My thoughts exaatly.

Just thinking about I think that the two leads...Lestat and Louis should be unknown, or lesser knowns...Claudia will most likely be that way too. Casting should be treated like the Harry Potter movies, in the sense that there are newbies as the leads with strong established actors supporting them in important but smaller roles. I also think they need to sign all of the actors that play roles in all three books be signed to at least a three movie deal, with options to follow up with "Tale of the Body Thief" and "Menoch the Devil." I think that the rest of the Vampire Chronicles fall into two categories...spin-offs focusing on individuals or Mayfair Witch tie-ins.

So with Lestat, Louis and Claudia as unknowns/lesser knowns, the following chosen:

Gabrielle (Lestat's mom)- Cate Blanchett
David Talbot (Talamasca) - Michael Cain
Akasha (Queen of the Damned) - Sophie Okenedo
Pandora - Thandie Newton
Amel (entity that starts the whole thing) - CGI with a strong voice actor

that leaves smaller but important roles:
Magnus (Lestat's maker)
Marius (the keeper of Akasha and Enkil)
Aaron Lightner (Talamasca head)
Enkil (Akasha's husband)
Jesse (the descendant of Maharet & Khayman, works at the Talamasca)
Khayman (servant of king Enkil & queen Akasha)
[Edited 3/5/09 11:14am]

Lestat is supposed to be a spoiled brat though, hence the cute nickname.

I dunno about Angie as Akasha though. Being as she's an ancient Egyptian queen, I'd go for a black actress for her part.