I think Lestat has a very early 1800s attitude towards sex work.
Like, he was an actor, in paris, at a time when "actor" and "sex worker" were basically treated as the same profession.
(ESPECIALLY for actresses. It's always harder to talk about male sex work, since it tended to be much less "official" and fly under the radar a whole lot more. But it 100% existed.)
This informs (normalizes) his relationship with Magnus. From Lestat's perspective, since he is an actor, it is not actually out of line for Magnus to just assume he's sexually available. The rest of it, the kidnapping, the serial killer stuff, maybe we can talk about that, but the sex. and leaving him with a big pile of money afterwards. I think that's sort of... excused by his worldview, in a way that complicates the whole experience. To hear Lestat tell it, "I understood my maker. If I had seen nineteen straight performances of my Lélio, I would have abandoned all decorum too." Magnus did what he did because he was an actor, and Lestat is like, that's how it goes.
And now he's on the stage again, and we get little exchanges like -
CHRISTINE. His lawyer says he's a fan and would appreciate an exclusive fan experience. LESTAT. Do I have to fuck him? CHRISTINE. Yes.
and he's so unbothered that it almost seems like a joke. But I don't actually think it's a joke. I think he's... acting like a nineteenth century actor. Because he is one.
