Our Obsession with Vampires and Sex

Vampires and sex: they seem inextricably linked. Perhaps the title should have been re-phrased to ‘Why have Vampires started us obsessing over sex’? Whether it’s Dracula, True Blood, the Vampire Diaries or Twilight, vampires seem to have become synonymous with sex, sexuality and the forbidden. Given that the orgasm has been referred to as la petit mort (the little death), should we find it surprising that the act of vampirism is associated with sexuality?

Really, we can’t seem to escape these fanged creatures. They’re lurking everywhere and have become our newest obsession, or should I say, addiction? But why is this so? As Yvonne K. Fulbright suggests:

“In two words: vampire sex”

While some might throw up their hands in horror over the steamy hyper-sexuality exhibited by the inhabitants of HBO’s True Blood, vampires in books, films and television are and have always been associated with sex. The act of vampirism is, to put it mildly, an intimate one. It involves the mouth, an erogenous zone in itself, biting and sucking the victim. Need I say more? Hardly surprising then that this is intimately linked with forbidden acts, especially if we cast our minds back to Dracula’s Victorian London where sex and sexuality were as constrained as the corsets women had to wear back then.

As we now know, vampire legends predate Stoker’s Dracula; the traditional image of the vampire as a bloated creature feeding off decomposing corpses gave way to Polidori’s and Stoker’s re-imagination of the vampire. Through them, the vampire became linked with the aristocratic predator, which is also a staple of several fairy tales. For example, the character of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood was a thinly disguised caricature of Louis XIV’s younger brother the Duke of Orleans, who ruthlessly seduced both men and women. The writers of Gothic fiction, such as Sheridan le Fanu, Polidori and Stoker probably devoured Baring-Gould’s account of the ruthless female serial killer Countess Elisabeth Bathory. Convicted in 1610 for murdering 80 young women, she became known as ‘The Bloody Lady of Cachtice’ for her bathing in her victims’ blood in the twisted belief that this would help her maintain her beauty and youth.

Polidori, Lord Byron’s physician, published The Vampyre in 1819, subsequently re-casting the blood drinking vampire as an attractive, charismatic anti-hero. Polidori, as we now know, based the vampire Lord Ruthven on his patient Lord Byron. Lady Caroline Lamb, Byron’s former lover, once described Byron as ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’, also calling the villain in her novel Glenarvon Lord Ruthven. It’s widely believed that both Lady Caroline Lamb and Polidori were settling a score with the famous poet.

But it was Bram Stoker who gave us the image and characteristics of the modern vampire, although the book’s influence only grew in the 20^th century. Dracula also embedded the allegory connecting blood with sex whereby the sexual implications of the blood exchange between the vampire and his victim provides highly powerful psychosexual and erotic overtones. When Mina Harker drinks Dracula’s blood, giving Mina her first experience of sexual ecstasy, the sexual overtones are unmistakable,

Of course, F.W. Murnau’s German Expressionist Nosferatu undoubtedly returned the vampire to a gruesome monster. In Max Shreck’s performance, we see a vampire as a grotesque loathsome creature, not the charismatic fanged creature. But it was Bela Lugosi performance in 1924 that vampires are again re-made as the irresistible, polished, seductive and good-looking villain. Through Bela Lugosi, the modern vampire is rehabilitated, and now appears forever youthful inhabiting an in-between world where they are neither dead nor alive. As Y.K. Fulbright indicates:

“Bela Lugosi made vampires irresistibly handsome for modernity. But beyond hot bodies and good looks, it’s the male vampire’s depiction as the James Dean of Goth that holds the greatest appeal [...] these rebels are far from pure in thought and deed. Women can’t help but be drawn to these mesmerizing, misunderstood, moody bad boys.”

Moreover, unlike the earlier vampires, our modern bad boys are noticeably deviant and hyper-sexual involving

“Subtle storylines of sexual deviants flirting with fetishes [...] Since the 1950s, stories have become more overtly “sexplicit”, with more recent movies and TV shows depicting or alluding to frenzied, frantic sex with aggressive appeal.”

I guess we shouldn’t mince our words here because what the appeal modern vampire alludes to, how shall we say it…is that of S&M. As Y.K. Fulbright again notes:

“Vampires like it rough. They like to bite. And their victims love the bites, scratches and handcuffs as depicted in shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sometimes sadomasochists attract what are known as “fang bangers” [...] people who have a thing for manhandle-me vampire sex role playing. The bondage, domination and submission themes mixed with ‘true love’ are perfect reason for stripping off your neck scarf or turtleneck.”

In short, these modern vampires allow us to get in touch with our primal side of sexual desires, which seldom see the light of day.

“The dangerous lust of a vampire torn between staying in control with very lick of his prey revs up your body much like a sexual response. And it’s delicious [...] When it comes to longing and lust, we love being preyed upon. Vampires go for one of the most sensitive erogenous zones, the neck, becoming even more magnetic as their victims beg for life, for death, for sex. ”

Needless to say, the vampires of HBO’s True Blood fulfill all these modern fantasies about vampire sexuality. Fascinating, dangerous, ambivalent and lustful. Yes, Vampire Bill and Viking vampire Eric Northman are all those. Creatures of uncensored sensuality, yes, the vampires who inhabit the Southern Gothic world of True Blood are all those too. Beautiful, immortal and titillatingly libidinous, these vampires aren’t afraid of their lustful natures. Nor do they fight them. They happily give in. They feel no guilt or shame. They are indeed bad and dangerous to know. In fact, these creatures of the night don’t ever need to do the walk of shame. These creatures don’t ever have to deal with the ‘morning after’. No sane human could ever be so free.

But let’s face it, they aren’t human either. Instead, they are something defiantly other, defying pragmatic reality, the creatures of our nightmares or fairy tales, depending on your leaning of course. And we are enthralled and obsessed by these wonderful creatures.

Source: Foxnews.com

Photo credit: HBO Inc.

Alexander Skarsgard Discusses True Blood and Dating Rumors

Alexander Skarsgard, the Swedish hunk who plays bad boy vampire Eric on HBO’s True Blood, is excited to return to work soon and be reunited with everyone on the show. He was recently interviewed by Sweden’s TT Spectra, and as a sign of just how popular Alex has become in the last year, the interview was translated into English over at alexskarsgard.net so that his millions of adoring fans could read it.

Alex says that all the people working on True Blood have become his surrogate family. It seems that they know they’re part of something special, although there was that initial shock when they realized just how many devoted fans they had. It wasn’t until Alex went to San Diego for Comic-Con in July of this year that he witnessed how big a hit the show was:

“It was totally absurd. People had flown in from other countries. We just laughed; it was impossible to understand what had happened. I’m still confused.”

He doesn’t mind how his heightened celebrity status has affected his daily life:

“People come up and want autographs and take pictures. But they are cute and humble and apologize. I have no crazy stalkers after me (laughs). And I am flattered that they think so much about the series.”

Of his castmates, Alex spends most of his time with Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer since his scenes are often with them. He also enjoyed doing the press conference with Michelle Forbes in Paris, who he had never worked with on the show.

Alex just finished filming Straw Dogs with James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, and James Woods. He describes Woods as “totally cool, eccentric, and intense as hell.”

He also lent his voice to the Swedish animated movie Metropia, along with his father, acclaimed actor Stellan Skarsgard. The Swedish film Puss is another recent family collaboration, between Alex and his brother Gustav.

Alex’s widespread fame beyond Sweden is certainly due to his portrayal of Eric in True Blood and his part in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. Both tough characters, he hopes that he doesn’t get typecast but rather wants the opportunity to keep playing lots of different roles:

“After ‘True Blood’ and ‘Generation Kill’ makes it quite a lot of alpha males. Which is funny, one reason I went from Sweden was that I always had to play the misunderstood, gentle high school boy. Puppies. But now I’m afraid to get stuck in the second slot. Once it becomes routine it takes the creativity out.”

As for his personal life, Alex is not interested in all the rumors flying around. He declined to comment on whether he was dating Evan Rachel Wood or Kate Bosworth. As much as we want to know, you have to respect the guy for wanting to keep some things private!

SOURCE: alexskarsgard.net

(Photo credit: socialitelife.celebuzz.com)

Conversation With Alexander Skarsgard

One of the people over at AlexanderSkarsgardFans.com had a great opportunity to serve as an extra on Alex’s film, Straw Dogs, and to do an exclusive interview with him for their website.

At the time of the interview, Alex was in the final days of shooting the Rod Lurie’s film Straw Dogs in Shreveport, LA. He was pleased with the work they had been doing but understandably tired. The story of the film is pretty intense, as those who have seen the original Straw Dogs will know, but Alex says that their version is distinct and interesting.

He seems to have enjoyed the time he spent in Louisiana. It’s funny that his True Blood character, Eric, runs the vampire bar, Fangtasia, in Shreveport, but most of their filming is done in Los Angeles. Now Alex has actually had a chance to live for a few months in the South, and he gushes about the atmosphere of the culture, especially in soulful New Orleans where he spent a fun weekend with some of his costars.

Alex also compares making movies in America and Sweden, with the biggest difference being the budget and the number of people involved in production. He doesn’t seem to prefer one over the other, and says it really depends on if you’re working with the right people.

When asked about playing such different roles, from Eric on True Blood, to Sgt. Colbert on Generation Kill, to Charlie on Straw Dogs, and so on, Alex says that he finds things to personally relate to with each of them:

“I think it has to come from inside of me. It has to begin within myself. And there is always a bit of myself in my characters.”

On the subject of fame, Alex doesn’t seem phased by all the recognition he’s getting for True Blood now. After all, he’s been well-known in Sweden for all the work he’s done there, and his father, Stellan Skarsgard, is also a popular actor. He mentions that it’s just important to cherish what’s private—to know who you are and who your friends are.

He also talks about his interest in architecture, what he loves about Sweden, and other projects he’s working on.

To read the full interview, visit alexanderskarsgardfans.com

(Photo credit: fanpop.com)

Sex, Blood and Vampires

Vampires seem to be, to borrow a phrase from the fashionistas, the new black right now. Unsurprising, really. They are hot, they don’t age, don’t need botox, and, judging from the raunchy HBO True Blood’s Bill Compton, Eric Northman and Pam, they look good in anything that’s black and leather.

The word vampire has almost become synonymous with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, one of the best-selling books of all time. Stoker’s Dracula is said to owe something to Vlad III of Wallachia who lived in the 15^th century and had a habit of impaling his victims on stakes. But Stoker’s conception of the vampire has shape-shifted and fragmented throughout the world in ways he would barely comprehend, and probably not even recognize.

Indeed, the vampire may seem to be a creature living on the margins of society, but we’ve always had a contradictory relationship with the vampire. Central to the stories humans tell each other, these creatures exist in folklore that stretch back through to ancient times. Almost every culture appears to have some sort of legend about vampires or hungry ghosts who feed on the energy of the living, in one way or another. Yet, very few of them bear any resemblance to Bela Lugosi descending the staircase, holding a flickering candle that improbably lights the cavernous great hall of his castle for the legendary cinematographer Karl Freund. And while some of these other folklores around the world are similar to the traditional Central European myths that have been incorporated into Gothic literature and cinematic lore, there are quite a few which depart from the traditional vampire lore.

The earliest account of these creatures of the night derives from Mesopotamia. Lamatsu was a serpent demon who reportedly stole children from their homes and devoured them. Another incarnation of Lamatsu appears later, in the guise of Lilith. In early Hebraic writings, Lilith took the form of a winged demon with the body of a woman with owl-like talons for feet. She was reported to be the first wife of Adam (before Eve was created). Lilith was formed of the same earth from which Adam was created, therefore, she considered herself his equal. That being the case, Lilith refused to be submissive. She was subsequently banished to the demon realm. Lilith’s offspring were damned to become demons with Lilith taking the title of “Mother of Demons.”

In China, a vampire is created when a recently deceased corpse is possessed by a demon, usually after suicide or a violent death without a proper burial. Unlike the vampires in the West, the Chiang Shih (also known as Jiang Shi) is said to be covered with white or green hair over its entire body. It is also said to have long claws, teeth and glowing red eyes. I think it’s safe to say that it is hardly an attractive specimen when compared to the highly decorative vampires of True Blood. Breathing the Chiang Shih’s breath can be lethal but apparently, it can be repelled by garlic, salt and barriers of rice, thunder or a bullet.

In the Philippines, we have the Aswang. Apparently, the Aswang appears as a beautiful woman but at night, it is compelled to seek victims. It attacks by using a long tubular tongue to drink their blood. After feeding, it appears pregnant. One of the most fearsome creatures of Malay folklore is the Pontianak, a vampire like entity, she (the Pontianak is always female) is characterized by ear-piercing shrieks, long flowing hair and a penchant for the blood of children.

In Japan, we have the Gaki. Similar to the vampires in the West, it drinks the blood of corpses and appears pale-skinned, cold with hollow features. The can also shape-shift, transforming into animals or impersonating living people. Some of the oldest can stalk their prey invisibly. In Scotland, we have the BaoBahan Sith that usually disguises itself as a beautiful maiden who preys on young men, lured the victims to their deaths through song and dance. In folklore, it is said that this vampire always dresses in green to hide their cloven feet.

The Dearg-Due is a dreaded creature of Ireland whose name means blood sucker. An ancient vampire who dates back to Celtic times, it is still feared. The only way to curb its vampiric activities is to pile stones on the grave of any who might be suspected of housing such a beast. On the other hand, the Upier, a Polish vampire, is said to sleep in blood, rise at Midday and go to sleep at Midnight. It is also said to have a barbed tongue with which it consumes large amounts of blood. The Asanbosam, West African vampires, are unlike their European cousins, preferring to live in trees rather than coffins.  They take human form but instead of feet, they have iron teeth and hooks.

Let’s face it: unfortunately, the vampires of folklore pale in comparison when compared to True Blood’s Vampire Bill, with his Southern charm or even the Viking vampire, Eric Northman, who is really interesting. In Eric Northman, we have a powerful, dangerous, yet captivating 1000-year-old, leather-wearing, club owning vampire. Compare to these other loathsome creatures of folklore, what’s not to like about these particular vampire?

Source: Skyscanner

Photo credits: HBO Inc

Bill And Eric On The List For The Battle Of The Hottest Vampires

In a list that is sure to start some heated arguments, GuidetoBeautySchools.com ranks the hottest male vampires of film and television. Read on to find out where your favorites from True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and The Vampire Diaries stand, and then feel free to defend or rearrange them in the comments!

20. Stuart Townsend- Lestat, Queen of the Damned

19. Paul Wesley- Stefan, The Vampire Diaries

18. Ethan Hawke- Edward, Daybreakers

17. Aidan Turner- Mitchell, Being Human

16. Kellan Lutz- Emmett Cullen, Twilight

15. Jason Patric- Michael, The Lost Boys

14. Alex O’Loughlin- Mick St. John, Moonlight

13. Tom Cruise- Lestat de Lioncourt, Interview with the Vampire

12. Ian Somerhalder- Damon Salvatore, The Vampire Diaries

11. Gerard Butler- Dracula, Dracula 2000

10. Stephen Moyer- Bill Compton, True Blood

9. Wesley Snipes- Blade, Blade

8. Jason Dohring- Josef Kostan, Moonlight

7. Brad Pitt- Louis de Pointe du Lac, Interview with the Vampire

6. Kiefer Sutherland- David, The Lost Boys

5. David Boreanaz- Angel, Buffy the Vampre Slayer/Angel

4. Antonio Banderas- Armand, Interview with the Vampire

3. Alexander Skarsgard- Eric Northman, True Blood

2. Robert Pattinson- Edward Cullen, Twilight

1. James Marsters- Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel

Their reasoning behind Bill being relatively low on the list is that, good looks and old-fashioned manners aside, he is not very interesting. And he doesn’t dress well. There are not enough words in the English language to disagree with that as strongly as I would like to. First of all, Bill can never go wrong with a henley and some tight pants. Or with no clothes at all. Also, how is it not interesting to have a vampire who is tortured by what he is?! He was turned against his will simply because he was a good man that Lorena found worthy to be her companion. He almost staked himself to stop from being a monster like his maker wanted him to be. He fell in love with Sookie and has found his way back to his humanity. He’s still a vampire and flawed. So sometimes he slips up and does something wrong, but he has someone who loves him and forgives him because she knows that he would sacrifice himself to protect her. If that’s not layered, I don’t know what is!

Eric earned a higher spot on the list because he is more of a bad boy, but why that automatically makes him hotter is beyond me.

On the one hand we have a whiney, questionable dresser, who plays Wii. On the other hand, we have a powerful, leather-wearing, club owning badass who can tell the other hand what to do.

This is clearly a matter of opinion, and the debate between Bill and Eric among True Blood fans will never be resolved. We’ve all got to agree to disagree on that one. But what we can all agree on is how crazy we are about this show. It has two great guys to fantasize over, both of whom should be higher on a list of hottest vampires than #10 and #3. And this is coming from someone who also watches Buffy and loves Spike and Angel, but seriously- True Blood is by nature sexier. Thoughts?

SOURCE: guidetobeautyschools.com

(Photo credits: HBO Inc.)

True Blood Season 3 Spoilers: Alan Ball and the Writers Reveal

Alan Ball, writers Raelle Tucker and Alexander Woo spoke with SciFiWire recently and revealed 12 major spoilers points for season 3 of True Blood.  So get ready True Blood fans for some major spoilers news. Remeber if you do not want to know DO NOT read any further.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer): Alan confirmed that the storyline of Bill’s kidnapping will last for”about six episodes.” However we don’t know if that means that it will be back-to-back from episodes 1-6 or will be spread out throughout the season.  This is one fans are definitely going to be talking about.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell): As stated before, in season 3 Sam will be busy trying to find his family which Raelle Tucker will get to write their characters a lot in episode 2. She states that:

“I’m getting to write Sam’s family, which is a lot of fun, and, really, I feel really satisfying as a character arc,” she said. “I really am glad that he’s taking this journey and he’s learning about himself. I find that interesting. They aren’t the brightest people, maybe. At least they appear that way. They’re fairly dysfunctional, but like anybody else, they have their good things about them and not so good things. They’re still getting to know each other. Sam’s still getting to know them and so are we.”

Werewolves:  Alan states that the werewolves in season 3 are going to be just wolves.  They will be people who can transforms into wolves who will be bigger and stronger with their eyes glowing orange a little bit.

Supernatural World:  Alexander Woo explains that season 3 is not only about the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves and shapshifters but he is also excited about the expanding world that will occur in the next season.

“The entire world is going to get a lot bigger,” Woo said. “Not only the human world, but in Sookie’s eyes, she’s going to see the whole supernatural world. Luckily, since this show is through Sookie’s eyes, as an audience we’ll get to see a much larger supernatural world.”

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin):  Raelle states that Sookie’s powers will expand in season 3 to not only include her telepathy but her expanding powers such as her glowing hands.  “I think that Sookie is conscious of her abilities more this season than she’s been, and she’s questioning them more,” Tucker said. “We’re going to be exploring that more this season.”

Vampire King of Mississippi (Denis O’Hare):  Alan states that the Vampire King of Mississippi in season three will be a contrast to Sophie-Anne, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood).

“He’s older,” Ball said. “He’s much more mature. He’s much more methodical and grounded. She’s kind of crazy. To me, she’s kind of like Paris Hilton/Lindsay Lohan, where she has a very short attention span and she’s very, very egomaniacal and very self-obsessed and doesn’t really think about her actions whereas the vampire king is very much an adult. He has an agenda. He has things he wants to achieve. I think he’s much more formidable than she is.”

Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten):  This season Jason seems to get a little break from all the mayhem he endured in season 2.  According to Raelle this season will focus on Jason NOT getting into trouble and staying out of trouble’s way.  This will be interesting to see how it plays out considering Jason was the one who shot Eggs at the end of season 3.

Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood):  Evan will be returning in season 3 in her role as Queen Sophie-Anne who is engaged in selling “V” which may get her in trouble in some way.

“Well, Sophie-Anne, when last we left her, she was sort of behind this selling of “V” as a recreational drug on the streets pretty much,” Ball said. “That’s not something a vampire authority figure should be doing. If higher-up vampire authority figures figure that out, they’re not going to be happy.”

Biker Gang:  In season three we will see the introduction of a biker gang called Coot’s F–k You Crew which Raelle states that the new characters are still evolving and won’t be what they appear to be.  As Raelle explains this biker gang is very mysterious and has been around much longer then alot of people think.  Raelle wouldn’t elaborate any further, simply stating that “I don’t want to say too much about them right now because I think that we are in the early stages of figuring that out.”

Tommy Mickens:  Alexander Woo informed SciFiWire that he is writing the material for this new character which he states “will make a huge impact on our favorite characters.” Without giving too much away Woo states that Tommy Mickens will play a “very prominently in the emotional life of at first one, and then later several other of our characters. He’ll be the first domino to push the rest.”

Headgear:  Now this one I must admit has me wondering what the writers are referring to. Whether they are referring to actual headgear to be wore by the characters or a metaphor for a protective shell that the characters will place around themselves. Raelle explains helmets became a joke in the writer’s room with the writers becoming aware they were relying too much on protective headgear.

“There’ve been several moments that we’ve been pitching things and thought, ‘Oh, well, maybe she could be wearing a helmet and that would protect her. Maybe he could wear a helmet in that scene,’” Tucker recalled. “Suddenly we realized we had a whole bunch of characters wearing helmets for no particular reason. So we thought oh, that’s the theme of the season.”

Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard):  With the Eric fans demanding more screen time for him and a big romantic link between Eric and Sookie, the writers state that does not occur until much later in Charlaine Harris‘ books .   As Raelle states:

“You know what’s funny is that he’s in the first two books, he’s a fairly minor character in Sookie’s universe,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of fan pressure that they’re supposed to be this big romantic thing, which actually in Charlaine [Harris]’s books doesn’t happen until much, much further down. I think if we did that, we’d probably bore them all to death. I think part of the magic of Eric is some of the mystery of Eric and the inaccessibility of Eric. I think you don’t want to turn them into the nice romantic love interest who’s in every scene. I think his danger is important so not just throwing him up whenever somebody wants to see his bare chest is actually a more disciplined approach.”

So there you have it, the latest spoilers.  So now lets start speculating as we wait for the return of Season 3 of True Blood.

SOURCE: SciFiWire.com

(Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

Alexander Skarsgard Discusses Fame, Generation Kill, and True Blood

With his role as Eric Northman on True Blood, Swedish heartthrob Alexander Skarsgard has been catapulted into the spotlight, with a passionate group of fans to rival any other. On the show, he plays an 1,000-year old Viking vampire with a bad boy edge, a cool sense of humor, and a whole lot of hotness. In an extensive interview with the UK blog Unreality Primetime, Alex discusses his acting pedigree and his work on two major HBO projects, True Blood and Generation Kill.

The oldest son of renowned actor Stellan Skarsgard, Alex began working in Swedish films and television at age 7. Uncomfortable with the recognition he received, he gave up acting until he was 20. Feeling more prepared for fame, he began studying theatre in New York and got hooked on the profession. In addition to his father, two of his brothers are also actors in Sweden, so it seems to run in the family!

Like some of his True Blood costars, Alex didn’t know what to expect from a vampire show, but he was very interested to work with a talented storyteller like creator Alan Ball. He probably had no idea what he was getting himself into when he took on the role of Area 5 Sheriff and Fangtasia owner, Eric Northman. With it, he inherited an entire team of shippers from the books who want Eric to be with Sookie and bring to life some favorite scenes from Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire series. Alex has read the first few books and intends to finish the rest during the break from filming.

Alex explains how Eric’s 1,000 years as a vampire have made him very confident and somewhat bored with humanity:

“I think he’s got huge confidence, and also he doesn’t waste time. He’s been around for that long, so he cuts to the chase and gets down to business. And it’s hard to impress a guy like that, because he’s seen it all. That’s why he’s intrigued by Sookie because there’s something new here, something interesting and different about her that he can’t really put his finger on.”

From his point of view, Alex thinks that vampires are so fascinating to people because of their complex natures–they are beautiful and eternal, while dangerous at the same time:

“Immortality and eternal youth are so attractive, yet the fact that vampires are also lethal predators who could kill you in an instant creates great platforms for drama, I think. You have that duality. An encounter with a vampire could let you live forever, or you could become vampire food.”

Alex also talked about getting immersed in his Marine character, Sgt. Brad Colbert, in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. He had some personal experience to inform him about the role, having been in the Swedish Marines to fulfill his country’s mandatory service requirement. The goal in making Generation Kill was to have it be as true-to-life as possible, with Marines consulting and involved in the process every step of the way:

“One of the actors is a real Marine, and plays himself on the show. We had two other guys from First Reconnaissance with us for the duration of the shoot, which was seven months in Africa. They were behind the camera for every single take every single day, making sure that everything was legit and was real, and what we say and what we do on the show happened for real. It was very important to us to show exactly what happened, and not make it into a Hollywood series or movie where everything is dramatised, and things are added or removed. We just wanted to tell it exactly as it was, and I hope we succeeded in doing that.”

Alex did not have the opportunity to visit with the real-life Brad Colbert before filming to gain insights, but that actually enabled him to create his own unique portrayal. When they returned from Africa, a fellow soldier of Colbert’s arranged a meeting for them. Alex calls it an amazing experience:

“I was with that character for a year. It’s his life. All the quotes and things I say on the show are his life. When I talk about my ex-girlfriend, and hookers in Australia, these are things that he actually said. And he never asked for this to become a huge HBO series, so I didn’t know how he would react when I met him. But I have a tremendous amount of respect and love for the man, so it was very important for me that he would be proud of what we did and how I portrayed him. And he didn’t kill me, so I guess I did okay.”

The camaraderie between the actors helped create that group dynamic crucial to true Marine life. Spending so much time with those guys and working together translated into the finished product of Generation Kill. It probably contributed to the miniseries going on to receive great critical acclaim and award nominations. Alex seems very proud of what they accomplished with the show, and is pleased by how the Marine community embraced it for its gritty realism.

The decision to portray such distinctly separate people like Sgt. Colbert and Eric Northman was intentional on Alex’s part. The challenge of a new character makes him excited and helps his creativity. Hopefully, after his recent work on Straw Dogs which he spent the last couple of months filming in Shreveport, LA, he will be ready to return to True Blood in December and throw himself back into Eric. Alan Ball will surely have many new challenges in store for him!

SOURCE: primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk

(Photo credit: fanpop.com)

Alexander Skarsgard Talks About What He Wants In A Woman

Let’s admit it True Blood fans, when we lay down our heads at night it is hard not to dream about that big, tall, Viking, of a vampire, Eric!  Ever wonder what it would take to be his kind of girl? Well, we found out! That’s right, Alexander Skarsgard who plays our handsome vampire, Eric, recently talked to People Magazine about what he looks for in a girl. The bottom line – Alex wants a girl with some brains and a great sense of humor.

“A sense of humor is number one for sure. Being funny and smart is very important.”

In his home country of Sweden, Alex is known as the sexiest man alive. The single, 33 year old owes a lot of that to the phenomenal show, True Blood. Alex is causing female fans everywhere to swoon!

“It’s very flattering. I turn a little pink!”

Alex explained to People some of the un usual encounters he has had with his female fans.

“I’ve gotten proposals and suggestions that are slightly inappropriate. It’s odd but very flattering!”

Right now Alex is looking forward to starting production on season 3 of True Blood next month and catching up with his fellow castmates, such as Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. Alex had this to say about the recently engaged couple:

“They are some of my best friends back in L.A.. The cast and the crew is amazing and I can’t wait to get started again. I really look forward to it and I miss them a lot.”

Well we miss seeing you Alex and can’t wait till you bring Eric back in season 3!

SOURCE:  People Magazine

Photo Credits:  HBO Inc.

Alexander Skarsgard: A Look at This Rising Star

Forget the vicious, loathsome vampires of yore. The days of the repulsive vampire, played by Max Schreck, Klaus Kinski or Bela Lugosi are over. Today’s vampires have emerged from their coffins, glamoring humans into thinking that they are the new anti-heroes. Now that these gorgeous blood-sucking creatures have emerged from the shadows, they are busy sinking their fangs into every aspect of popular culture, books and movies. We seem to have sunk collectively into the throes of a vampire induced lust; witness the contagion spreading among us: Park Chan-Wook’s Thirst, the BBC’s Being Human, Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In, The Vampire Diaries, The Strain, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. New Orleans is about to host their Vampire Film Festival and Italian Vogue has recently succumbed to the charms of the vampire; in its June issue, models pose as spooky creatures of the night.

And the most famous vampires of all are currently stalking across our screens in HBO’s True Blood. It is a measure of the extent to which True Blood and, more importantly, vampires have seeped into our consciousness that even Snoop Dog has revealed he is a big fan of HBO’s True Blood, and wants to be part of the vampire action. In his new song Gangsta Luv, the first single from his new album Malice n Wonderland, he pays tribute to True Blood: “Everyday is the same thang, I creep in/ It’s like True Blood, I sink my teeth in / I gotta have it“. True Blood, notably Sookie, was even referenced in a recent episode of House.

Make no mistake, there is nothing chaste about True Blood; set against a vivid Southern Gothic mise-en-scene, it has captured viewers’ imagination with is gloriously gory, fiendish, darkly funny script. And, oh yes, how could I forget. It also happens to be populated by gorgeous looking vampires, notably the tall, blonde and un-dead Viking vampire, Eric Northman. This is entirely based on an un-scientific and utterly subjective evaluation, but judging from the heated responses of reviewers, readers and viewers, I think it is safe to say that this particular devilishly charismatic Viking vampire has captured the attention and hearts of viewers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Based on Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Series, HBO’s True Blood universe is peopled by supernatural (or supes, to adopt the parlance of True Blood) creatures such as weres, shifters, witches, demons and a particular maenad, all of whom are re-imagined in a modern Southern Gothic idiom. And smack in the middle of this is Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic barmaid in Bon Temps, who seems to be the modern version of Nancy Drew. Oh, and did I mention that towards the end of Season 2, she finds herself caught between Vampire Bill and Eric Northman, the Viking vampire?

Judging from reactions to his charismatic performance as the 1000-year-old Viking vampire, Alexander Skarsgard’s profile as an actor is leaping forwards, upwards and onwards. Alexander certainly wasn’t prepared for the fans’ reactions to his Viking vampire, and he was caught by surprise at the 2009 Comic-Con event in San Diego. He admits:

“The real truth is, I was in Europe when season two started, and I had no idea how big the thing had gotten. I landed in L.A., went to Comic-Con and it was absolutely crazy”.

However, coming straight from another HBO miniseries, the critically acclaimed Generation Kill, one does wonder how he prepared for the role of two very different types of warriors, one the Viking vampire, the other a US 1^st Recon Marine. In both roles, his performances are typically understated and low-key. He has, for example, stated that he was drawn to the role as the Viking vampire because he gets to walk the line between good and evil – sometimes in the same breath:

“A 1000-year-old flying Viking is quite different from most of my previous roles [...] I love that he drains people with an innocent smile on his face”

Alexander Skarsgard’s take on Eric Northman is that the Viking is a little bit Gordon Gekko, from Wall Street (a manipulative, conniving businessman), mixed with a little Mr. Darcy (a misunderstood brooding man). Alexander explains how he approaches the role of Eric Northman,

“Well, I think he’s got huge confidence, and also he doesn’t waste time. He’s been around for that long, so he cuts to the chase and gets down to business. And it’s hard to impress a guy like that, because he’s seen it all. That’s why he’s intrigued by Sookie [the show’s heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin] because there’s something new here, something interesting and different about her that he can’t really put his finger on. In general he’s not very interested in humans, they don’t impress him, he thinks they’re naive and stupid in general. But there’s something different about Sookie, and that intrigues him. That’s what gets his attention, basically.”

He admits that he was initially bemused about being asked to be in True Blood, revealing:

“I reacted like most people would do when I heard that it was a vampire show, I thought ‘Whoa, I have no idea what this is going to be like.’ But then they told me that he (Alan Ball) was behind it, and that made me very interested in working on it.”

He is also intrigued about the current fascination with vampires and he thinks this is because,

“It has to do with immortality and eternal youth. What creates a platform for good drama is that is so alluring and intriguing to people. Immortality and eternal youth are so attractive, yet the fact that vampires are also lethal predators who could kill you in an instant creates great platforms for drama, I think. You have that duality. An encounter with a vampire would let you live forever, or you could become vampire food.”

However, in spite of his growing celebrity status following his performances in Generation Kill and True Blood, Alexander Skarsgard remains low-key and unassuming. Prior to his roles in the US, Alexander delivered a string of impressive performances in European films and acted in several Swedish TV series. For example, he wrote and directed Att döda ett barn (2003), played Leonardo in Lorcas’ Bloodwedding at Gothemburg State Theatre in 2003, appeared on stage in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Södra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden (2002), starred in Om Sara (2005), Never Be Mine (2006), Kill Your Darlings (2006), Cuppen (2006) and Exit (2006), Leende guldbruna ögon (2207) among others.In 2003, he was nominated for a Guldbagge for male supporting role in the movie Hundtricket – The Movie (The Dog Trick).

Son of the actor, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander has, in short, been acting nearly all his life. For example, one of his early roles was in the 1984 film version of the Swedish children’s book Ake och hans värld (Ake and His World), in which he played Kalle Nubb. This was followed by the lead role in 1989’s Hunden som log (The Dog That Smiled). He says,

“My parents never dragged me to auditions. They didn’t push me. Things just kind of happened, and I thought it was fun,”

But by age 13, he’d had enough.

“I was really self-conscious and I wasn’t comfortable with all the attention. Thirteen is a tough age. You’re trying to figure out if you are a child or a man. It’s a strange time. People on the street would recognize me, and I hated it. It was too much. I said to my dad and mom, ‘I don’t want to do this. I want to play soccer.’ I wanted a girl to like me because I was funny or cute, not because she saw me on TV. So I quit. If I didn’t quit at that time,” he says, “I would have crashed and burned, and I doubt I would be acting today.”

After he quit acting, he spent the next eight years turning down every offer he received. Instead, he studied Political Science in the UK, completed his military service as a Sergeant in the Swedish marines and planned on studying architecture in Stockholm. But his longing for the theatre and acting never left him; he moved to the United States in his early 20s to attend Marymount Theater School in NYC, but he soon dropped out after six months. He explains,

“I was lonely, I had no money, and I was in love,”

He packed his bags and flew back to Stockholm. Two days after he landed, he and his girlfriend broke up. What followed were more Swedish productions, and a small role in Zoolander, playing Meekus, a Eurotrash model who dies in a gasoline fire.

Who knows, these small roles would have continued were it not for his big U.S. break when he was cast as Sgt. Brad ‘Iceman’ Colbert in Generation Kill, the 11-time Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries following the exploits of the Marines’ First Recon Battalion during the early part of the Iraq War in 2003. The series is based on the book written by Evan Wright, an embedded Rolling Stone reporter, and Skarsgard plays the alpha male team leader Marine Sgt. Brad (Iceman) Colbert. Says casting director Alexa L. Fogel:

“Alex was definitely put through his paces, and there was a lot of discussion throughout the ranks about casting him.”

The Colbert role was a fine tightrope act: military brawn combined with intellect. In addition, there was the language issue. The entire seven-part series is peppered with a rich colorful shorthand of the Marine slang and phrases, such as “Oscar Mike” (on the move) and “Stay frosty” (stay alert). As Rudy Reyes, a former Recon Marine who played himself in HBO’s Generation Kill, indicates,

“In walks this skinny guy that looked like a really tall Kurt Cobain [...] But once the cameras started rolling, Skarsgard became Colbert.”

Of his role as Brad ‘Iceman’ Colbert, Alexander says,

“He’s a team leader, a sergeant, and one of the senior guys in First Reconnaissance, but he’s not as macho as the other guys. He’s a bit of a loner. He’s doing his own thing. He loves the first stage of the invasion, where he actually gets to sit down alone and plan the mission that he gets. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to that, and he really believes in the cause. He believes that they’re out there to help people, to liberate people, but throughout the series things will change. It’s hard for him to do his job, because he needs to be there and motivate the guys, and make sure they’re sharp and aggressive, because otherwise they’re more likely to get killed. But at the same time, he’s beginning to think ‘What the hell are we doing out here?’”

Alexander also indicates that his former experience as a Marine in the SakJakt-unit of the Swedish Navy helped:

“[...] It was very useful, just to help understand how you deal with your officers and peers, understand the group dynamic between the guys, and also how you handle your weapons systems and all that kind of stuff. It was very helpful to have gone through that.”

To date, his roles, such as Viking vampire and Marine warrior in both HBO series, have been varied. Importantly, they demonstrate his versatility as an actor and as Alexander indicates:

“[...] It keeps me on my toes and it keeps me motivated and creative. If I do something for seven months, and then I jump into a character that’s very similar to that, I think I’m going to get bored, and I’m not going to do a good job. I need to be challenged. I need to feel almost nervous about a new project and a new character. That gets me excited, and it definitely helps me in my creative process.”

In addition to True Blood and Generation Kill, Alexander can also be seen in the recently released David L. William’s Beyond the Pole Rod and Tariq Saleh’s Metropia, and the upcoming Rod Lurie’s Straw Dogs, currently in post-production. And he is about to return to Sweden to complete filming Trust Me aka Puss before returning to the US to begin filming the third season of True Blood.

Combined with his stellar performances in HBO’s True Blood and Generation Kill, the future does look bright for Alexander Skarsgard. And judging from his work to date, we can be assured that no matter what roles he takes on, he is bound to continue delivering fine performances, creating, at the same time complex, nuanced characters on both the big and small screen.

SOURCE: lastbroadcast.com

Photo credits: Chris Maluszynski and HBO Inc.

Modern Vampires: Are They Thirsting For Love Or Our Blood?

We are surrounded by vampires. They now roam among us. What began with Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula, published in 1897, has now evolved into the trendy Twilight sensation of Edward Cullen and Charlaine Harris‘ Southern Vampire Mysteries, which has, in the capable hands of Alan Ball, been translated into the hit HBO TV series True Blood.

Stoker’s Dracula has often been seen as the forerunner of the vampire genre, contributing to many literary and cinematic genres within vampire literature, horror films and gothic fiction. Although Stoker did not invent the vampire, the novel’s influence on the popularity of vampires has been singularly responsible for many literary and cinematographic interpretations in recent contemporary history. With the onslaught of recent media exposure ranging from best-selling novels to TV series to major motion pictures, the obsession with vampires has now reached new heights. From Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to HBO’s True Blood and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, it seems that the public’s appetite for the vampire is insatiable.

Based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries, HBO’s True Blood series opened last year and has been gradually building a cult following among fans. Season 2 premiered on June 14 in the US and was the most watched HBO show since The Sopranos series finale in June 2007. According to HBO, True Blood averages 10.8 million viewers per episode, up 39% from last season. Even Tim Burton has now entered the realm of the vampire with his upcoming movie adaptation of the classic vampire TV show, Dark Shadows.

The popularity of the vampire for both teenagers and adults is undeniable and it looks like these marvelous fanged creatures are now stalking us across literature, films, theatre, and our own television screens.

Literary and film critics have long examined the attraction of the vampire, analyzing several common themes popping up in vampire literature and films, such as the role of women, taboos about sexuality, as well as socio-political themes, such as immigration and racial segregation.

But what is undeniable is that taken collectively the vampires in True Blood, Twilight and the Vampire Diaries are barely recognizable, having changed so dramatically from Stoker’s 19th century classic depiction of the vampire. What then has changed, setting Dracula apart from the more sympathetic, humanized vampires such as Bill Compton, Eric Northman, Angel or Lestat?

In Stoker’s Dracula, the forerunner of our modern vampires, we encounter a vampire truly terrifying. He is the ultimate bad guy, and compared to today’s vampires, who we would happily ogle, Stoker’s Dracula is physically repulsive. Stoker himself described Dracula as having eyes that were blazing red, a deathly pale face, thick eyebrows that met over the nose, bad breath, long pointed finger nails and pointed ears. He’s not exactly the modern day vampire heartthrob we’ve come to expect in our vampires. According to Foster,

“What’s changed between new vampire culture and that of Anne Rice is that new literature and entertainment allows vampires to be seen in a softer light. In Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, written in 1973, the main character Lestat chooses to live his life eternally as a vampire. After he has made his decision he is forced to live a solitary life forever. Similarly, the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer is based on the premise that the blood-thirsty creatures are evil. Buffy, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, is the only person capable of killing vampires who are dangerous to mankind”.

It seems that today’s vampires are more intent on wooing us than draining us dry. Rather than eating us, the modern vampire of Bon Temps seems to prefer stalking, seducing and sleeping with us. They are now brooding, insecure, introspective, angst-ridden and romantic, a dangerously attractive kind of decadent aristocrat. And while Dracula was not a looker, Stoker did set the sexual tone of the vampire. Vampires have now progressed from outsiders to becoming objects of desire, famed for their powers of seduction.

Unlike Stoker’s Dracula, the Louisiana vampires of True Blood have been transformed into seductive figures. No longer the villain and outsider, our modern vampires are angst-ridden heroes. Bill Compton has, for example, been referred to as a modern day Heathcliff or Mr. Darcy. HBO’s True Blood shows a world where vampires have revealed themselves to humans, and attempt to live in harmony. In this world, romances between vampires and humans are allowed, and many other supernatural beings now walk among the inhabitants of Bon Temps. Unlike Dracula, these vampires are part of our world; the focus is now on their interactions with each other, and their social relationships with humans. These lions really do want to lie down with the lambs.

However, what True Blood, Buffy and Twilight have in common is a central female character; through her we encounter and experience our modern vampires.

Warner Brothers’ television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel dominated late 90’s television. While the series revolved round Buffy and her Scooby gang solving countless mysteries in Sunnydale, it also centered around the love triangle between Buffy and the vampires, Angel and Spike.

Similarly, True Blood revolves round a central female character, that of the trials and tribulations of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic powers in Bon Temps who falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Unlike Twilight, HBO’s True Blood is fairly seething in sin and overt sexuality; blending murder mystery, drama and comedy. But it is undeniable that its main focus is exploring the nature of sexuality and romance within vampire-human relations. Anyone who has watched True Blood will know that its vampires have taken lessons from their famous ancestor. And so, the vampire has adapted himself to contemporary society. No longer following in the footsteps of Dracula, he has evolved from an utterly terrifying alien creature to a cosmopolitan being, a bon vivant of the night.

As Foster indicates:

“Vampires now have a chance at romance and love. They are no longer innately evil. Rather, they are good or evil based on their own decision. The new take on vampires allows interaction between the cold ones and their human opposites. Instead of underground lairs and in-home coffins, vampires are now lurking in high schools and Louisiana bars. The tensions between a vampire’s thirst and his desire to fit into the human world simply make for good entertainment”

In Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries, we see, for example, the blossoming romance between Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton gradually becoming increasingly strained through a series of, shall we say, betrayals, tumultuous incidents and the increasing attraction between Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman, a 1000-year-old Viking vampire.

In HBO’s True Blood, we encounter the vampires Eric Northman and Bill Compton who could be described as hommes fatales. In Bill Compton and Eric Northman, we encounter the modern day vampire who isn’t entirely evil, unlike their forebears. The formerly fearsome creature of the night has now become more sympathetic to humans. No longer the bloodthirsty predator, they are now fashion conscious creatures, intent on entertaining intimate relationships with humans. Rarely have monsters looked so sultry and alluring. The vampires in True Blood are charismatic, powerful, dangerous and devilish. Not only are they beautiful, immortal but they are titillatingly libidinous. They can defeat death, seduce anyone of their choosing, obliterate their enemies, play yahtzee and stay up all night. What’s not to like? Unlike our horror for Dracula, we empathize with our vampires in True Blood. And based on viewers’ reactions to the vampires in True Blood, we humans can surely say that we recognize in the Louisiana vampires a dangerous sexuality that is truly something wicked.

SOURCE: The Daily Orange

Photo credit: HBO Inc.

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