Pop Candy Usa Today's Q&A With Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton)
--------We chatted last week when Moyer had a rare free moment and I was a bit under the weather. If one voice could heal me, though, it might be his: You wouldn’t believe it from watching the show, but Moyer speaks with a sweet British accent that sounds absolutely nothing like Bill. He discussed dating Anna Paquin, tasting TruBlood and other topics during our conversation:
Hi, Stephen. How are you?
Fine — thank you, darling. How are you?
Good. It sounds like you’re pretty busy today.
I am. And because we didn’t get a chance to speak earlier, you’re now getting me in Los Angeles traffic, which is marvelous.
Oh, no! Now that True Blood has returned to the air, what sort of reactions have you been hearing?
People seem genuinely excited by it. I think that our first two episodes are very much about setting up new ideas for the season, and episode three is when it really starts to show something completely new. I’ve only seen up until episode three, but I was blown away by it. I think it’s really interesting television and it breaks new ground.
Are you guys still shooting?
We are. We’re just finishing episode 10, we’re in the middle of episode 11 and we start episode 12 tomorrow. We’re doubling up and doing six-day weeks at the moment, so our poor crew are completely on their knees.
One thing we’re seeing is that Eric has a larger presence this season. What is that relationship between Bill and Eric going to be like?
Well, it starts off as one that is respectful, because he is Bill’s elder and because he’s a sheriff. Bill has to kowtow to him in many ways, which he doesn’t like. What’s really interesting, I think, is that Alan (Ball, the executive producer) and the writers have set up a modern-day feudal system, like a hierarchical kind of system where you’re not allowed to speak down to your elders or the person above you. It’s very old-fashioned, and I really like that. So even when Bill is incredibly p–sed off with Eric’s behavior, he has to be very careful with how he voices that.
Several readers sent questions for you as well. Annie M. asks, “I was wondering if Stephen’s life has gotten any crazier since becoming a vampire, like how Robert Pattinson’s life has gotten insane.”
I mean yeah, it’s changed an awful lot. I don’t think it’s quite up to Pattinsonian standards, but it is lovely. (Laughs) One thing about living in L.A. whilst I film this is that I think Los Angelenos have a very comfortable way, because they’re so used to being around people from the business. They’re very comfortable just coming up and saying, “Hey, man. I love your work.” And then they leave you alone. It’s really quite refreshing. You get the odd one who comes up and says “Bite me,” and I’ve literally met three people who’ve named their dog Sookie, and they’d like me to call after Sookie as Bill. But on the whole, it’s pretty much the same.
It’s exciting to me to watch it all happening, but I’m not somebody who’s going to the opening of an envelope at every single premiere, because it’s not what I’m interested in. But that said, I do get invivted to a hell of a lot more. I just don’t say yes.
What is really in the TruBlood bottles? — ksulycos
Last season, our set dresser and prop maker came up with a really fantastic blend. It took awhile to get there, because obviously it had to be the deepest red. But what it ended up being is kind of like a raspberry puree. It’s like V8, but they put like 1,000 raspberries in a sieve, and they crush them and blend them. So it tastes pretty darn good, and it leaves a really great stain on your lips.
But the actual blood I have to drink when I’m drinking from somebody’s neck is a very different proposition: It’s corn syrup and then, like, some stuff to make it shiny so it’s luminescent in the mouth. That ain’t so much fun, let me tell ya.
Have you read the books and, if so, how do you feel about the way the show is vastly different from the books? — Ashleigh P.
I have read the books, and I think Charlaine (Harris, the author) has done an amazing job of creating this world. Obviously, the books are told very much from Sookie’s point of view, but I think Alan has made a brilliant choice to extend Jason’s character, to create the Tara character. Also, I think the relationship between Bill and Sookie is more loving than it is in the books, which I think is going to make it much more interesting when events occur that change that.
Personally, I’m a big reader, and I’ve never wanted any of my favorite novels to be made into movies. I’ve got in my head a bunch of certain people playing (the characters), and I don’t want Bruce Willis to suddenly be playing Heathcliff, do you know what I mean? So to make it different in the way Alan has, I think, is a really good thing. Also, 75% of the people who watch the show will never read the books, so I think that’s also something that has to be taken into consideration by the readers.
Have you met Charlaine Harris? Has she given you any insight into your portrayal of Bill? — Bill B.
I have met Charlaine a number of times, and she’s fantastic. But no, she said early on, “I love what you’re doing, I’m not going to say anything, I just want you to do what you do.” And so she very sweetly has stayed out of it. But I actually asked her a couple times, “What do you think?” and she just doesn’t go there, because I think she recognizes that it’s a completely different medium, one she doesn’t know much about in terms of the mechanics of it.
Do you feel your real-life relationship with Anna (Paquin) helps or hinders your performance on the set? — Celia P.
We have now been together for nearly two years, and the crew and everybody we work with … Our relationship has grown with everybody watching us and knowing us, so we’re incredibly comfortable in front of them. I actually think that it helps, because we are able to try things in the sex scenes and in the intimate scenes together — I think we’re able to do things that perhaps a couple that weren’t together would never dare try. It certainly makes those moments much easier on the crew knowing that we feel comfortable. I’m so used to having them on set when Anna and I are having a love scene that when we get home and we’re in bed by ourselves, I kind of miss them.
I’ve read a lot of criticism of how Southern culture and people are portrayed on the show. How did you prepare to portray a Southern character? What, if any, is your response to such criticism? — Bill B.
I haven’t had any criticism at all of my stuff — I’ve been very lucky, I think. I love the South, I love Bill. I love the way he sounds, I love doing the accent. I prepared for it quite meticulously, and I work hard on making it correct, and we did try to make him very different-sounding from all the other characters, in that he’s 173 years old. We wanted to make a very marked sound change in as many areas as we could, and that’s really good fun to do. I did go to the South, I met a couple people. When me and the accent coach were putting the accent together, we listened to people and she had tapes of people speaking in the accent, etc. So it’s a very meticulous thing and one I have to say makes it all the more enjoyable for me, because playing somebody with an accent is difficult but very rewarding.
I read recently that you liked to sing as a child. Do you still sing and was that you playing the piano in the first season finale? — Doyle T.
Yes and yes, and we see Bill playing the piano again and singing a little bit this season. I did a lot of musicals when I was young and finally went to drama school to try and get away from doing musicals … and of course the first thing that happened when I got out is I got offered a musical. And then when I got to the Royal Shakespeare Company, which was my next job, I ended up doing a bloody musical! And then I did a musical for Pete Townshend. It’s been something I haven’t been able to avoid. So I did a lot of that and I love it, but it’s really not where I see myself going now.
Well, it sounds like you’re out of traffic and have reached your destination, so I’ll let you go. Thank you for chatting.
Thank you, darling. You’ve got a very beautiful speaking voice. Where are you from?
I’m from Virginia.
It’s really stunning.
Well, thank you. Have a good day.
Thank you. Bye, darling.
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USA Today's Q&A with Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton)
Q: Now that True Blood has returned, what sort of reactions have you been hearing?
A: People seem genuinely excited by it. I think that our first two episodes are very much about setting up new ideas for the season, and Episode 3 is when it really starts to show something completely new. I’ve only seen up until Episode 3, but I was blown away by it. I think it’s really interesting television, and it breaks new ground.
Q: One thing we’re seeing is that Eric has a larger presence this season. What is that relationship between Bill and Eric going to be like?
A: Well, it starts off as one that is respectful, because he is Bill’s elder and because he’s a sheriff. Bill has to kowtow to him in many ways, which he doesn’t like. What’sreally interesting, I think, is that Alan (Ball, the executive producer) and the writers have set up a modern-day feudal system, like a hierarchical kind of system where you’re not allowed to speak down to your elders or the person above you. It’s very old-fashioned, and I really like that. So even when Bill is incredibly (ticked) off with Eric’s behavior, he has to be very careful with how he voices that.
Q: Several readers sent questions for you. Annie M. asks: “I was wondering if Stephen’s life has gotten any crazier since becoming a vampire, like how Robert Pattinson’s life has gotten insane.”
A: It’s changed an awful lot. I don’t think it’s quite up to Pattinsonian standards, but it is lovely. (Laughs.) One thing about living in L.A. whilst I film this is that I think Los Angelenos have a very comfortable way, because they’re so used to being around people from the business. They’re very comfortable just coming up and saying, “Hey, man. I love your work.” And then they leave you alone. It’s really quite refreshing. You get the odd one who comes up and says “Bite me!” and I’ve literally met three people who’ve named their dog Sookie, and they’d like me to call after Sookie as Bill. But on the whole, it’s pretty much the same.
Q: Ksulycos asks, “What is really in the Tru Blood bottles?”
A: Last season, our set dresser and prop maker came up with a really fantastic blend. It took a while to get there, because obviously it had to be the deepest red. But what it ended up being is kind of like a raspberry puree. It’s like V8, but they put like 1,000 raspberries in a sieve, and they crush them and blend them. So it tastes pretty darn good, and it leaves a really great stain on your lips.
Q: Have you read the books, and, if so, how do you feel about the way the show is vastly different from the books? — Ashleigh P.
A: I have read the books, and I think Charlaine (Harris, the author) has done an amazing job of creating this world. Obviously, the books are told very much from Sookie’s point of view, but I think Alan has made a brilliant choice to extend Jason’s character, and to create the Tara character. Also, I think the relationship between Bill and Sookie is more loving than it is in the books, which I think is going to make it much more interesting when events occur that change that.
Q: Celia P. asks, “Do you feel your real-life relationship with Anna (Paquin) helps or hinders your performance on the set?”
A: We have now been together for nearly two years. Our relationship has grown with everybody watching us and knowing us, so we’re incredibly comfortable in front of (the crew). I actually think that it helps, because we are able to try things in the sex scenes — I think we’re able to do things that perhaps a couple that weren’t together would never dare try. It certainly makes those moments much easier on the crew knowing that we feel comfortable. I’m so used to having them on set when Anna and I are having a love scene that when we get home and we’re in bed by ourselves, I kind of miss them.
Q: Bill B. asks, “I’ve read a lot of criticism of how Southern culture and people are portrayed on the show. How did you prepare to portray a Southern character? What, if any, is your response to such criticism?”
A: I haven’t had any criticism at all of my stuff — I’ve been very lucky, I think. I love the South, I love Bill. I love the way he sounds, I love doing the accent. I prepared for it quite meticulously, and I work hard on making it correct, and we did try to make him very different-sounding from all the other characters, in that he’s 173 years old.
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Q&A with Ryan Kwanten (Jason Stackhouse)
Series creator Alan Ball says the new season will be “more of everything,” sex, violence, gore, humor….
“Absolutely. If we sort of opened the door to ‘True Blood’ in the first season, this second season kicks it down.
There are new characters, and we’ve moved out of Bon Temps, well, a couple of us have; the majority of the season takes place in Dallas. I try to find myself there–and my faith. Just the sheer scope of the show is much bigger this year.”
The freshman season was pretty damn sexy and gory. It’s hard to imagine how this year could rank any higher on the shocker scale.
“Oh, it’s gonna be tenacious, it’s going to be awe-inspiring, and it’s going to be macabre.”
The bad boyish Jason Stackhouse has a rather ironic new storyline. Like many lost souls, he seems to be finding (some kind of) religion.
“He really starts the second season with a void inside of him and is looking for something to fill it. What really what lies inside of him? A small boy. He thinks this ‘Light of Day’ and the church sect is his way out.”
SPOILER ALERT
Is this ‘church’ a full-fledged cult?
“Yeah, as more and more information unfolds, even someone as simple as Jason sees the cracks in the foundation. Reverend Steve Newlin tends to go a little AWOL, and he turns his God-loving group into a vampire-hating group [he thinks vampires killed his father]. That’s when Jason starts to question things–and that’s also when Sookie becomes [*#@%^*], so it all becomes…there are some great things to look forward to.”
Season 2 is setting up one hell of a showdown for the Stackhouse family: brother and sister are deeply entrenched in complex themes of light and dark. Jason’s a soldier for an evangelical anti-vampire group, while Vampire Bill–and Vampire Eric–sink their fangs even deeper into a very willing Sookie.
“Those worlds collide. [The arc this season] sets up those two worlds, raises the stakes and does it in such a way, that when they do meet, it’s quite catastrophic–and people will die.”
SPOILER ALERT
Will it be a major character death?
“[pause] It will be, yeah. [Kwanten clears his throat, then laughs] I’m getting nervous….”
Your character has more sex than anyone in Bon Temps, La. How did you feel about all those sex scenes in Season 1?
“Yeah, he came out of the gate pretty strong. Every script I get continues to surprise me, and that kind of stuff you’re referring to, when it comes to playing Jason, I just fly by the seat of my pants.”
What does your family think of your sexed-up role?
“They love the series. But they’re back in Australia; I’m glad I didn’t have to watch it with them because that would be awkward. My mum has seen me naked in my early years, of course, but not in those, uh, compromising positions.”
Jason’s new relationship with God must mean less sex scenes for you now, I imagine.
“Jason’s all buttoned up with nowhere to go.”
It’s admirable that he’s trying to clean up his act, but for how long can Jason’s no boozin’ and no broads rule last?
“He’s not known for his willpower. But he’s giving it a good shot. He realizes that something in him has to change. It reminds me of that Ralph Waldo Emerson quote:
‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.’
So who is your love interest this season? There are at least three potential candidates: There’s definitely electricity between you and the reverend’s wife Sarah; there’s a Christian singing cutie; and even Bill’s newly acquired, and naughty, vampire brat Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) seems like she could be Jason’s type.
“That’s funny. He is trying to have a relationship with God, at this early point. He’s trying to steer clear of letting his hips lead his every direction. Use his heart, use his head, instead. He’s trying.”
How do you prepare for all those shirtless scenes?
“I always keep myself in good condition, it’s part of being an actor. In a way, I’m a bit of a masochist at heart.”
SPOILER ALERT
There’s also new blood this season, most notably, Michelle Forbes’ ‘mysterious creature.’ What is the deal with this Maryann character?
“No one is who they seem. She seems unbelievably sweet…but she ends up turning the whole town into quite bizarre little creatures. It’s all kinds of hush hush, but it gets very…SEXUAL. And I’m not involved in it for once. I got a lot of my sex out of the way in the first season. I can’t word it without giving it away, but she’s not what she seems to be.”
We’re also awaiting the arrival of Evan Rachel Wood, who’s playing the Vampire Queen. Is there anything you can tease about that?
“She hasn’t started working yet, but we’re excited to have her on board. She’s the oldest vampire we’ve had on the show–which then makes her the most powerful, so that gives you some idea.”
Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) has telepathic powers. As her sibling, why doesn’t Jason have any kind of powers?
“Well, Jason THINKS he has powers [laughs]…that’s kind of all that matters.”
SPOILER ALERT
Speaking of gifts, Sookie discovers something surprising while she’s on a mission for Vampire Eric in Dallas.
“I don’t want to say too much, but Sookie meets someone she has a surprising connection with.”
The show has an awesome soundtrack. What’s Jason’s theme song?
“Yeah, it really does. He’s definitely something in the rock world, at one point his ring phone was an AC/DC song, but he’s definitely a getting-the-adrenaline-pumping kind of guy.”
Vampires have captivated people for, um, ever…what do you think makes them so sexy?
“I don’t know if I’d say they were sexy. To me the allure, I guess, is that it’s the devil you don’t know.”
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Popwrap's Interview With Alexander Skarsgard (Eric Northman)
In just a few short appearances during season one, Alexander Skarsgard proved why he makes such a convincing vampire.
The 6′ 4″ star possess all of the mysterious magnetism that makes Bon Temps’ creatures of the night so dang alluring.
With season two devoting quite a lot of time towards discovering who Eric is — besides owner of the show’s best bar, Fangtasia (sorry Sam) — fans are going to learn that there’s more to this “man” than meets the eye. In fact, according to Alexander, we’ll see the softer side of Eric.
Now that last night’s premiere has finally revealed Lafayette’s fate (yay!), I was able to chat with Alexander about his role in the abduction, what is in store for Eric this year and how Alexander plans to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fans in rioting should HBO not renew “True Blood” for a third season!
PopWrap: The reveal of Eric last night with tinfoil in his hair was amazing. How did that come about?
Alexander Skarsgård: We had a lot of fun with that scene. I worked on that with the costume designer, wanting to find something weird or disturbing and flip flops was probably the weirdest outfit we could come up with for a badass vampire to wear while killing a guy.
PW: Was it hard looking scary in that outfit?
Alexander: That’s what I loved about the scene; I could have come down in a long black leather cape, looking tough. But I came down with foil wrapped tips. Look, Eric’s beauty session with Pam was interrupted. What can I say?
PW: And after a whole summer of wondering Lafayette was dead, you actually had him chained up in the basement!
Alexander: Nelsan [Ellis] who plays Lafayette is so amazing. He’s created such an incredible character. I mean, you can not kill that guy! He’s too good. We need him on the show!
PW: Going into season two, it’s clear that Eric is going to have a much bigger role. Did you know that coming in?
Alexander: Well, before I started filming season one, I read the first five books, so I had a vague idea that season one would just be an introducing to Eric and he’d develop more in further seasons. I love that we’re starting to show other sides of Eric besides being the badass vampire. There’s so much more to him and he’s got a lot at stake, personally, in season two.
PW: Although Eric wasn’t in season one that much, he came away being a fan favorite. Why do you think people responded to him so strongly?
Alexander: That’s a good question because I was quite overwhelmed with the response last year. I know that Eric has a lot of fans from the books, but I was a glorified extra in season one, so I was very surprised that I got so much attention. But even though he’s not always there, when he does come in, there is a mystery about him. I don’t know, something resonated about Eric and I’m still not sure what it is.
PW: Eric and Sookie’s relationship becomes a focus in season two, what does he think of her?
Alexander: Eric is intrigued by Sookie. When you’ve been around for 1,000 years, you become jaded, you’re not easily impressed. Especially by a human! Then Sookie comes along and surprises him. So when that happens, you’re obviously going to try and figure out what makes them tick.
PW: How does Eric and Sookie’s relationship grow?
Alexander: A bunch of us go to Dallas because a friend of mine has gone missing, which is why season two is so personal for Eric. We’ll actually see another side of him — see that Eric is loyal and caring and sensitive. I mean, he’s still the same old Eric, don’t get me wrong, there’s just more to him than being an evil vampire.
PW: Sounds like Dallas is a bit of bedlam?
Alexander: Yeah, there’s a lot of mayhem in Dallas, but at the same time in Bon Temps, the s*** really hits the fan. So it’s chaos on both fronts. It’s an action packed season.
PW: The writing this year really is impressive as well.
Alexander: That’s the thing, reading the scripts, every one reads like the season finale. It just keeps getting crazier and crazier.
PW: Have you read the season finale?
Alexander: I have.
PW: Does it end with another cliffhanger to keep fans talking until season three … should there be one?
Alexander: The season two finale will not be a conclusion of “True Blood.” Of course we’re all hoping to continue this journey, keep telling these stories. But there are no guarantees in life, so I’m not taking anything for granted.
PW: If there is no season three, fans will riot!
Alexander: Oh trust me, I’ll be part of that riot too!
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Q&A with Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte)
Where are you from?
I am originally from Louisiana, Texas, North Dakota, then for the most part Charleston, West Virginia.
How did you get into acting?
I had never acted in my life until the last semester of my senior year at Brown University. A friend who was an actor suggested I audition for The New Plays Festival where a number of graduate student plays are produced. They needed a bunch of actors. I auditioned, was cast, and was immediately taken with it. I did a couple more plays before I graduated and then moved straight to New York City to pursue a career.
If you were immortal, what would you do differently from what you do now?
If I was immortal I’d probably take a day off and just chill out–no need to rush.
If you could read minds like Anna Paquin’s character Sookie, whose mind would you read?
I’d want to read my 2 and a half year old niece’s mind.
Which celebrity do you suspect is most likely to be a secret vampire?
Marie Osmond for sure.
What’s your favorite vampire movie, book, or TV show besides True Blood?
“Let the Right One In”
What’s the scariest or strangest thing that’s happened on the set of the show?
We were driving out in the middle of nowhere in Louisiana to shoot a scene on a Lake last year. We turned a corner and I realized we were in a town my great Aunts and Uncles grew up in. 13 were buried in the grave there. In the scene, I ended up running naked across land once owned by my great, great Grandfather.
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Q&A with Valerie Cruz (Isabel)
Where are you from?
Originally from Elizabeth New Jersey…but moved around a lot all of my life. Spent majority of my time though in various parts of Arizona and Des Moines, Iowa growing up.
How did you get into acting?
I always had an appreciation for the arts. My mom had me reading by four so I lived in books. She was always really good about taking us to museums and shows when I was a child. I grew up playing the cello and writing quite a bit. I guess I caught the acting bug after seeing a touring company of CATS in Des Moines when I was thirteen. It was pretty much the most amazing and moving thing I had set my eyes on up to that point. So I started acting in High School, and then continued my studies at Florida State University where I received a BFA in theater.
If you were immortal, what would you do differently from what you do now?
Wow, probably wouldn’t worry as much. I figure if I had eternity to sort it all out, stressing out or being upset would be rather futile and silly right?
Can the vampire universes of True Blood and Twilight peacefully coexist?
I don’t know…I think maybe the True Blood vampires would be jealous of the Twilight vampires for being so sparkly and shiny in the sun…they are the supermodels of the vampire world…and I think that we have all seen that supermodels and humans have difficulties with peaceful coexistence…a la the Naomi episodes.
What would a rumble between the two casts look like?
I think it would a little like the rumble in West Side story…with lots of hair product and fancy dance numbers and lots of hot men! And Yes I think the True Blood Vampires would definately crush the sparkly Twilight Vamps, without question.
If you could read minds like Anna Paquin’s character Sookie, whose mind would you read?
Every politician. Finally get some real answers…although it might be a scary proposition.
Which celebrity do you suspect is most likely to be a secret vampire?
Dakota Fanning….because it is probably the least obvious choice right?
What’s your favorite vampire movie, book, or TV show besides True Blood?
I did a lot of research before I started work on the show so i think I can say without question Bram Stokers Dracula. It is just freaking amazing! Gary Oldman is just superb as Dracula. I am also a big fan of the Underworld series.
What’s the scariest or strangest thing that’s happened on the set of the show?
Nothing unusual really comes to mind…but we were shooting on location at one of the countries biggest cemeteries…and that was a little creepy but interesting.
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Q&A with Mehcad Brooks (Eggs)
Where are you from?
I’m from beautiful and green Austin, Texas.
How did you get into acting?
I watched Eddie Murphy Raw and Delirious every day after school in elementary and middle school before my parents got home. I realized that entertaining people was a career and I thought I’m already doing that I may as well be paid for it.
If you were immortal, what would you do differently from what you do now?
If I were immortal…nothing. Because I would have plenty of time to correct my many mistakes.
Can the vampire universes of True Blood and Twilight peacefully coexist?
Of course. It’s not like the democrats and the republicans. Twilight is amazing. Jackson Rathbone and Edi Gathegi from the film are friends. But I think our vamps are the ones the adults watch when they tuck the kiddies into their twilight sheets and knickers.
What would a rumble between the two casts look like?
We could always have a “vamp-off” which was very common in 15th century Wallachia and current day New Orleans. But my prediction is after a couple rounds they’d be begging for their undead mothers.
If you could read minds like Anna Paquin’s character Sookie, whose mind would you read?
Dick Chaney. Come on. You know you want to know too.
Which celebrity do you suspect is most likely to be a secret vampire?
In that “cool vamp” way…Nick Cage. In the traditional sense of the matter… there are plenty of parasites. Not too many secretive about that.
What’s your favorite vampire movie, book, or TV show besides True Blood?
Bram Stoker and Nosferatu.
What’s the scariest or strangest thing that’s happened on the set of the show?
Love scenes scare me like Carrie Prejean’s politics.
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