘s Raglan James Again in Talamasca: The Secret Order?

Will Justin Kirk and Raglan James return for another cameo in Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order. The truth is, we just don’t know. But it’s possible. Also possible is that Justin Kirk’s Raglan James will return in Interview with the Vampire season three, also known as The Vampire Lestat.

For now, Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order airs Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+. The Vampire Lestat will arrive in 2026.