Mira is an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup, who comes to France to star as “Irma Vep” in a remake of the French silent film classic, “Les Vampires.” Set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge.
Mira is an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup, who comes to France to star as “Irma Vep” in a remake of the French silent film classic, “Les Vampires.” Set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge.
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Episode 1
The Severed Head
56m5.8 / 10
When disillusioned A-list Hollywood actress Mira Harberg arrives in Paris to immerse herself in the coveted role of iconic villainous Irma Vep in a remake of Feuillade’s The Vampires, an encounter with her former lover Laurie reignites dormant passions. Meanwhile, the project’s acclaimed director Rene Vidal struggles as production woes threaten to derail his vision.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Sigrid Bouaziz, Angelin Preljocaj, Valérie Bonneton
As René’s erratic behavior continues to threaten the production, Mira clashes with her agent, Zelda, about the future of her career – before assuming the role of Irma Vep for the first time. Meanwhile, costume designer Zoé deals with an unusual request from an actor as she attempts to connect with Mira.
A surprising heart-to-heart with her ill-mannered co-star Gottfried causes Mira to revisit her past, while René is haunted by his relationship with his ex-wife – who played the role of Irma Vep in his 1996 film. Later, a breakthrough with Edmond leads to another on-set catastrophe.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Nathalie Richard, Jean-Luc Vincent, Élizabeth Mazev, Clément Bresson, Clément Métayer, Rayan Ben Yaiche, Dominique Reymond, Mathieu Milella
Mira courts offers from both her agent and the production’s financier, who promises a lucrative – but morally compromising – advertising deal. When actress Cynthia Keng arrives on set, René experiences a crisis of faith – and turns to his star for advice. Later, Mira plays hard to get before receiving an unexpected visitor.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Pascal Greggory, Alexandre Steiger, Vivian Wu, Mathieu Milella, Sebastian Marx
After shooting an iconic moment in which Moreno kidnaps Irma Vep, René faces backlash over the scene’s sexual implications. Unwilling to waver, René cites attempted censorship of 1916’s The Vampires – and original Irma Vep’s courageous fight to keep her film alive. Meanwhile, Mira deals with complex emotions as she sinks deeper into her character.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Calypso Valois, Denis Podalydès, Pascal Greggory, Maya Persaud
After an epic blow-up on set, the fate of Rene's series is put in jeopardy. Rene gets a visit from a ghost as the production team considers taking The Vampires in a new direction that would reunite Mira with a figure from her past. All the while, Mira grows more entwined with her role as Irma Vep.
Mira uses her newfound powers as Irma Vep to probe deeper into the lives of those around her. Regina shares news that threatens to upend her relationship with Mira. Mira experiences a spiritual breakthrough after a visit with Rene.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Angelin Preljocaj, Alexandre Steiger, Vivian Wu, Bertrand Suarez Pazos, Stefan Bohne, Laurent Papot
In her final days shooting The Vampires, Mira grapples with her experience playing Irma Vep coming to a close. Regina looks toward her next chapter as a filmmaker, while Mira channels the spirit of Irma Vep to pursue a career-defining opportunity.
Directed by Olivier AssayasWritten by Olivier AssayasGuest stars Kristen Stewart
