What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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T2 WHATS UP! January 8 - 14, 2023 TV FEATURE BY DANA SIMPSON TV Media E very now and then, a film or television adap- tation comes along that makes you wonder why it hasn't been adapted sooner — such is the case with author Anne Rice's Lives of the May- fair Witches novel trilogy. Fol- lowing in the footsteps of the author's "Interview With the Vampire," "Mayfair Witches" premieres Sunday, Jan. 8, on AMC Networks. Both series are a part of Rice's Immortal Uni- verse and (the books, at least) have seen some character crossovers. Originally scheduled to de- but its first episode on Jan. 5, "Mayfair Witches'" had its pre- miere date pushed back by three days but makes up for the minor delay by offering view- ers the first two episodes at once, and with a five-network simulcast across AMC Net- works: AMC/AMC+, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV and WEtv. The show will then air a new episode on AMC each Sunday thereafter for the re- mainder of the eight-episode season. Like most of Rice's stories, the Mayfair Witches franchise is set in New Orleans, where filming began in May 2022 and wrapped in September. Set against a backdrop rife with weeping willows, presumably fragrant bougainvilleas and his- toric homes, "Mayfair Witches" follows a young neurosurgeon named Rowan Fielding (Alex- andra Daddario, "The White Lotus") as she uncovers a series of mysteries linked to her fami- ly — a family of powerful New Orleans witches. According to the official synopsis, "as she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for genera- tions." The "sinister presence" in question is the enigmatic entity known as Lasher (Jack Huston, "American Hustle," 2013), for whom the second book in Rice's trilogy is named. Thanks to Lasher's foreboding pres- ence throughout "The Witch- ing Hour," Rice's first novel of the series, New York Times writer Patrick McGrath de- scribed the character as "possi- bly … Satan" and noted that "he appears to members of the Mayfair family, mainly the women, as a slim, pale, elegant figure with dark eyes and dark hair and a hypnotically seduc- tive power over any of them reckless enough to entertain him." This engaging charm will no doubt transfer well to the screen, thanks to Huston, whose other credits include Capt. Jasper in the 2020 psy- chological horror "Antebellum" and beat author Jack Kerouac in 2013's "Kill Your Darlings." Leading lady Daddario, meanwhile, uses her wide-eyed blend of innocence and resil- ience to lend an onscreen bal- ance to the series' unsettling, villainous energy. Known for her roles in Season 1 of HBO's "The White Lotus," the 2017 ac- tion comedy "Baywatch" and the 2013 horror spinoff "Texas Chainsaw," Daddario's final- girl energy lends well to the cu- House Ad 5 x 5 continued on page T10 Alexandra Daddario stars in "Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches" Immortal danger Did you know those images are available for purchase? IT'S EASY! Just scan the QR code below to visit our website where you can search for the photo/s you want and order prints (many print options to choose from, including canvas). Check it out today! Did you see a photo in our newspaper or on our website that you would love a copy of? Scan QR code for photos!