Jonathan Bailey is trading the romantic charm of Anthony Bridgerton for something much darker in Audible’s new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

The actor takes on the iconic vampire in the audio drama, directed by Mary Lambert, offering a more menacing interpretation of Dracula than many of the romanticized versions audiences have seen before.

The all-star cast also includes Ella Purnell as Mina Murray, Aimee Lou Wood as Lucy, David Jonsson as Dr. Seward and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Van Helsing.

Jonathan Bailey Wanted to Return to Bram Stoker’s Original Vision

Bailey acknowledged that taking on Dracula means stepping into a role that has been played countless times.

“It’s impossible to contend with a century of Draculas,” he said.

Rather than competing with previous performances, Bailey wanted to explore what made Stoker’s original character so compelling.

He pointed to the rigid attitudes surrounding bodies, desires, control and cultural mobility during the period when the novel was written. For Bailey, the story also reflects Stoker’s fascination with a wider world beyond those restrictions.

The actor said that Dracula is not necessarily someone who simply seduces people. Instead, there is a dynamic between Dracula and the person who becomes willing to give themselves over to him.

That vulnerability was something Bailey wanted to explore with Lambert.

Bailey Reveals How He Created Those Disgusting Sounds

One of the most striking elements of the audio drama is the visceral sound design, particularly during scenes in which Dracula feeds.

Bailey admitted that he had not actually heard the finished version when Collider interviewed him, but explained that recording the sounds was an extremely technical process.

Lambert used two microphones, with one designed for surround sound and another offering a more specific recording perspective.

For Bailey, the key was committing completely to the performance.

“If you can get a sense that it’s in 4D and there’s a bit of splashback, then you’ve done something well,” he said.

So what exactly was Bailey using to create the sounds of Dracula drinking blood?

According to the actor, there was no watermelon or elaborate prop involved. Instead, he relied on years of making strange sounds on his own.

“It’s just me and, like, 38 years… Well, maybe not. I don’t do it as much now, but a whole childhood of making noises and sounds alone up in my room, and I finally found a place to put them to good use,” Bailey joked.

He said the process can put him into a kind of trance, comparing the heightened experience of audio performance to “having a shower in the dark.”

Does Bailey Prefer Villains or Romantic Heroes?

Dracula also gives Bailey the chance to explore a much more villainous character than his beloved Bridgerton role.

Asked whether he prefers playing dark characters such as Dracula or romantic heroes like Anthony, Bailey said that every character has their own perspective.

“Everyone’s a hero in their own story,” he explained.

He also noted that much of how Dracula is perceived depends on what audiences project onto the character.

For Bailey, horror, eroticism and desire exist surprisingly close together because all three can be visceral, instinctive and animalistic.

“So, I enjoy it all,” he said.

The actor also joked that the darker side of his personality can remain safely inside the recording booth.

“We’ve all got darkness and shadows and villainy in us somewhere. So, luckily for me, it goes in the audio booth and then it’s sealed off.”

Bailey Recorded Dracula Without Meeting Most of His Co-Stars

One of the biggest challenges of producing the Audible drama was that the cast did not record everything together.

Bailey revealed that he has never actually met Aimee Lou Wood, David Jonsson or Ella Purnell, despite being a fan of all three.

The actors’ performances were pieced together for the final production. Two actors would read with Bailey during his sessions, sometimes playing multiple characters and filling in for cast members who were not present.

Bailey praised the performers who worked with him, calling their ability to switch between characters “virtuosic.”

For him, maintaining the correct tone was particularly important because of the isolated nature of the recording process.

He credited Lambert’s experience and her ability to combine visual storytelling, music and atmosphere, saying that trusting her direction helped him stay within the world of the adaptation.

Bailey did briefly meet Johnny Flynn, who also appears in the production, and later happened to sit behind him on a plane. The two ended up having what Bailey described as a “brilliant Dracula debrief.”

Could Jonathan Bailey Do a Quinn Audio Story?

With audio dramas becoming increasingly popular, Bailey was also asked whether he would consider recording a Quinn audio story.

His answer left the possibility open.

“Nothing’s not on the table,” he joked, suggesting that a future Quinn project could even be called On the Table or Under the Table.

Bailey added that he thinks Quinn is “fantastic,” while joking that he would probably need to remove his Dracula fangs first.

For now, however, audiences can hear Bailey embracing one of literature’s most recognizable villains in Audible’s new take on Dracula.

Source: Compiled from various sources