The True Blood season 2 cast party was held Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand Tabu Ultra Lounge in Las Vegas. Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgard, Sam Trammell and Kristin Bauer were in attendance at the party. Our good friend and True Blood fan Marisa who we knew would be attending the red carpet took some photos for us to share with you of the event. We want to send a special thank you to Marisa who stood in the red carpet area for over 3 hours to see the cast and take photos. This goes to show how dedicated True Blood fans are to the show and to the actors, so HBO we hope you are listening and you know that you have a hit and fans want the series to run for many, many more seasons.
True Blood Season 2 Cast Party will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the MGM Grand in the Tabu Ultra Lounge in Las Vegas. Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse), Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton), as well as Sam Trammel (Sam Merlotte) and Alexander Skarsgard (Eric Northman) are scheduled to attend the event and the announcement states “COME PARTY WITH THE CAST OF THE MOST POPULAR SHOW ON HBO – TRUE BLOOD.” Doors open at 10:00pm so what are you waiting for, get yourself to the Tabu Ultra Lounge on May 2.
Now that my hubby is minus one appendix, I am back with part two of myA?story of True Blood Bliss! I amA?taking those ratfink lemons lifeA?keeps hurling my wayA?and making some delicious lemonade…
Hmmm, now where was I?
It all started with Alan Ball. Where he leads, I inevitably follow. I guess I should call it “Six Degrees of Alan Ball” since I originally discovered his work in American Beauty, which led me to Six Feet Under, which then ledA?to Michael C. Hall, then to Dexter, which led me to Comic Con, and inevitably to discovering True Blood…what a fantastically strange and illuminating trip it has been!
I have discovered that Alan Ball is aA?geniusA?at telling a tale…someone who is absolutely fearless in confronting the deeper questions of living. He invites and encourages usA?to feel deeply, toA?laugh with our whole heart and to let ourselves cry to the depths of our souls…and most of all,A?to think about many things we might not think about otherwise. To put it simply, he always leaves me wanting to hear the rest of the story… and Charlaine”s stories were just begging to be brought to life by someone who really “gets it”.A?But, I am getting ahead of myself here.
When weA?went toA?Comic Con in 2008, we were very excited to see the panel on Dexter. LittleA?did we know that we would discover True Blood as a result,A?opening up our world to include the addictive adventures of a telepathic waitress and her wild and wonderful world. It just blows my mind when I remember that we almost didn”t make it toA?ComicA?Con at all … A?due toA?the unfortunate combination of aA?fan flying out ofA?my bedroomA?window and colliding painfully withA?my ankle…which in turnA?ledA?me to limp into the Dexter panel an hour or so early…which then, fortuitously, ledA?me to be there to see the panel on True Blood. Such synchronicity in life, when we are open to discovering it.
I had never heard of Charlaine Harris prior to the Comic Con TrueA?Blood panel…but my sister and IA?were hooked on Sookie Stackhouse and her adventures right away.A?I got such a kick out of Charlaine … she has a joie de vivre that is infectious and describes her characters so vividly that you cannot wait to dive into her world and get to know them yourself.
After having read the books andA?watching every episodeA?ofA?the premiereA?season of True Blood,A?it became evident to me that she and Alan have createdA?aA?particular kind ofA?alchemy through the combination of her original stories and his ability to bring them toA?Life.A?At Comic Con, Charlaine spoke about “entrusting her babies” to Alan and he spoke at length about his commitment to remainA?very true to Charlaine”s vision and the spirit of her stories. I believe that they have more than achieved a balance betweenA?the particular gifts andA?strengths they each bring to the project and IA?feel so grateful to look back upon this first glimpse of TrueA?Blood and to have seenA?their hopes and dreams blossom into storytelling at it”s finest.
ItA?was such fun to hearA?Alan and Anna and Stephen talkingA?at the ComicA?Con panelA?with such excitement about bringing Sookie and Vampire Bill and True Blood to glorious Life. When I think back to the fact that we could have met them, including Charlaine!,A?it makes me a little crazy (crazier?!) but we had absolutely no idea how much True Blood and CharlaineA?Harris wouldA?come to mean to us just a couple ofA?months later.A?We marked our calendar for September 7 and could hardly wait for True Blood to begin!
As soon as we got home from Comic Con, my sister and I started reading,A?”Dead Until Dark“… and, in the next months, we devoured the other 7 books and couldn”t wait for more. AsA?Alan Ball has rightfully stated, the books areA?absolutely “…addictive, like crack!” A?WeA?thenA?shared the booksA?with our friends and family and have created a veritable army of Charlaine Harris enthusiasts! Charlaine has woven a world so textured and layered and delicious thatA?it often feels as thoughA?you have wandered through a doorway into another dimension…but one which feels familiar and cozy enough to suspend all disbeliefA?entirely.
As we all waited for the first season to begin, the excitement began to build and we watched all of the promos for True Blood on HBO… everything from a look at Vampires throughA?history (cinematic and mythological)A?as well as perspectives on making the show by Alan Ball and comments from cast members as well. When the show premiered onA?September 7, we were glued to the television set and never missed an episode throughout the entire season. I have to tell you, True Blood was everything promised and so much more. We even got together with our kindred True Blood addicts and watched the marathon on New Years Eve…what could be more frightfully yummy than ringingA?in the New Year withA?your favorite Vampires?? It put a grin on my face which I have yet to erase!
Flash forward just a bit to the announcement being made about the True Blood panel at theA?PaleyFest. A?I very nearly had an emotional cramp from feeling so happyA?upon first hearing about it to then feeling so heartbroken that I would not be able to attend. To say that things are “challenging” inA?my life is the understatement of the millennia (but never fear, I amA?still keeping my Wonder Woman braceletsA?at the ready…)
Then I sawA?the announcement on TrueBloodNet.com about anA?extra ticket to the PaleyFest being available.A?I almost didn”t follow through to inquire. ButA?then I thought, why not? TheA?very next morning I was given an email contact for Sarah so that we could discuss particulars. After numerous emails back and forth, we decided to chat byA?phone.A?By the end of the day, we were making plans to attend the Fest together! I was beside myself with giddyA?happinessA?at the possibility of suddenly having a chance to go…and IA?don”t know that I can really put into adequate words what I was feeling at that moment. When the world seems impossibly dismal all around you, sometimes what you need the most is a dose ofA?kindness mixed in with all the joy your heart can hold. This is what I found when I met Sarah.
I am pretty muchA?convinced that Sarah andA?her husband are angels inA?disguise!A?To put things in perspective a bit, Sarah is a mother of 4 at the tender age of 24.A?Her amazing hubby gave her the tickets to the PaleyFest True Blood panel and a trip to California…which she intended to take with her sister. What makes the gift particularly bittersweet is that her hubby is being deployed in June. For a year. She has been in the military herself, having been to IraqA?when she was only 18… so she is well aware of what her husband will face when he goes. Sarah volunteers at the USO and everyone was very excited when she mentioned that she would be seeing Alexander Skarsgard at the PaleyFest… especially since they loved and respected hisA?amazing performance in “Generation Kill” (also on HBO.)
When Sarah discovered that her sister would not be able to attend with her due to a family emergency, she contactedA?TrueBloodNet.com and asked them to help her find someone who could go with her…and she literally took a leap of faith that she could find a person she would be comfortable with and who would enjoy going to the PaleyFest as much as she would.
Enter yours truly!A?What is truly extraordinaryA?about the whole thing is that Sarah was not looking to sell her ticket but, as she described it, “she was given a gift, and she was just giving a gift in return”. That is the kind of person Sarah is.A?Not only did she give me theA?gift of attending theA?Fest, but she gave me theA?gift of a true friend at the same time. True Blood andA?True Friends. Who could ask for more? It is the Gift that keeps onA?Giving.
Can you even imagine the fortitude it would take toA?leave her hubby and young children to driveA?by herself to the Fest, from Colorado,A?for 1200 long, long miles … and then to get into a car accident 25 miles from her destination? Talk about a Welcome to California! Not exactly the one she had been dreaming of…andA?I don”t even want to relive those phone conversations right after the accident. I have never prayed so hard in my life. Thank heavens it was not a serious accident but we were both concerned about how she would be feeling the following day. Ever the valiant trooper, Sarah was fully intent upon enjoying herself to the fullest!
Up next:A?A?Sarah,A?Cheri & her local True Blood posse take on Hollywood, meet up with TrueBloodNet.com editorA?Kasandra and lots of kindred True Blood addicts at the ArcLight cafe, complete with raffle and hilarious Vamp-tastic goodie bags. And, drumroll please…True Blood takes on the PaleyFest!A? Highlight reel, sneak peek into Season Two, the cast crack themselves up!A? Nearly everyone auditions for the part of Vampire Bill! A?Stephen shares a tale of emerging into a graveyard, covered in peat moss and we discover what Alex really thinks about pink leggings!A? True Blood “fan-demonium” takes the ArcLight by storm!
Sarah and Cheri
(photo graciously given to post with permission from Barbara)
Just as a little sneak peek of my own: As you can see by this picture, Sarah and I had the time of our lives. Extra ginormous thanks to Alan, Alex and Sam for making her day (year? lifetime?) with attempts at pictures and a gracious willingness to “meet and greet” as many of us as they possibly could. I don”t think the ArcLight nor the folks at the PaleyFest had any idea how, shall we say, enthusiastic the crowd was really going to be about meeting the cast.A?They were treated likeA?True Blood rockstars… andA?it definitely had the feeling of a mosh pit at times. (please don”t thinkA?I amA?complaining one bit since I was more than willing to wade into the crowdA?just for a chance to sayA?a heartfelt Thank You…)
Part 3 on the way very soon…andA?apologies for taking so long between “instalments” butA?my hubbyA?just got out of the hospital as I was finishing this part (and is very thankfully on the mend!)
*Fangs* so very muchA?for sharing in my experience with me (couldn”t resist a little Vampire pun…Vampire Bill would be so proud!)A?I”ll be back in a flash with the rest of the story…
It seems that Alexander Skarsgard from Alan Ball’s hit HBO TV series True Blood is creating a buzz as an “up and coming actor” to watch for in the near future. Rebecca Murray, from About.com placed Alexander on her list of actors whos star potential is rising alongside Emily Blunt, Bradley Cooper, Kat Dennings, Rachel McAdams, Robert Pattinson, Chris Pine, Kristen Stewart, Jim Sturgess, Channing Tatum, Sam Worthington, and Anton Yelchin.
Ms. Murray stated that Alexander has quite a following in his native Sweden but it was his two starring roles on the HBO series Generation Kill and True Blood that has brought attention onto him in North America. Ms. Murray states that as long as he chooses the right roles that allows him to demonstrate his dramatic skills then he will be able to show that he has what it takes to land big roles in movies.
One observation that Ms. Murray made during her interview with Alexander at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards is that he received a lot of attention and feedback from his many fans on her website therefore reaffirming that he is an actor to watch for in the coming years.
Alexander Skarsgard who plays Eric Northman from Alan Ball’s hit HBO TV series True Blood was rumoured last month to be the leading contender for the role of the Norse god “Thor” in director Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming movie of the same name.
However despite fitting the role perfectly (6’4”, blond and Scandinavian) it seems that Alexander is no longer in the running for the part as he mentioned to E!Online when asked about the role during the True Blood panel discussion at the PaleyFest’09 on April 13, 2009, “No, I don’t think so I haven’t gotten the call, so…”
Charlie Hunnam
There are several actors that are still being considered for the title role in the upcoming “Thor” film, including “Sons of Anarchy” star Charlie Hunnam. According to IGN the 29 year old, 6’1” British actor, stated that he indeed screen-tested for the role of the god of thunder, but it was only one screen test. Mr. Hunnam stated that he still doesn’t know whether Marvel has chosen its “Thor“, but his people have been talking to the studio. Mr. Hunnam believes that since the start date of “Thor” was pushed back a few months, Marvel is taking its time to make the best decision for the film. So you never know there still may be a chance for Alexander, remember he almost did not get the part on True Blood had it not been for the delay in production due to the writers’ strike. Maybe the same thing will happen this time.
Alexander Skarsgard and Sam Trammell attended the HBO Grey Gardens Los Angeles premiere on Thursday, April 16, 2009. Grey Gardens is a new HBO TV series starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Daniel Baldwin to name a few of the actors. Grey Gardens is based on the life stories of the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Onassis (both named Edith Bouvier Beale aka “Big and Little Edie”) raised as Park Avenue débutantes but who withdrew from New York society, taking shelter at their Long Island summer home, “Grey Gardens.” As their money and contact with people deteriorated so did their sense of reality and were reintroduced into the real world when international tabloids learned of a health department raid on their home, and Jackie Onassis came in to save her relatives . Grey Gardenspremieres on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 8PM ET on HBO.
Finding myself sitting in the first row (albeit a bit to the far left) at the PaleyFest True Blood event on Monday night, I had to stop and check myself to see if I was dreaming. When the moderator took the stage to our immediate left, Sarah and I almost could not contain our excitement…and then, the lights dimmed and the highlight reel began… all on a really, really BIG screen (which was received with giddy enthusiasm by the packed house)…and then, the “teaser” scene from Season Two…this could not really be happening, could it? When the moderator then announced the introduction to the cast, both Sarah and I were looking to the left and all of a sudden, there was Alexander Skarsgard, coming from the aisle to our immediate right, walking right in front of us…and we looked in awe, up and up and up (that man is Tall!) and discovered, to our delight, that each of the cast would walk right past us and onto the stage, giving us the opportunity to be as “up close and personal” as we could have even imagined possible.
How in the world (or in any other dimension for that matter) had any of this happened? Rewind back to the summer of 2008, when we first learned of True Blood at Comic Con while waiting for a panel on “Dexter” ( starring a guy who is very familiar with the work of Alan Ball!) …if I ever have the opportunity to speak to Michael C. Hall, I will profusely thank him for the never-to-be-forgotten opportunity to discover True Blood!! As a result of attending that panel, we were given a True Blood “goodie bag” with a T-shirt (Real Blood is for Suckers); the first book, Dead until Dark, in the Charlaine Harris series on which True Blood is based and a True Blood comic book. But more on that later. When I first heard about the True Blood panel being featured at the PaleyFest, I had seriously mixed emotions. I was very, very happy that True Blood was getting the recognition that I feel it so deserves, I was giddy at the thought of fans being able to attend a screening of some sort (not knowing exactly what that would consist of at the time) along with a panel and Q&A… and I was completely miserable because I just knew that I would never in a million years be able to attend. Just shows you how wrong you can sometimes be and to never underestimate the power of dreaming and believing in those dreams coming true. Quite a few of us in our casino online little group of die-hard True Blood addicts thought we would not be able to attend the PaleyFest and had to console ourselves with the happy thoughts of the release of the upcoming book in Charlaine”s series, Dead and Gone (to be released on May 5, 2009), the Season One DVD becoming available on May 19 and the premiere of Season Two on Sunday June 14.
So much True Blood Bliss, indeed! Even so, I was finding myself avoiding a lot of talk about the PaleyFest because I wanted to go so badly from the moment it was announced and I will confess, it was hard to even think too much about not being able to go. We were even considering going to the ArcLight and standing outside to watch the arrivals and support our favorite show in the only way we could. So, when TrueBloodNet.com announced that there was an extra ticket for the PaleyFest available, I stared at the email notice for the longest time, thinking to myself that it was probably someone selling a ticket. Even though I didn”t think it could possibly come to anything, I clicked on the link to inquire. Imagine my shock, delight and astonishment at the end of the next day (April 7) when I found myself being offered the extra ticket and began making arrangements with Sarah to attend the Fest. Did I mention that Sarah is from Colorado, a 24 year old mother of 4, who would be driving 13 hours the Sunday before the Fest? By herself? And, that she had never been to California before in her life? Did I mention the fact that she got into a car accident, 25 miles from her destination on Sunday night? Did I mention that Sarah”s husband will be deployed in June? No? Since it will take a bit of time to tell our tale, I am breaking it up into several parts. I hope you will “stay tuned” for the rest of the story. The hair-raising, sometimes comical, sometimes almost bordering-on-tragic adventure of attending the PaleyFest is something I will never forget, ever. I will be sharing some favorite memories along with pictures of the event itself in the days to come. I wanted to get at least this much written down while the memories are still so fresh in my mind.
Several others in our group of True Blood fans were also able to attend the Fest, through almost equally amazing circumstances… and we will all be sharing our thoughts, impressions, memories and pictures with you over the next few days or so. Hope you will enjoy and/or be amazed at our story and come away from reading it with the same feeling that I have: that miracles can come to us all via the smallest of blessings, sent in delicious Vampire Packaging (I guess those would have to be the Large Blessings!) and to never, ever stop dreaming…because dreams really do come true.
I took the red-eye back to Detroit after my sojourn to LA for a True Blood adventure. I’m still working on photos but I will present them in chronological order. Click on photos to enlarge in a new window.
Fans Waiting for Will Call to OpenThe Stage Is SetThe Audience with My Empty SeatThe Empty Seats the True Blood Cast and Crew Were Soon to Fill.Alex Walking OnstageCarrie Walking OnstageNelsan Walking OnstageRutina Walking OnstageSam Walking OnstageRyan Walking OnstageStephen Walking OnstageAnna Walking OnstageAlan Walking OnstageAlan Greeting the Moderator Variety's Stuart LevineThe Cast and AlanThe Cast SeatedAnother Cast Shot
OK that’s the first set of shots. There are many more to come so check back soon!
True Blood fans had the opportunity to get autographs signed and pictures taken with the cast of True Blood outside the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome on Monday, April 13, 2009 at the PaleyFest’09. The following is a video clip from Hollywood.tv showing Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, Sam Trammell and Rutina Wesley interacting with the fans and taking time to take photos with them and chat.
We here at TrueBloodNet.com would to extend our deep appreciation to Terry Lynn Ebright at The Paley Center for Media for providing us with Press Passes to the True Blood PaleyFest’09 where our editor had one of the best seats in the house (first row dead center). In the next few days we will be publishing the great photos that she had the opportunity to take of the cast of True Blood. Here we would like to present to you the official photos given to us by The Paley Center for Media. Click on photos to enlarge.
(Photo credit: Kevin Parry/The Paley Center for Media)
A special thank to Andrew Krukowski from TVWeek.com for allowing us here at TrueBloodNet.com permission to reprint his article in its entirety regarding his experience at the True Blood PaleyFest’09 panel discussion held at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome on Monday, April 13, 2009.
With some fans flying in from as far away as the Midwest, a sold-out crowd voiced their support for HBO’s “True Blood” during Monday’s PaleyFest presentation.
Cast members Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Carrie Preston, Alexander Skarsgard and creator/executive producer Alan Ball fielded questions from enthusiastic fans regarding nudity in the show, “Blood’s” connection to the Sookie Stackhouse book series and the threat of cancellation.
Multiple fans expressed concern about losing the show, including one guy who didn’t even ask a question, but just simply said he didn’t want to see “Blood” fall by the wayside after its second season, like HBO’s “Carnivale” or “Deadwood.” (“Deadwood” actually lasted three seasons).
The show appears to have a very large Internet presence, with several audience questions referring to fan sites for the show or what the online community can do to ensure multiple seasons of “Blood.” “You want to know how to make this show last forever?” Mr. Ball said. “Buy the DVDs.” When asked who flew out for the panel, several hands in the audience went up, with attendees shouting out the states they came from, including Texas and Iowa.
A sneak preview of “Blood’s” second season was screened before the panel. The scene consisted of Ms. Paquin’s character, Sookie, getting into an argument with Mr. Moyer’s character, Bill, while driving. Sookie leaves the car and is attacked by a large creature with claws and horns.
Mr. Ball was tight-lipped about the second season so as not to spoil anything. He did say some book fans will be disappointed that certain scenes didn’t make the jump to the screen, but that the show has new material in order to maintain some surprises. “Lost” fans were given a thrill at the event, too, as Ms. Preston’s husband, Michael Emerson, aka Ben Linus, was also in attendance. Mr. Emerson posed for pictures with several fans after the “True Blood” panel.
Korbi Ghosh from Korbi TV attended the True Blood panel discussion at the PaleyFest’09 on Monday, April 13, 2009 and brings in the following report her account of what transpired during the evening and what the actors had to say about the show. Here is her article presented in its entirety.
True Blood is the sort of show the Paley Festival is really about. People flew in from other states, camped out in lawn chairs on the pavement by the Arclight theater and went fully insane when they finally made it inside and the cast was trotted onstage for their viewing pleasure. There was an entire row of women wearing “Bill’s Babe” t-shirts. It was fun.
Show runner Alan Ball was introduced last, but was first to speak, telling the audience how he stumbled upon Charlaine Harris‘ “True Blood” book series completely by accident. He was 20 minutes early for a dentist appointment and decided to kill some time at the book store. He spied “Dead Until Dark” and the tagline — “Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend wasn’t such a bright idea” — caught his attention. He bought it on impulse and shortly thereafter became obsessed, ordering book after book from Amazon. “It was like crack,” he said. “I became a crack addict.”
He didn’t go to HBO with the idea right away because he wasn’t sure if it was going to be a TV show or a movie at first. Instead, he went to Charlaine, got the rights and later brought HBO into the picture. Yes, when you’re Alan Ball, you have the luxury of bringing HBO in. And then HBO and Alan started bringing the actors in.
Alexander Skarsgard (Eric) told us that he first read for the role of Bill. He said he was just devastated when he didn’t get it. But he then went off to do “Generation Kill” and when he got back they said, we got a fantastic actor to play the role of Bill, but there is this other part…
Carrie Preston (Arlene) — whose husband Michael Emerson was spotted sitting in the audience… it is seriously weird to see Ben Linus in a suit just hanging at your local movie theater on a Monday night — met Alan on the set of his movie “Towelhead” — which she encouraged everyone to go see, because it’s brilliant — and said they got to talking about Alan’s next project and he said, I might have a role for you. Though she said the part of Arlene definitely didn’t scream Carrie Preston, a few auditions and a great red wig later, she got it.
Rutina Wesley (Tara) told us she was just really proud to land her role because pretty much every young black actress she knows auditioned for it… Interesting fact, I actually saw the original “True Blood” pilot and very much liked the actress who originally played the part of Tara, but after a season of Rutina, I can’t imagine anyone else doing it.
Ryan Kwanten (Jason) — who is from Australia and has the sexiest accent, my goodness, I had no idea — was actually spotted by Alan Ball in the film “Flicka.” Alan saw him in that part and thought, wow that is Jason (well, the PG version of Jason) and requested that he come in to audition.
Anna Paquin (Sookie) said she stalked Alan for months, desperate to be Sookie. This was the dream job and she was just dying for it. Now, looking forward to season two (they are, by the way, currently shooting episode 7 of 12 and Alan is preparing to write 11), die hard fans of the book series will be happy to know that Alan feels quite strongly about sticking to Charlaine’s stories and her vision. He will not veer too far away from what’s already been put on the page, however he does feel that it’s his job to really flesh out the supporting characters while servicing Sookie‘s story.
Rutina Wesley said that during the first table read this year, the actors were told something to the effect of, okay, now your characters are going to be doing some things you really won’t believe this season, but just trust us…
This got a knowing laugh from the rest of the cast, so it should be a great surprise to see what Alan’s got up his sleeve. Something we know for sure that’s on tap though? More naked men. There was a lot of talk about Ryan and “the sock” he often wore on set. He said there was many a time that he went to his dressing room before a scene and all that was waiting for him was that damn sock… Oh, and Alexander said, I’m from Sweden, I’m disappointed I’m not naked all the time. I want that in my contract… To which Alan Ball responded, we’ll be calling your people tomorrow.
Sam Trammell (Sam) said his least favorite scenes involved his nakedness… well, running naked in beige-colored jazz shoes (the jazz shoes because there were ant hills everywhere). But Anna said she was a fan of Sam‘s nakedness… the scene when he was sans clothes on the bed at least. She mentioned “the sock” and said the sheer giggle factor of it was great.
Scenes she didn’t like? Anything with “burnt” Bill. She couldn’t even look at Stephen Moyer (Bill) — her real life boyfriend — when he was in the burn make up. Too disturbing. Even Sam agreed that it was painful to see. Also, the subject of the graveyard scene with Bill and “the dirt” was brought up by a fan in the audience. Now, if you don’t know what that’s about, I guess I don’t really need to get into it. But Anna Paquin was like, yeah, I saw the online forums. It’s hot sex outside, why is everyone thinking about where the dirt is going?! P.S., it was peat moss.
For me though, the show’s best scenes included anything with Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) and it sounded like Alan Ball felt the same way. He mentioned that he had previously been quite put off when an actor came in to audition for him and just started improvising on lines — like, oh, I guess you’re going to write the script then? — but Nelsan changed him. He said Nelsan would be in the kitchen at Merlotte’s and it was like the dude was channeling from some other place. Nelsan, by the way, is really nothing like Lafayette… which makes his portrayal of Lafayette even more impressive.
Seems certain fans have mistaken the man for his character, which, you know, Nelsan said isn’t always cool with him… I mean, he said it with a smile. Actually, the whole cast seemed pretty flattered by any and all of the fan attention they’ve been getting. Anna said the “What am I thinking, Stackhouse?!” screams she’s been getting in public lately are cute and clever and awesome. What else? Well, we saw a quick clip of the upcoming season and it seems we’ll be getting more quality time with the annoying chick/newly made vampire we were introduced to at the end of season one. I guess Sookie and Bill are now taking care of her and, in the scene we watched, the couple got into a screaming fight over Sookie helping the chick go see her parents. But seriously, Bill is in the right on this one, because the girl’s eyes were bleeding afterward… However, she is insanely annoying, so maybe it wasn’t the worst idea. Anyway, Sookie runs off and then a monster starts chasing her, so yeah, there will be monsters this year. I’m sure you already knew that.
Also, Michelle Forbes (Mariann), whose character we met last season when she scooped Tara up out of jail and into her palatial estate, is going to be more trouble than anyone ever thought. Alan said she’s benevolent, sure, in a “not really human, psychotic, loves destruction and chaos” kind of way. Cool!
Now, as far as how secure “TB” is and how long it could possibly last, there are no official plans for a season three as of yet, but Alan seemed pretty confident that it could go on as long as there were books for them to follow. He said season one followed book one and season two will follow book two and, well, Charlaine publishes like a book a year, so the possibilities are endless…
But if you’re still worried, just go buy the DVD. According to Alan, successful DVD sales will ensure the show stays on the air for (almost) ever.
Matt Fowler from IGN.com had the opportunity to interview the men of True Blood during the True Blood PaleyFest’09 panel discussion held at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome on Monday, April 13, 2009. Many thanks to Mr. Fowler for giving TrueBloodNet.com permission to post his interview in its entirety here for you. The following report has several season 2spoilers so do not read any further if you do not want to be spoiled.
April 14, 2009 – Waiting in the press line at The Paley Festival’s True Blood night, one could still see the line of fans outside the interview tent. They were a mix of local hardcore fans and people from all over the world who had flown in to see the stars of their favorite bawdy vampire soap – and most of them had been waiting there since the morning.
I got a chance to have some few choice words with some of the featured players on the show. Nelsan Ellis, who played the fan favorite character of Lafayette, in Season 1, was in attendance. There are a ton of people that hope that one of the ways that the writers of the show will deviate from the books is by keeping his character alive – even though the last scene in Season 1 played out just like it did in the first book, with the discovery of his dead body. Still, he was there so I decided to ask him what his, hands down, favorite scene was as Lafayette. “AIDS burger. I loved loved loved that scene,” Said Ellis. “We did five takes and for all five I just loved doing it. You know, it’s always fun to beat someone’s ass.”
Up next was one of the stand outs of Season 1, despite his small amount of screen time, Alexander Skarsgard (a name that’s hard to say out loud without the female fans squealing with glee). Skarsgard plays Eric, the Nordic hunk of a Vampire leader, who gets to boss the character of Bill around. For fans of the Charlaine Harris books, Eric winds up becoming a way more interesting enticing character than Bill. It’s clear that that design might not hold up on the TV show however. How does Skarsgard feel about being on a show like True Blood? “It’s a lot of fun,” said Skarsgard. “It’s a tremendous character to play, and it’s also kind of scary, because when you’re on stage or shooting a movie you have the whole arc. You see the beginning, the middle and the end of the character so you know where you’re going. On a TV show, I don’t know what we’ll be shooting two weeks from now. It’s kind of scary, but it’s also very exciting.”
As Season 2 plays out, there are rumors that Skarsgard’s Eric might make a play for Sookie herself. “I just think that, in general, he’s not very interested in humans,” Skarsgard smiled. “In the beginning of this, it’s a very professional relationship. He’s an entrepreneur. He’s a business man. He thinks “alright, I can use this girl.” But as it goes on then…you know, of course he’s interested. There’s something about this girl. There’s something kind of intriguing about her. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t know where it’s going to take us. I don’t know what Alan and the other writers are up to.”
Next up was the very prim, polite and Australian Ryan Kwanten, who is absolutely nothing like the character of Jason Stackhouse that he plays. This is being said, of course, to the actor’s credit as a thespian. How did Kwanten go about making such a flawed character into someone actually lovable?
“That was sort of a concern for me that there people might not see any redeeming qualities in him at all,” said Kwanten. “I felt that it was important that I give him a certain vulnerability. So that even when he is, you know, backhanding Sookie or letting his nether regions lead him astray and into bad situations, there’s always a truth behind him. Everyone, in some bizarre shape or form, knows someone like him.”
Coming up in Season 2, Jason will actually be off on his own, in his own story with the Fellowship of the Sun. Was it hard for Kwanten to not be acting with the regular cast he’d grown accustomed to? “Because we sort of bonded so strongly in the first season, it was a little sad to leave them – consistently now,” remarked Kwanten. “It was also nice to know that the writer’s trust me enough to sort of have my own little side storyline going on.”
Next we got to talk to the very English Stephen Moyer, who plays Brooding Bill Compton. It might be interesting to see a ladies “cheer off” between Moyer and Skarsgard one, day. And then again, it might not. Skarsgard might have a bit of an international advantage, but there were a ton of ladies in the crowd wearing “Bill Sired Me” shirts – which is something I shared with Moyer in order to make him blush. What’s in store for Bill in Season 2? “We’ve already got three characters that aren’t really in the books,” Moyer revealed. “And I’m not even talking about Jessica. We go back again, as we did in the first season, and see a bit of Bill in the past. We pursue the Dallas element of the book, but there’s also a lot of other stuff going on. Crazy other stuff.”
Did Moyer think that the show was going to be such a sensation? “One always hopes, you know,” laughed Moyer. “When I read this I though “this was the one.” When I read it, I was in England at the time, and I wasn’t ready to head back to America for a job at that time. But then I read it and had to come. It was so amazing. I personally am not surprised, because I think it’s incredible.”
And finally, I had a chance to talk to Sam Trammell, who plays, well…Sam. I asked him a few questions with regards to how the series was going to treat Bill, since in the book series Bill kind of gets sidelined a bit and Sam almost takes off as the one to root for. “I think they’re jimmying it a little bit and that Bill is going to be more of a character than he is in the books,” said Trammell. “Alan tries to respect the books as well as he can, but I know that those two are a great element on the show and they play off well with one another to a great degree. I think Bill is going to be around more on the show than what happens to him in the books. He’ll be more present.”
What was Sam‘s favorite moment coming out of Season 1? “There was that fun and poignant moment at the end, when Sam got to see Maryanne,” said Trammell. “Just because it was so titillating and intriguing. There’s so much great stuff to mine with Sam because Sam was abandoned when he was a very young guy and there’s a bunch of questions. How did he become who he is? How did he get all that money? How did he start Merlotte’s? Where was he that whole time? He’s a shapeshifter, so what has he done to survive, leading such a hard life as a kid to an adult. There is a lot of good stuff that we bring out in the second season. That’s really fun. It’s fun to read and see what they come up with.”
Matt Fowler from IGN.com had the opportunity to attend the True Blood PaleyFest’09 panel discussion held at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome on Monday, April 13, 2009 and presents in his article what transpired during the evening. Mr. Fowler describes in his report the questions and answers that were presented and information regarding season 2. Now if you do not want to know anything about season 2 do not read any further. Many thanks to Mr. Fowler for giving TrueBloodNet.com permission to post his article in its entirety here for you.
April 14, 2009 – The Los Angeles branch of the Paley Center for Media is currently conducting their annual William S. Paley Television Festival, AKA Paley Fest. This two-week event spotlights a group of noteworthy television series and television luminaries, with each night devoted to a different show or person. Be sure to check out the rest of IGN TV‘s coverage of Paley Fest 2009.
I was given the chance to attend True Blood night at the annual Paley Fest and I’ve got some quotes and reveals for all of you about the much anticipated Season 2. If you’re someone who doesn’t want to know anything about anything with regards to the upcoming second season of True Blood, which will kick off on June 14th, then read no further…
During the Q & A panel, series Creator Alan Ball (Six Feet Under) told the story of how he first came across the Charlaine Harris book series. He was waiting around for a dentist appointment, and had about 20 minutes to kill when the first novel, Dead Until Dark, caught his eye. He was hooked from the beginning. He then said that he went through to following books in the series “like crack.” “This wasn’t a book I would normally read, but I couldn’t put them down,” Ball confessed. Ball has a strong desire to stay true to Harris’ vision and spirit, but also added that it was important to flesh out the supporting characters from the book, and add extra stories in order to transform it into a viable TV series. The books are only told from Sookie Stackhouse‘s (Anna Paquin) perspective, so there was some work to be done. One of the big changes was adding in the character of Tara, who doesn’t even appear until Book 2, as a main character in Season 1.
“There are some things from the books that aren’t going to make it onto the screen,” said Ball, “but there will also be things not from the books that are on the show that when you see them, your jaws will be on the floor.” Heading into Season 2, we’re also going to be experiencing the character of Maryanne (Battlestar’s Michelle Forbes), the mysterious and seemingly generous “naked with a pig” lady, even more. Without giving too much away, Ball stated that “she is trouble. She’s more trouble than anyone ever thought she’d be.” He also seemed to relish in the fact that her character “celebrates chaos and destruction” and will somehow play a part in “opening up a doorway to hell for everyone to get sucked into.”
What else do we know about Season 2? Well, as they did with Season 1, the writers will somewhat follow the corresponding Harris novel – this time around being book 2, Living Dead in Dallas. We know that it will incorporate a ton of the book, but also leave out some stuff in order to provide more of an overall story for each of the characters. Sookie and Bill (Stephen Moyer) are heading down to Dallas at the behest of their Vampire Sherriff, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) to help a vampire named Stan (Ed Quinn) find a missing bloodsucker. The rest of the characters will stay back home and deal with new hellacious creatures of the night. Werewolves perhaps? Sookie‘s brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) will have a separate story from the rest of them, at least for the first six episodes or so. His character has joined up with the anti-vampire church, The Fellowship of the Sun, which is sort of a story that’s downplayed a bit in the book itself. Eventually, after their dealings in Dallas, Sookie returns back home and will find everything turned upside down and in a state of ruin and it will piss her off, leading her to try and set things straight. The cast is busy filming episode 7 at the moment, and Ball himself said that he will be writing episode 11.
During the Q & A, the entire cast seems to express their love for their job and their roles. Carrie Preston loved how her character Arlene always speaks her mind. Rutina Wesley, for whom this is her first real acting gig, loves Tara‘s loyalty and good nature. Alexander Skarsgard says that he thinks Eric is a “sweetheart” to those he’s friends with, but that he’s just not friends with many people. Sam Trammell, who plays Sam on the show, admitted that his least favorite scene to shoot was the “running naked through the woods” scene. “It’s tough to watch yourself naked. But running? That’s tough to watch,” laughed Trammel. “And it was tough to do because I was running naked in beige colored jazz shoes.”
Paquin herself loved the scene when Sam wakes up naked on Sookie‘s bed, and the whole “shapeshifter” story. She also made a joking reference to the men’s “sock,” or “sack of destiny” as they refer to it on the set – which is the cover-up apparatus that the men don when they’re in the buff. She also admitted to really loving getting the sh*t kicked out of her. Or being projectile vomited on by a vampire. Stephan Moyer really enjoyed the history behind Bill and the backstory that he got to shoot which took place during The Civil War. “As an English schoolboy, you don’t learn about The American Civil War. Or Independence Day. I never knew what that was for.”
Carrie Preston‘s husband, Lost’s Michael Emerson, was also in attendance, and I even got to hear him, on my way out, speaking to another gentlemen about his own desire to get a role on True Blood, possibly after Lost concludes. I would assume, since he has expressed his longing to be back home with his family in interviews, that he would love to share the screen with his wife.
We were all shown a scene from Season 2, which I will do my best to describe to you here. Again, if you don’t want anything spoiled for you, then don’t read the specifics that I get into here about the clip.
The scene opens with Bill driving frantically down the road at night. Sookie, in the passenger seat, tells him to slow down. Jessica is curled up in the backseat, crying tears of blood. Bill is furious.
Apparently Sookie had taken Jessica back to see her family, but it was against Bill‘s wishes. She’s a vampire now and she’s not supposed to see her old family. Bill is angry and tells Sookie that she undermined his authority as her maker.
Sookie tells Bill to stop the car, because she’s had it with him. She gets out and walks off down the road. Bill calls after her, but then gets back in the car. Jessica tells Bill that Sookie wants him to go after her, and kiss her. Bill chooses not to, saying that Sookie will come back when she’s calmed down.
Sookie, walking in the woods at night, hears rustling. She thinks it might be Bill trying to scare her so she’ll go back to the car. It’s quite evident that it’s not Bill, it’s some other creature.
Sookie looks down a wooded path and sees, a giant monster, with curled horns. Almost like a bull’s horns. It chases her down, she screams. The monster, which still cannot be seen fully, slashes with his claws and takes a chunk out of Sookie‘s back, knocking her down. Bill senses that she’s in danger…
Again, True Blood‘s second season kicks off on HBO on June 14th.
The cast of True Blood attended the PaleyFest’09 on Monday, April 13, 2009 at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome for a panel discussion and Q & A period with fans. Alan Ball and the rest of the cast discussed the show, their roles and gave fans little tidbits of what we can expect to see on the screen when True Blood returns on HBO for season 2 on Sunday, June 14, 2009. Here are a series of videos from the panel discussion, but please remember these are very amateur videos and may seem jumpy at times.
