VIDEO: Stephen Moyer Interviewed By HBO Hungary

Stephen Moyer who plays the handsome 173 year old vampire Bill Compton on Alan Ball’s HBO TV vampire series True Blood conducted an interview with HBO Hungary who will be launching Season 2 this week. Stephen is always so much fun to watch and listen to in interviews!

SOURCE: HBO Hungary

VIDEO: Alexander Skarsgard Interviewed By HBO Hungary

Alexander Skarsgard who plays the 1000 year Viking vampire and Sheriff, Eric Northman on Alan Ball’s HBO TV vampire series True Blood conducted an interview with HBO Hungary who will be launching Season 2 this week. Alexander does a great in-depth interview here! Just give the video a moment to load.

SOURCE:  HBO Hungary

VIDEO: Rutina Wesley Interviewed By HBO Hungary

Rutina Wesley who plays our the sharp-tongued bar waitress, who has had her share of bad luck, Tara Thornton on Alan Ball’s HBO TV vampire series True Blood conducted an interview with HBO Hungary who will be launching Season 2 this week. Rutina looks so lovely in the interview and is so sweet!

SOURCE: HBO Hungary

VIDEO: Sam Trammell Interviewed By HBO Hungary

Sam Trammell who plays our favorite shapeshifting bar owner Sam Merlotte on Alan Ball’s HBO TV vampire series True Blood conducted an interview with HBO Hungary who will be launching Season 2 this week.  Enjoy this great interview with Sam!

SOURCE: HBO Hungary

VIDEO: Nelsan Ellis Interviewed By HBO Hungary

Nelsan Ellis who plays the flamboyant short-order cook Lafayette Reynold on Alan Ball’s HBO TV vampire series True Blood conducted an interview with HBO Hungary who will be launching Season 2 this week.  Enjoy this great interview with Nelsan!

SOURCE: HBO Hungary

Alan Ball Hints Storyline Twist For Season 3

Alan Ball recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about what the future might hold for True Blood couple, Bill and Sookie in season 3. Alan Ball stated that he isn’t ruling out the possibility of incorporating a major (and controversial) plot point that occurs in the books, which up to now, has only been hinted at in the series.  In reference to the plot twist regarding Bill’s deep dark secret Alan states :

“It’s certainly something that I found really compelling in the books … I was like, ‘Wow.’ But I can’t really tell you what I’m going to do story-wise. So much of the appeal of the show depends on the element of surprise.”

While many Sookie and Bill fans are hoping the creator of HBO’s hit TV series doesn’t go there, Eric fans are hoping it turns around for their favorite vampire.

Bill and Sookie fans are hoping that Alan decides not to incorporate this into the show since it could drive the couple apart and set up the scenario for Eric to make his moves onto Sookie and bring them together.  In regards to how he deals with fans from both camps trying to influence his approach in the show Alan said:

“I try to stay out of how the fans are responding to the show…I have to tell the story that I think is the most interesting story. Certainly, the main ingredient in drama is conflict and revelations. For every person who loves Bill and wants him and Sookie to just be in love always, there’s another person who’s like, ‘I’m sick of Bill. He’s such a wuss. I like Eric. He’s dangerous.’ Especially when you’re working on a show like this with the kind of palette and the colors you use; you want it to be continually surprising and shocking. Not for the sake of being shocking, but that’s part of the fun.”

We will have to just wait and see what Alan has in store for True Blood fans. We all know Alan is a fantastic storyteller and will have us biting our nails as we will be watching season 3 when it returns in the summer.

SOURCE: Entertainment Weekly

(Photo credit:  Christina Radish/Agency Photos)

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.

Michelle Forbes Interviewed By People Magazine

Thankfully, Maryann was destroyed in the season two finale but it will be sad to lose the incredible talent of Michelle Forbes. She was a great addition to the cast of True Blood and the rest of the actors are probably going to miss working with her.

People Magazine interviewed Michelle to ask her what drew her to the show and what it was like filming some of those crazy Bacchanalian scenes.

Starting out, the only description of Maryann that Michelle knew was the basic mythological definition of a maenad. While it was a bit outrageous, especially given that she was seemingly a social worker of sorts, Michelle was intrigued:

“It didn’t necessarily line up with what was on the page and that was the exciting thing that sort of gets the hair on the back of your neck standing up. You start looking for a shovel because you just want to start digging to figure out what this riddle is all about.”

As more of Maryann’s motives began to reveal themselves, Michelle came to see her as an embodiment of people’s efforts to liberate themselves morally:

“I think Maryann represents things going on in the real world since the beginning of time — Woodstock, Paris in the ’20s, the transgressive movement of cinema and music in New York in the ’80s — when people were just really trying to shed all moral boundaries.”

As for shooting the orgies, the awkwardness was there at first but everyone was very professional about it and pretty much got used to it. There were also some amusing aspects:

“At one of the orgies there was this bunny — there was a rabbit, who was just sitting there staring at us. We all kept saying, ‘Look that bunny’s still there.’ And after about 45 minutes, I thought, ‘Maybe he’s hurt,’ and I started to walk over to it and it took two hops and I was like, ‘Nope, he’s just a pervert.’ He was pervy Peter Rabbit!”

Of her True Blood experience, Michelle is just excited by how bold the storytelling was and how they weren’t afraid to take risks. That’s what she hopes for most as an actor. She does say, however, that in public now, people are scared to meet her, even though she’s actually very nice:

“I could kill Alan Ball.”

He certainly got a memorable performance out of her!

SOURCE: people.com

(Photo credit: exposay.com)

True Blood’s Alan Ball: Season Finale And Season 3 Spoilers

With Season Three of True Blood scheduled to begin filming in early December, Alan Ball already has a clear picture of where the show is going. The viewers, on the other hand, are still reeling from the surprises of Sunday night’s finale, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’.”

Televisionary interviewed Alan to shed light on the events of Season Two, and to prepare us for what Season Three will bring.

In response to the thoughts of some that the Maryann storyline dragged on too long, or that the character was so magnified from what happened in the books, Alan said that he wanted to have an arc that would bring all the main characters together for one big fight at the end. Season Two was structured differently than Season One, in that there were separate storylines going on for the first half of the season, and then they began to combine. In particular, Alan mentioned how much he liked that Jason became part of the action in Dallas with Bill and Sookie, and then they came home together to face what had been going on with the people of Bon Temps. He says that in Season Three, he’s keeping things “a little more organic with the connection between the regulars.”

Among the most powerful moments of Season Two was the death of Godric. Alan talks about how moving that character was for him in the book. He even teared up a little bit when he saw the first cut of the episode “I Will Rise Up,” not only because of Godric, but also because of Jessica, and the scene with Sookie and Jason in the hotel where they talk about Gran. Casting Godric was an important decision, and it wasn’t easy to find the right person:

“It was difficult to find an actor who looked so young but who could convey centuries of feeling and to be tired of life and tired of being alive and ready to move on.”

Godric also served as a way to reveal another side of Eric, to not just have him be a badass who tears people’s limbs off, but someone who does have vulnerability.

When speaking about the future of Bill and Sookie, Alan was hesitant to spoil anything:

“I know exactly what’s going to happen in Season Three, because we’ve already started breaking the episodes and figuring the arc of the season. So I can’t really say without giving too much away what I think. But I’ll say this: the love between them is authentic and real, but that doesn’t mean that they will necessarily stay together. But it doesn’t mean that they won’t either, though.”

If the overarching theme of Season Two was the power of belief, in both positive and negative ways, then Season Three will thematically be about the search for identity. Sookie will not only be searching for Bill, but also for the truth about who and what she is. We will also meet Sam’s family.

So what else does Alan have in store for Jessica and Hoyt, Jason and Andy, Tara, and the vampire Queen with the vampire King of Mississippi (recently announced)?  Most of all, who kidnapped Bill?  To find out please read the complete, in-depth interview with Alan Ball on Televisionary.

It already sounds like a lot to look forward to in June! True Blood fans will be anxiously awaiting for its return.

SOURCE: televisionaryblog.com

(Photo credit: IMDb.com)

True Blood Season Finale And Season 3 Spoilers With Alan Ball

Now that Season Two of True Blood has ended, there are a lots of unanswered questions. Will Hoyt and Jessica get back together? Where was Eric the whole time this was going on? What is Sookie? And most importantly, who took Bill Compton? Michael Ausiello from EW.com had the opportunity to speak with Alan Ball the day after the finale aired to see what is in store for next season and perhaps get some insight to all of our unanswered questions.

Many viewers were surprised that the Maryann storyline ended within the first 30 minutes? Alan Ball provided a  good explanation as to why she ended when she did.

“I try to look at the show as basically almost like it’s a novel, and each episode is a chapter. I guess I’m influenced by the fact that when I watch TV shows, I watch the [DVD] boxed sets. Ultimately, it’s just organically the way it worked out. And the season finale last year was very similar.”

Viewers voiced that the storyline was stretched out a bit too much and were glad to see the character finally gone. However, is she really? Alan confirms i by stating that the folks in Bon Temps destroyed her and she will never rise again. Alan loves Michelle and mentions how much fun she was to work with and hated to kill her, but it had to be done.

In the regards to the killing of Godric the character was very well received, but Alan has no regret in killing him off. The story was very powerful and just so happened to be Alan’s favorite thing about the second book. He said that they can always go back in history. Godric and Eric had a relationship for a thousand year so don’t worry Godric fans.  Alan said we can always go back and see him again. Let’s cross our fingers in hopes that it will happen in the next season.

As to why there was a lack of Eric in the finale, Alan mentioned that there is a reason why we didn’t get to see the viking. However he couldn’t explain why though, he’d be giving too much away. Rest assured Eric fans, he’ll be prominent next season. Alan said that he has many seasons planned for Eric so we’ll have something to look forward to. Micheal did ask him at this if he is surprised at how passionate the Sookie/Eric fans are to which Alan responded by saying:

“Yes. I try not to get involved in that because it just sort of — it’s too confusing. I don’t want it to influence what the show is. Personally, I’m like, yes, Eric’s hot, but beyond that he’s dangerous, and I don’t know if he’d love anybody besides himself. What’s the appeal there? The bad boy? The danger?”

Michael went on to ask Alan about the Queen’s Yahtzee obsession? Alan laughed and said, “You’re 400 years old. What are you going to do? It’s something we came up with in the room and we thought it was funny.” As far as the fans complaining that Evan Rachel Wood, the actress who plays the Queen, isn’t playing her role scary enough, Alan gave some reassurance. He pointed out that you don’t want to introduce a character you’re going to see later on and show all of her in the first meeting. He loves that fans are so into the TV show to make judgment calls on whether they like an actress playing a certain character.  However, he wants people to keep an open mind and states “all I can say is keep watching. It will make sense”. The Queen will be in the next season but not as a regular character. Also we will meet the Vampire King of Mississippi (The Vampire King Has Been Cast!) and there’ll be some interesting things happening between the two of them.

There were lots of other hints that Alan Ball mentioned to EW about what we can expect to see in the third season.

For instance, some viewers are wondering why Jason fell under Maryann’s influence but Sookie didn’t. Alan explained by stating:

“They have the same parents. We will find out what Sookie is [next season]. There are such things as dominant and recessive genes. Maybe Jason is fundamentally human but he has a trace of some non-human stuff. He’s kind of a ridiculously perfect [human being]. He’s athletic and has that charisma thing, so maybe he had some help in that regard. [Laughs] Ultimately, if you look at percentages, he’s mostly human. Sookie has a stronger genetic predisposition in another direction. People who have read the books know exactly what I’m talking about. People who haven’t, it will be revealed.”

Speaking of parents, we have a good chance of meeting Sam’s biological parents as Sam in Season Three as well.

When Alan was asked how closely he will follow the third book in season 3 Alan said:

“We take the gist of the books, [but] we will depart whenever we feel like it makes better television as opposed to reading. We continue to use the books as templates. But now that I’ve read all nine books there are things that are revealed in later books that we are moving up so that they’ll probably happen in the show earlier than they do in the books.”

So what does that include? Alcide, the werewolf will be introduced, who has yet to be cast. We also meet Franklin Mott, the super bad vampire, Debbie Pelt, the ex-girlfriend of the guy helping Sookie find Bill well as the introduction of the people who live in Hotshot.

Also don’t get too comfortable, we haven’t seen the last of the Fellowship of the Sun. Alan explained that just because Rev. Steve Newlin was  humiliated, it doesn’t mean he’s done with vampires. He’s angrier than ever.

Now that Eggs is gone, it opens the possible scenario to bring back the Jason/Tara love story. Jason is going to be consumed with guilt for having killed the man Tara loved. Jason will want to make her feel better after thinking he ruined her life. Alan said that at this point Tara had given up on her obsession to Jason but at such a vulnerable part of her life, she might be susceptible to his charms.

What is in store for Lafayette? There are plans for him to get a boyfriend. Alan wasn’t able to give too many details but he said we will get to see more and more of the lovable character. He’ll get very vulnerable in the next season and not just being afraid of Eric.

Quickly becoming one of the most favorite couples on the show was Jessica and Hoyt, a lot of people wondering will they stay together in season three.  Alan explained that they still love each other but there will be problems – as most of us can guess after watching the finale.

EW asked Alan how long will fans to wait for season three and he said it will probably premiere around the same time as last season. He said they will shoot one episode before Christmas but he doesn’t know if HBO will bring the show on earlier but knows it won’t happen later. That is good news for all of us True Blood fans, and now that we have stuff to look forward to I can imagine we will all be counting down the days.

As A final tease Michael asked Alan if there was something he was forgetting to ask him to which Alan responded that he was surprised that he didn’t asked who took Bill?  So who did take Bill?  It was Hoyt’s mother.  Now we will have to sit and ponder for 9 months whether Alan was joking or not.

SOURCE:  Entertainment Weekly

(Photo credit:  Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos)

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