Viago

**Viago Von Dorna Schmarten Scheden Heimburg (né von Blitzenberg)** is a 379-year-old vampire. He is a main character in the film.

## Biography

### Early life

Viago is originally from Germany, and he was born around 1635. His father owned most of the horses in the country and his mother was an Egyptian circus performer.

Viago became a vampire at an unspecified time. Around the 1940s, he fell in love with a young human woman named Katherine. She moved to New Zealand, leaving Viago with only a locket with her picture in it. He couldn’t wear it as it was made from silver. Viago had his familiar, Phillip, transport him to New Zealand in a shipping crate. Phillip got the postage wrong and Viago’s arrival was delayed by eighteen months. By the time he arrived, she had found a new love.

During the 1930's, vampires were rounded up and placed into vampire camps. This included individuals such as Viago.

### What We Do in the Shadows (film): 2013

At the time of the documentary filming, Katherine was 96 years old and Viago still pined for her. He was living in a flat in Te Aro, Wellington, with fellow vampires Vladislav, Deacon and Petyr.

In 2014, Viago and his flatmates attempted to drink the blood of the human Nick, however Petyr ended up attacking him and turned him into a vampire. Nick was welcomed into the vampire group, but Viago and the others grew particularly fond of Nick’s human friend Stu as he introduced them to new technology. Stu helped Viago reconnect with a now elderly Philip via online chat and Viago hung up when Philip began asking why he hadn’t come back to turn him into a vampire.

Shortly afterwards, Nick inadvertently led a vampire hunter into the flat, causing Petyr’s death. A fight broke out between Deacon and Nick, causing police officers O'Leary and Minogue to arrive. Viago had to hypnotise them into not noticing anything unusual, and the police instead pointed out several health and safety issues.

Viago led a trial against Nick. The vampires carried out the Procession of Shame, despite Viago protesting against this, and banished Nick from the flat.

Sometime later the vampires attended the Unholy Masquerade, where Nick brought Stu as his plus-one. As Viago tried to hide Stu, the only human guest at the ball, Pauline, the guest of honour, attempted to attack Stu and the camera crew. Stu killed Pauline’s boyfriend, Julian, with a wooden stake. The vampires and camera crew escaped the ball, only to agitate a group of werewolves into attacking them as the full moon emerged. Stu was seemingly killed by the werewolves, leaving the vampires devastated.

A while later, Stu reappeared, having been turned into a werewolf, and helped reconcile the flatmates with Nick and the werewolves. Viago decided to turn Katherine into a vampire so they could be together forever, despite their age difference (i.e. that he is much older than her).

### What We Do in the Shadows, Season 1: 2019

After the death of Baron Afanas, the vampires Nandor, Laszlo and Nadja were summoned to the Vampiric Council, of which Viago and his flatmates were members. Viago served to introduce the members of the council. He and the other council members heard evidence from the Baron’s familiar and Guillermo, Nandor's familiar. Guillermo confessed to the murder, which none of the vampires believed, and they plotted to eat him until Nandor confessed instead. Although all the council members agreed that they didn’t like the Baron, the council sentenced the three vampires to death by exposure to sunlight in a well. The three however escaped with the help of Guillermo and their roommate, Colin.

### What We Do in the Shadows, Season 3: 2021

By 2021, the Staten Island vampire roommates were believed to have killed 70% of the most powerful vampires in the Tri-State area, an accomplishment that was really mostly or entirely down to Guillermo's vampire hunting skills. Nevertheless, the Vampiric Council were impressed by this. Viago sent a VHS recording of himself inviting the vampires to become the new leaders of the Vampiric Council of the Eastern Seaboard of the New World. Nadja and Nandor ultimately accepted the offer.

As the months went by, Nadja's leadership impressed Viago further and he sent a second tape of himself inviting her to London for a more senior position in their Vampiric Council, an offer she also accepted.

## Other Appearances

### *What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires*

An early version of Viago’s character prominently appears in the 2005 short film *What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires*, credited as Count Viago. Although still played by Taika Waititi, Viago behaves, speaks and dresses very differently to his film counterpart, who is far more cheerful and assertive. At 229 years old, this interpretation is also a lot younger.

### *Dating 101 with Viago*

To promote the movie and the New Zealand-based dating website FindSomeone, Viago appears in the short film *Dating 101 with Viago*, in which he provides tips on how to gain a date.

### *Vampire's Guide to Vellington*

Viago stars in and narrates the short film *Vampire's Guide to Vellington*, in which he promotes the city of Wellington to humans and vampires. Viago was also present when the 'W' of the Wellington Blown Away sign was replaced with a blood-red 'V', and met Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown.

### *Viago feat. Hurricanes - Poi E*

Viago appears in the short ad campaign *Viago feat. Hurricanes - Poi E* to promote a rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders, as well as its halftime show featuring Patea Maori Club. Viago encourages the Hurricanes to practice their dance and poi moves for the halftime show.

## Trivia

* One of Viago's favourite books is *Sex at Dawn* by Cacilda Jethá and Christopher Ryan.
* His hobbies include ice sculpture and throwing pots.
* He is a fan of the TV show *RuPaul's Drag Race*.

## Behind the Scenes

* Taika Waititi based his performance of Viago on his own mother.
* Each of the main vampires of the film are similar to a vampire from a famous vampire movie. Viago bears some resemblance to Louis de Pointe du Lac from the film *Interview With a Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles*.
* Viago’s name varies between appearances. The 2005 short film credits him as Count Viago. Some sources, such as *Vampire's Guide to Vellington*, list Viago's full name as Viago von Blitzenberg. In the Dating 101 with Viago video, his name is given as Viago von Grossenhymen. In The Trial episode of *What We Do in the Shadows*," Viago introduces himself as Viago von Dorna Schmarten Scheden Heimburg.

## Appearances

* *What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires*
* *What We Do in the Shadows* (film)
* *Dating 101 with Viago*
* *Vampire's Guide to Vellington*
* *Viago feat. Hurricanes - Poi E*
* *What We Do in the Shadows* (TV series)
	+ **Season 1:** "The Trial"
	+ **Season 3:** "The Prisoner", "The Portrait"

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6  "Dating 101 with Viago" - FindSomeone
2. ↑  "Viago's interview" - LapsusMemoriae
Clement, Jemaine & Waititi, Taika (writers and directors) (19 January 2014). *What We Do in the Shadows*.
Clement, Jemaine (writer) & Waititi, Taika (director) (May 8, 2019). "The Trial". *What We Do in the Shadows*. Episode 7. FX.
Simms, Paul (writer) & Newacheck, Kyle (director) (September 2, 2021). "The Prisoner". *What We Do in the Shadows*. Episode 21. FX.
Johnson, Sam, Robinson, Stefani & Simms, Paul & Wells, Lauren (writers) & Gorskaya, Yana (director) (October 28, 2021). "The Portrait". *What We Do in the Shadows*. Episode 30. FX.
7. ↑  "Behind the Lid - Vellington Sign" - Wellington Airport
8. ↑  "Viago feat. Hurricanes - Poi E" - HurricanesNZ
9. ↑ "'What We Do in the Shadows' Trivia" - iMDb