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.)

Sam Trammell Honored Guest at Halloween Event in Charleston, WV

Since becoming famous from his starring role as Sam Merlotte on True Blood, Sam Trammell has not forgotten where he came from. He returned home to Charleston, WV, for the Halloween weekend to take part in an “Inside the Main Street Studio” event at the Kanawha Players Theatre. He was interviewed by David Wohl, Dean of Arts and Humanities at West Virginia State University.

Sam talked about how he got interested in acting during his senior year at Brown University, after which he moved to New York City to pursue his new passion. He discussed the importance of voice and movement classes to one’s development as an actor, especially in theater. He gave advice to those aspiring to the profession:

“Start acting, no matter where you are. Just do it and don’t stop. It was a long road for me. The business tries to break you down.”

Thankfully, Sam didn’t give up and has found success as the sweet and loyal shapeshifter Sam Merlotte. He had several roles in theater, television, and film before landing his breakthrough part in True Blood. The show has become a life-changing experience for Sam, who vividly recalls what it felt like to get that job:

“I remember exactly where I was, the weather, the gift I bought myself and, literally, screaming. This was the pilot everybody wanted to get.”

The event drew a crowd of True Blood fans from the local area and several states away. Also in attendance were his parents and several of his friends and classmates growing up. At a “meet and greet” before the interview, Sam mingled with all the people who had come to see him, signing autographs and taking pictures. One fan named Kaci recounted the evening with great excitement. She noted how friendly and personal Sam was with everybody. She asked him a question about what happened in the Season two finale of True Blood when Sam drank Bill’s blood to heal and whether he would now start to have some sexual fantasies about Bill like we’ve seen with Sookie and Lafayette:

“You know, that was the first thing I thought of when I got the script! So I went to Alan Ball and asked, and he said, ‘Oh, wow! I hadn’t thought of that yet! We have to explore that in Season three!’ So I don’t think Sam’s going to be attracted to Bill, but he did nearly drain the guy, so Bill will probably always know where Sam is and have some control over him. But that’s up to Alan!”

Jaci also told some of the things Sam revealed in the Q&A session with the audience during the interview part of the evening. He plays the bass guitar and cello and used to be in some bands because music was his first creative interest. Also, Sam still takes acting lessons, currently with a woman who ascribes to Jungian psychology and makes him talk about his dreams. Special thanks to Kaci for sharing her story of the event! It sounds like Sam is an incredibly nice person to meet, and everyone from his hometown really seemed to enjoy having him come back to share his experiences.

SOURCES:

sundaygazettemail.com

guest-age.livejournal.com

(Photo credit: Chip Ellis / Sunday Gazette Mail)

Sam Trammell at the 2009 Scream Awards

Rebecca Murray recently got a chance to interview Sam Trammell on the red carpet of the 2009 Scream Awards for her online Hollywood movies blog. Trammell was nominated for Breakthrough Performance at the awards show but lost out to Twilight’s, Taylor Lautner. During Rebecca’s interview, Trammell talks about how much he enjoys playing his character, Sam Merlotte, and how he is very into where his character is headed for season 3.

Sam will find himself on a journey to discover who his biological parents are and Trammell doesn’t foresee this storyline ending well for Sam. Rebecca also discussed the possibility of Sam eventually finding true love on the show. Trammell expressed that he certainly hoped so because he feels the character is a good guy and deserves that in his life.

Rebecca also discussed Sam’s abilities as a shapeshifter. Trammell admits it was a weird element for him but he has a lot of fun with it now. Trammell was also asked if he had a problem with all the nudity that is involved in the show. Trammell says he has no problems with the nude scenes. He has done it a lot and feels it isn’t a big deal anymore.

We would like to send a special thank you to Rebecca Murray for sharing this wonderful interview with us. If you would like to see the video of her interview with Sam Trammell you can go here.

SOURCE:  Rebecca Murray

Photo credit: Rebecca Murray

Meet Godric at EyeCon’s True Blood Convention!

Alright True Blood fans – more great news about the first True Blood Convention being hosted by EyeCon. We have already informed you about the upcoming True Blood Convention which will be taking place in Orlando, Florida, November 13-15, 2009. Fans also know that Sam Trammell, aka Sam Merlotte, will be attending the event. Well fans, we here at TrueBloodNet.com just found out that Allan Hyde who played the courageous vampire, “Godric” on True Blood has also signed on to attend the event! That’s right Trubies – a chance to meet Eric’s maker! Hey, this will probably give Sam a chance to meet Godric as well since Sam never made it out to Dallas for all that incredible True Blood drama!

To give you a little bit of background on Allan, he was born in Denmark in 1989, which means this vampire is really only 20 years old! True Blood was Allan’s first break into American television. He has starred on two television series in his native Denmark, “2900 Happiness” and “Album“. He also starred in a movie entitled “En Forelskelse” which again he did in his home country of Denmark. Allan did an amazing job on True Blood and we sincerely hope we get to see a lot more of him on the big screen!!

EyeCon is a fan-friendly celebrity autograph convention for science fiction, horror, television, and movie fans. Its goal is to have something like a “family-reunion,” bringing the celebrity guests together with their fans in a relaxed atmosphere with the most exposure possible. EyeCon offers the most “personal” time with the celebrities.

The following are the events planned for the much-anticipated convention:

Friday Night Kickoff Cocktail Party

Saturday Evening Celebrity Banquet

Exclusive Platinum Party

Celebrity Q&A Sessions

Celebrity Autograph Sessions

Celebrity Photo Ops

Celebrity Breakfast Auctions

Friday Night Kickoff Cocktail Party is an hour-long festive gala spent with the celebrities. It’s a perfect way to know the stars and meet other fans. The Saturday Evening Celebrity Banquet will be your chance to dine with the stars, which gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal in a more relaxed setting. You can rock with the stars during the Exclusive Platinum Party and aim to win and awe the crowd in the Guitar Hero competition. If you’re equipped with questions that you’re dying to ask the stars, the Celebrity Q&A Sessions will be the time to blurt it all out and have it all answered right from the celebrities themselves. During the Celebrity Autograph Sessions, you can have your photos and collectibles signed in an instant.  The Celebrity Photo Ops gives you the chance to “star” in professional and high quality pictures with your favorite celebrity or group of celebrities in 8×10 portraits on a beautiful backdrop taken by a professional photographer using state-of-the-art camera equipment and lighting, which will be made available shortly after they are taken.

Good news for tattoo freaks because renowned tattoo artist, Marc Draven, will also grace the event by setting up and tattooing on-site with True Blood themed tattoos.

This is one event that True Blood fans should not miss so if you would like to get your chance to meet Godric and Sam, check out www.eyeconfla.com for more information on the convention and purchasing tickets!

SOURCE:  eyecon.com

(Photo credit:  IMDb.com)

Sam Trammell in “Details,” “Unshakable” and “Shrinking Charlotte”

“True Blood’s” Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte) has been very busy since the second season finale of “True Blood” — he’s begun filming the first of three movies and has been making numerous public appearances.  The Tony-nominated rising star Sam Trammell, 38, has been cast in three upcoming films: “Details,” “Unshakable” and “Shrinking Charlotte.” According to Sam at a recent appearance on the Chelsea Handler talk show “Chelsea Lately,” he’s started filming the first of three movies, “Details” (formerly “The Details”).

In the movie “Details,” directed and written by “Mean Creek’s” Jacob Estes, Sam Trammell shares the screen with Tobey Maguire (”Spiderman”), Elizabeth Banks (”The Uninvited”) and Laura Linney (”Love Actually”). The film synopsis provided by IMDB says “Details” is,

“A black comedy about a couple whose disagreements over how to deal with their raccoon infestation leads to an escalating series of events.”

The cast and crew have been filming in and around the Seattle area; below is a clip of the crew filming a scene in front of a police precinct where a piano is dropped from a crane, supposedly onto Tobey Maguire’s character.The film is scheduled for release in 2010.

The second film that Sam Trammell has been recently linked with is the horror movie “Unshakable”, directed and written by Stanley Orzel, and starring Ving Rhames (”Mission Impossible III”) and Russell Wong (”The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer”).  The film’s synopsis given by IMDB states,

“In a huge mansion on a remote island, nine people brought together under the pretense of ‘information exchange’ soon transforms into a harrowing battle for survival as members of the group are being slowly killed off by an ancient shape-shifting demon.”

Sam Trammell plays Kane, a bodyguard whose job is to escort a client to an underground meeting of the minds. The film has an expected release date of Aug. 18, 2010.

Lastly, Sam Trammell has been cast as psychiatrist Jeff Bicknell in the movie “Shrinking Charlotte” with Brittany Murphy (”Don’t Say A Word”) and Kathleen Turner.   The synopsis provided by IMDB states,

“‘Shrinking Charlotte’ is a romantic comedy about three single men who stalk and date a woman in therapy in order to learn about honesty, fate and eventually love. First we have Jeff, a shrink in need of a shrink — repeatedly rescuing his melodramatic, hypochondriac mother who has a habit of dying and traveling towards the white light. Jeff’s dating life revolves around finding the perfect woman but the truth is, he’s searching for one just like dear old mom. Next we have T.J. whose wife has thrown him out after she caught him womanizing. Although T.J. is working hard to mend his marriage, there is one large hindrance — namely a big, bossy sister in law who plays mouthpiece for T.J.’s wife. Finally, we have Rick, Jeff’s charismatic bastard brother who is a father to a troubled 14 year old with a quick line and keen wit. Rick’s problem in the dating world is that he’s the ultimate ‘psycho-bitch from hell’ magnet. In the film’s opener, Jeff confides to T.J. and Rick that he’s secretly in love with his client who, albeit a little looney tunes, “she’s working on it.” When Rick hears about this neurotic patient of Jeff’s, he immediately steals her phone number and the chase is on. Over the course of the film, our men discover just who Charlotte really is. And after experiencing her fabrications, deceit, manipulation and Kung Fu kicks, Rick and T.J. throw in the towel and discover their true fate.”

The film has begun filming scenes in and around Atlanta and Decatur, Ga., most notably with Kathleen Turner at Decatur’s Raging Burrito & Taco and is expected to be released July 14, 2010.

When not filming, Sam Trammell has been busy stepping out with many “True Blood” actors onto the red carpet, such as HBO’s season seven premiere of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” at the Paramount Theatre on Tuesday Sept. 15. Joining him in support of the HBO project were many of his “True Blood” co-stars — Michelle Forbes, Evan Rachel Wood, Anna Camp and Michael McMillan.

The downtime between seasons will be hard on fans devoted to Sam Trammell and “True Blood” but with the cast involved in so many projects and appearances, fans will be able to get their “fix” seeing the talented cast in varied roles and ways.

Sources:

“Details”: Variety

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Movieweb.com

IMDb.com

“Unshakable” : IMDb.com

Zimbie

“Shrinking Charlotte” : IMDb.com

Decatur Minute

(Photo credits: hbotrueblood.info, Life/trueblood-daily.net)

Sam Trammell Talks About The Season 2 Finale With PopWrap

Shortly before the season two finale of True Blood, the New York Post’s PopWrap had the opportunity to interview Sam Trammell, who plays shapeshifter, Sam Merlotte. Sam, who has been nominated for “Breakout Performance” for the 2009 Scream Awards, has had a busy year on and off the screen. PopWrap talked to the actor about the upcoming finale and what lies in store for Sam Merlotte and the rest of Bon Temps. Fans have thoroughly enjoyed watching season two of True Blood and watching the mystery of Maryann unfold. Sam’s character, Sam Merlotte, has been the primary target of Maryann and has played an important role in this storyline. When asked if the show exceeded his expectations, Sam replied:

“When the writers told me the stories for this year — having the whole town go crazy — I thought people would either be totally on board or we’d have some big problems. Thankfully fans took to it. This season felt like a show’s last year — we blew it out! I don’t know how much crazier it can get, but I know the writers aren’t playing it safe at all.”

PopWrap talked with Sam about how the show acquires more and more viewers each week and if he thought that was because the show cast so many actors of different races, creeds and sexualities. Sam agreed, adding:

“That and I think Alan Ball always casts interesting people — actors you haven’t seen a lot, which I think helps. If I had been on 10 different TV shows, it might not work in the same way. Take Godric for example, Alan saw his audition tape and hired him despite the fact that he didn’t have much experience. And he was great — Alan has an amazing eye for talent.”

When asked if he had a favorite episode or scene from this season, Sam said he enjoyed the scene where his character joined up with Jason and Andy after the town went crazy and he ended up being “smited.”

“I know, it just seemed so silly. We really had to trust everybody not to make it look like we have egg on our faces. But the way they shot and edited it was so good, it was totally creepy because you are looking at Jason through the town’s eyes and you realize how utter madness has taken over.”

Sam also discussed a few other scenes that he thought were pretty amazing.

“I also loved my scenes with Daphne. Seeing Sam open up was some of the work I’ve enjoyed the most. And of course when we were revving up to have sex on the pool table was great because we never get to see Sam happy like that. He so often has a wall up, protecting himself because he understands the weight of certain situations better than anyone else. Like, he knew Maryann was trouble the whole season but no one else did. That really weighed on him.”

The interview went on to discuss the season two finale. Sam talked about how a main character in the show was in big big trouble and that the finale would end with quite a cliffhanger. Did it ever! As fans know, we have to hold out for season three to find out what has happened to our beloved vampire Bill! I can hardly stand it! PopWrap also talked to Sam about whether or not his character would regret having told Jason and Andy that he can shapeshift. Sam explained that it’s possible it could come back to haunt his character but that he looks forward to seeing how that plays out. He was also asked if he thought Jason would ever let up with the chicken/egg questions.

“[laughs] Yeah, Jason’s got a lot of questions. He’s very curious, he’s very childlike in that way. Andy seemed more disgusted by the idea and didn’t want to talk about it.”

PopWrap then brought up the fact that Arlene’s little boy, Coby, seemed really interested in Eric during the scene at Fangtasia. Sam commented with:

“Oh, that’s interesting, he was rather curious about Eric. You know, the way a lot of this works is that the writers have their ideas and break the stories, but then they watch the shows and tweak those plans. I don’t know if they have anything in mind for Coby but the way he played it could definitely change their plans.”

PopWrap then discussed what Sam would like to see happen with his character in season three. Sam had this to say:

“I’m very curious about his biological parents. I think it would be cool for him to meet them somehow. I’d also love to see him find another person to feel safe around. But given what happened with Daphne, I think that’s far off. Unless a lot of time passes between season two and three.”

I agree with him on that – fans are dying to find out the mystery behind Sam’s background and his biological parents. Sam Trammell has definitely given us a lot to look forward to in season three. I’m just looking forward to him bringing Sam Merlotte to the screen the way only he does!

SOURCE:  PopWrap

Photo Credits: HBO Inc.

Sam Trammell Talks About True Blood With Bullz-Eye

It seems one actor in the hit True Blood is keeping himself busy up until the show finale later on this evening. Sam Trammell who plays loveable Sam Merlotte talked with Bullz-Eye.com about what could happen in the most anticipated episode of Season Two.

Let’s roll back to the beginning, before anything was filmed. How did Sam become involved in such a well loved project? Here is what he told Bullz-Eye:

“I was just sent a script. I’d kind of heard about it, and I was sent the script, and I don’t think I realized it took place in Louisiana, but when I read that, I just thought I’d be perfect for it, because I’m from Louisiana. But Alan Ball and HBO…just those two things, I was immediately, “I’ll do it. I don’t know even know what it is, but I’ll do it” But then I read it, and I just thought it was an amazing world and a great character. Alan was out of town, so I went in and auditioned for the casting director, who put me on tape. And Alan liked the tape and decided that he wanted to test me, so I went in and met with him, and he gave me some notes and sort of told me about the series. Then I went in and read for HBO, which is sort of the big final audition, where you have to sign all of these contracts before you even go in. It’s very stressful. So all of these HBO executives are sitting in these leather chairs, and you go up on the stage. And I auditioned, and..well, you never can tell, but I thought it went all right. But I didn’t go, like, “I got it”, because there were other people there for the part. But I got a call about two hours later…which is relatively quickly…saying that I’d gotten the part. So it was just, like, a week and a half between getting the script and getting the part, which is really quick. It was very satisfying, to say the least. I mean, I was screaming in my car when I found out. I’ll never forget that moment. It was just so exciting.”

I wonder if anybody passing by saw him screaming in his car. That would be a sight to see. Now it’s a little obvious to some that Sam Trammell would want to play Sam Merlotte because of the same first name. But do you think that he would have been interested in any other characters? Let’s see what he said when Bullz-Eye asked.

“You know, I thought Jason’s part was really fun as well. I thought that would be a good part. And, you know, the vampire…that would’ve been good, too, but I knew that they sort of wanted somebody European. They didn’t want an American. They wanted someone who just seemed different…not that the Europeans are that different from Americans…but, yeah, to answer your question, Jason’s part seemed really interesting.”

Can you picture Sam Trammell playing Jason Stackhouse? Of course it would be difficult because we are so used to picturing the actor’s face with the character he plays now but it would have been interesting to see how Sam would have portrayed the role of playboy Jason Stackhouse. As far as Sam Merlotte goes, I think we can all agree that Sam Trammell does a mighty good job at playing the loveable bar owner who just so happens to be a shape shifter. Season Two has held a lot for Sam Merlotte, his past coming back to haunt him in the form of Maryann.

Sam had some thoughts about Season Two and he shared them with Bullz-Eye.

“Yeah, y’know, Alan told me that it was going to sort of start off a little slow, and then, obviously, pick up, because Sam’s one of the major characters in the books. So I sort of knew it was going to be that route, and it was kind of cool, because…it was kind of fun being sort of a red herring that first year, with people thinking that I’m the murderer in town. There was that little moment where I think people were suspicious of me, and that was fun to play. But, yeah, this season has just been really fun, ‘cause Sam’s just been under the gun the whole time. I mean, literally, from the very beginning, when he knows Maryann’s in town. He knew how much trouble she was when nobody else did, so he sort of has the weight of the world on his shoulders from the very beginning. And then the stuff with Daphne, which was just so cool, that all the while she was working for Maryann. I got to have a great scene with her where she told me some beautiful stuff about how I should love myself and trust myself and open up. And, then, of course, she betrays me, so I don’t know how Sam’s going to take that. There could be some bad repercussions.”

Maryann was trouble once we realized she was the bull-headed creature that attacked Sookie. Sam has nothing but nice words to say about Michelle Forbes, the actress who plays her.

“Yeah, she’s so good. She’s really one of my favorite actresses on the show. She’s just fantastic. She really embodied that role, and she had such an ease with it. She really just kind of captured the fun of Maryann as well as the evil…because Maryann’s all about fun, really. It’s just that, to have that fun, you have to manifest the evil. But she’s great, and we got to work together a good bit, so that was fun.”

One observation viewers are making is that Detective Andy Bellefluer hasn’t been possessed with those scary black eyes yet. Bullz-Eye asked Sam if we find out why in the finale. He gave us a tease and said we might. He also reminds us that they’re dealing with the Devil and everybody is pretty much at risk.

Everybody has a favorite scene during Season Two of True Blood. Whether it’s meeting Barry the Bell Boy or seeing Godric with the Fellowship of the Sun. Does Sam have a favorite scene that he filmed? Here is what he said:

“Well, you know, that tenth episode was really the most fun I’ve had this season, just working with Chris [Detective Andy Bellefleur]. We just had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun. But, y’know, all of the stuff with Daphne was really great, and the scenes where…there were a few scenes with her, especially that post-coital scene, that I just thought were so beautiful. Especially what she had to say to me, as far as really loving who you are and accepting yourself, and you’re not really living life unless you let other people in. I mean, it was just really beautiful writing, and, unfortunately, it was all to seduce and kill me…but it still goes. That was really great stuff for me to do. I really enjoyed that.”

He also mentioned a few scenes that were a bit disturbing for him. He said the heart souffle was pretty hardcore and when Jane Bodehouse cut off her finger but he couldn’t forget mentioning the guy sitting in the sink. That was very creepy to Sam. Though he does throw in that he enjoys the soundtrack for the series, and when asked what his favorite song is he laughed and couldn’t recall the title names.

When asked who he’d love to play against more, he said he’d like to work with Bill and Jason more. He said they are all friends on set and everybody is great at what they do. He’d just like more interaction with those two guys. Do we think that will be happening soon? Bill has enough to worry about with Eric being interested in Sookie. Sure he already knew that Sam Merlotte had an attraction towards her, but this season Sam kind of kept that low key while he dealt with Maryann. Speaking of Sookie and Bill, or should I say Anna and Stephen, Sam had no idea that anything was going on with either of them till he was told. He adds that it just shows how professional the two of them are.

Sam mentions that you have to get over modesty quickly if you are going to be part of the show. He said it was one of things HBO asked him before signing up. Sam Trammell said he told HBO he’d do anything to be on the show. We’re happy to know he was willing to do so much for the show, can’t picture a better actor for the role. Though he did admit it was kind of weird running naked through Louisiana then being naked with a fire extinguisher. He joked and said he was an old pro about being nude while at work. While on stage doing a show in front of an audience, he had to do a full frontal scene. If he can handle that with ease, I’m sure whatever HBO throws his way Sam Trammell can handle it.

For people who have read Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Series, they are starting to wonder if and why Alan Ball isn’t following it more. Sam tells Bullz-Eye that each season they are following the books but Alan Ball is adding his own mix. Charlaine is aware of what’s going on with the TV series but she doesn’t tell Ball how to run the show just as he doesn’t tell her how to write the books. He was a fan of the books and that was a major reason why he wanted to work them into a TV show. Sam Trammell stated that he wasn’t aware of the series till the show and since he has read four or five of them to get an idea of where they are going and get a better feel for the characters.

Usually females tend to pull towards the vampire genre but True Blood has romance for the women and sex and violence for the men. Advertisers are using the high number of viewers to market their products. Los Angeles had True Blood billboards plastered around the city. Sam mentioned that both Harley Davidson and Mini Cooper did ads for their products saying they’re for vampires. He also said that each character had their picture on a bus stop for awhile. TruBlood the drink also receive mass advertising, which is now available.

Sam Trammell left Bullz-Eye with a bit of trivia for True Blood fans. Everybody remembers the scene where he swims in the lake not far from Merlotte’s Bar and Grill, right? It is actually the old “Gilligan’s Island” set. Here is what else he had to say about it:

“And I was really worried that we were going to go off into the woods, because…I did a TV show once called “Going to California” where we actually swam in a bayou with real alligators and stuff, which was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. And I was worried they were going to do that! But they used that set, and they heated the water so it was really warm, but it was so shallow that I could kneel and be, like, only waist high. It was only maybe three feet deep. So we had to pull our legs up, so that we could tread. We couldn’t even just hang our legs down. You had to get in a weird sitting position with your legs pulled up. It was really weird. But I was really happy that the water was so warm. It was like being in a hot tub. It was great.”

But above all the other questions and comments, the one recognizing his hard work and the fan base that surrounds him would be top on the list. Sam has been nominated for a Scream Award for his Breakout Performance on the show. He says he’s very proud of it. So let’s cross our fingers in hopes that he takes that well deserved award home. Keep those fingers crossed when the finale airs that Sam also is able to survive to show up in Season Three.

SOURCE: Bullz-Eye

(Photo credit:  HBO Inc.)

Sam Trammell Talks To Access Hollywood About Finale

It appears that Season 2 is one to remember, well if you are Sam Merlotte. Just when life seemed to begin looking up with his bar doing well in the small town of Bon Temps, his past comes back to haunt in the form of a maenad better known as Maryann. He also has been placed in jail and almost sacrificed. Sam Merlotte has watched his content little world begin to unfold right before his eyes. His fellow Bon Temps residents walking around with black eyes and under Maryann’s influence, all ready to attack him and bring him to her. Sam doesn’t seem to know what to do any more. He can’t keep running, when Maryann wants something she seems to always get it.

Just when it felt like we should all bid farewell to the down to earth, laid back character, Jason Stackhouse returns from his brainwashing retreat and teams up with Andy Bellefleur, the detective who is the only one in town on Sam’s side. The team go in to save Sam one more time.

Maryann hasn’t given up and the Season 2 finale puts Sam on the line one more time.

Access Hollywood spoke to Sam Trammell who plays Sam Merlotte on the eve of the anticipated Season Two finale.

When asked what it was like being the center of attention on the show the last few episodes, Sam Trammell replied,

“It’s pretty fun. I sort of have enjoyed this year even more than last year. Sam’s journey this year has just been so intense because I’ve been under the gun from day one and knowing about Maryann and her power when everybody else [didn’t]. And it’s just really heavy duty everything he goes through. The betrayals that [fellow shape shifter] Daphne did to me and almost getting killed at [Maryann’s] orgy — it’s pretty heavy. But the season finale is going to be awesome and I’m definitely an integral part of all that.”

Access Hollywood also asked Sam about what he thought about job security when he read the script and saw that he might be leaving town. He knew that nobody is safe in the show yet he was a little worried. He asked creator Alan Ball if he was really leaving town and Ball said of course not. That is good news for all Sam Merlotte fans. Yet, Sam does mention that the finale does leave one major character in big trouble. He sure does love to leave us biting our fingernails in anticipation doesn’t he?

We’ve all noticed how much this season has differed from the first – lack of clothing. Thanks to Maryann’s influence, nearly all of the cast has spent long sets filming in the buff. So what does Sam Trammell think of all the nudity and sex scenes? Here is what he told Access Hollywood:

“It’s been very strange… I’ve seen some things that I did not ever want to see in my life. It’s bizarre and people were really naked. But the tough thing about it, even though we were shooting in Malibu, it was freezing cold. I got in my car one night – because we shoot all night – and the thermometer said 34 degrees and there was frost on it. It almost became about survival. When they said ‘Cut!’ people would huddle together under blankets and get near heaters.”

He was then asked how people handle stuff like that on set. Sam said that a lot of people in wardrobe would bring out robes and blankets as soon as the word ‘cut’ was said. It’s true when he says that one of the toughest things when you’re working as an actor is to pretend your warm when you’re not. Sam also mentions that due to people being nude or with most of their clothing removed, there is a lot of calorie counting and working out to stay in shape. He laughs and says he doesn’t eat before shooting and is careful about what he eats because all of his weight is gained in his belly. That is one thing I couldn’t imagine.

With Maryann, she’s the type of character you either love her or hate her. Obviously Michelle Forbes is a great actress if she can pull emotion off of you, that includes all the Maryann haters. You have to dislike her for a reason, and that is the actors skill to bring that across the screen. Now Sam Merlotte has good reason to hate Maryann, but what does Sam Trammell think of Michelle Forbes? This is what he said when asked:

“I love Michelle, she’s one of my favorite people on the show. We get to work with her a lot …. We met each other before we did the show — we had some mutual friends, so that was kind of a bonding thing. She’s really cool and she’s so good at that part and she’s so open and free and she has fun, but she’s kind of creepy. She’s just a cool chick, y’know?”

Rolling with the idea of friends on set, Sam Trammell said that he is friends mostly whomever he works with. I guess a man could never have too many friends, right? Sam knew Chris Bauer, who plays Andy, before the show, and they are good friends. When asked about the announcement Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer made regarding their engagement, Sam said he did not see it coming. He had no idea what was going and didn’t believe Stephen at first when he was told halfway through last year. He also adds, “…it’s sort of a testament to how they carry themselves. They’re very professional and they don’t really carry it on the set.”

With the news that one of the main characters is in big trouble, I can bet that everyone will be on pins and needles for the finale tonight. I know I will be. Most of us hope that it isn’t Sam Merlotte on the chopping block. He’s the type of guy you can’t help but love. The countdown has begun to see what happens and how Alan Ball will finish up another great season of True Blood.

Credit: Access Hollywood

Photo credit:  HBO Inc.)

Sam Trammell’s Finale Revelation with People

“There’s somebody that’s in major, big, big trouble,” – Sam Trammell said on talking about the finale episode.

Sam Trammell recently spoke to PEOPLE about working with Anna Paquin, Charlaine Harris, and his frequent nude scenes on the show. And obviously, he spilled out a little info about the anticipated finale.

Sam claimed that towards the end of the first season, people started paying extra attention to him. But now it has drastically changed. He said,

“I definitely started getting recognized a little bit here and there … but this season it’s every single day and it’s really cool. People are just really passionate. They’re like, ‘I love the show,’ or ‘I love your character.’ It feels so good.”

He revealed that he didn’t know about his character’s shape-shifting abilities nor was he familiar with the Sookie Stackhouse novels. In fact, it was Alan Ball who told him about his character’s capability, which made him decide to buy and read the books – to further his research about his shape-shifting character.

And doing all those nude scenes were “no-sweat” for him. Sam said has done full frontal nudity three or four time on a stage, which for him, is more than what he’s doing on the show. Yet awkwardness still crawls up in his veins.

“But it’s a little more awkward for me than everyone else because most everybody else, when they’re naked it’s because they’re having sex and they’re in a closed set. For me, it’s because I was just an animal and I turned into a human and I could be anywhere. It’s always like I’m in the middle of outside in front of everyone and I’m standing there or running. Seeing yourself run while you’re naked is the worst.”

About Charlaine Harris, he noted she’s familiar to him.

“She’s very familiar to me because she’s from Arkansas and lives in Arkansas. She’s had three kids and she’s like a regular mom, but she writes these crazy books. And she’s got a massive following. She’s really smart and savvy … very well spoken and very articulate.”

Moreover, he described his working relationship with Anna Paquin as a funny one because they mess around a lot. He even furthered this by saying,

“She likes to hit me because she knows I can’t hit her back. She’s very much somebody you can joke around with and give a hard time and she’ll give you a hard time right back so it’s a very comfortable and fun relationship.”

Also, he admired Paquin’s ability in showing a vulnerable side of herself when the cameras roll, saying: “It’s beautiful to watch because she just channels her inner self out with such ease.”

Regarding the season finale, Sam didn’t say much, but here is the statement that he made:

“You can expect a major character — I’m not going to give it away and say if someone dies or not — but there’s somebody that’s in major, big, big trouble. Also, I’ll say it’s going to be very surprising and it’s going to set up some cliffhangers for next year.”

Source: tvwatch.people.com

(Photo Credit: gossiprocks.com)

Remembering Favorite True Blood Moments

The countdown to the season two finale has definitely begun! As the excitement grows until we finally get to see the resolution to Maryann and her sacrifice, IGN TV recounted their favorite moments of True Blood up to this point.

“Couple of the Year,” referring to Bill and Eric – “The southern gentleman and the euro-hipster in a tracksuit”– at the clothing store. The saleswoman might have gotten the wrong impression when she saw these two together but it’s not a bad idea! Especially when you look back at the scene from season one where Eric is waiting in Bill’s bath (”I texted you three times. Why didn’t you reply?”) Forget Sookie — man love is clearly on the horizon and the formation of a new team: Team Bill-n-Eric.

“Eddie’s End,” the inevitable demise of the pathetic vampire who was just looking for companionship and ended up getting used for his V juice. He brought out a new side in Jason:

Not only were Jason’s scenes with Eddie touching but they showed us how quiet and successfully emotional this show could be when it tried to.

If only Amy hadn’t staked him and reduced him to a messy pool of blood and guts…

“Bill’s Beginning,” the flashbacks to human Bill from “Sparks Fly Out.” The weary soldier’s goodness and loyalty to his wife and children showed Lorena that he was worthy to stay alive but she turned him into a vampire so that he could be hers.

Seeing Bill watch his family from a distance and ultimately say goodbye with a bloody tear, was heartbreaking.

“AIDS Burger,” Lafayette’s memorable outburst against bigotry. The fry cook may wear have some effeminate qualities but he can stick up for himself. Alan Ball says in an episode commentary that he didn’t think Lafayette would have survived as a gay black kid growing up in rural Louisiana if he weren’t tough. And the beatdown of Royce, followed by the comment, “Tip your waitress,” was enough to show us that True Blood wouldn’t be the same without Lafayette.

“Sex and Candy,” Jessica’s entrance into Merlotte’s when she finally found herself free of her mainstreaming maker, Bill. She may be an annoying, impulsive young vampire but she proved that there was still some sweetness in her:

She entered Merlotte’s with the worst of intentions and met up with a young man with the best of intentions. Hoyt.

“The Other White Meat,” dream scene or not, seeing Eric and Sookie naked in bed together drove the fans wild. Stephen Moyer’s Bill has been much more prominent than the book character but that doesn’t mean that Eric is not going to be part of Sookie’s romantic future. Who knows when the relationships will actually shift but until then, there’s this scene, where you get to see the big Viking “smile and act cuddly.”

“Three Dog Night,” when Sookie went to sleep with a dog and woke up with naked Sam. After learning her friend’s secret and getting over the initial shock, it brought them closer together because they could relate in their shared weirdness.

“Kablammo!,” the bomb going off in the lair of the Dallas vampires.

It was a powerful and unexpectedly grim turn for the Fellowship of the Sun, who up until this point, thanks to its leadership, seemed like a bunch of soft, although impishly wicked, evangelical twits.

Luke walked away from the almost-battle in the church when Godric broke things up but he showed how strongly he felt about his cause. Plus, Eric had the opportunity to shield Sookie and trick her into drinking his blood.

“Digging the Grave,” when Sookie decapitated Rene with “a freakin’ shovel!” She’s gotten kicked around quite a lot over the two seasons but Sookie is not a helpless victim. She will fight for her loved ones and her town. Her hand giving off that energy against Maryann was just another sign of how strong Sookie is becoming.

“Make Up Sex,” Bill and Sookie show their passion for each other after fighting in the season two premiere, “Nothing But the Blood.” Sure, there are lots of sex scenes in True Blood but IGN TV picked this one as the best because of how it re-invested viewers in the show.

It’s what we all want to see when we watch an adult show about vampires.

For myself, I would have put Bill and Sookie’s first time on here instead because of the moment when his fangs come out — he thinks she won’t want him anymore but she kisses him anyway, truly accepting him for the vampire that he is. But I agree that the make-up sex is hotter.

“Sunspots,” Godric’s farewell on the hotel roof. Eric’s tears and pleading with his maker showed a depth of emotion that we can only imagine, after their 1,000 years of connection. Godric’s gentleness made us feel the loss of him, even though we had only seen him in a couple of episodes.

A couple moments that I would add to this list: When Jason and Andy save Sam from the possessed mob by pretending to be “the god who comes.” Also when Eric punishes Royce for the silver and asks Lafayette if there’s blood in his hair.

What are some of your favorites that aren’t on here? And I don’t know about all of you but the only way I’m going to get through the long months of True Blood withdrawal will be to watch these scenes repeatedly.

SOURCE: tv.ign.com

(Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

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