True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard: ‘Fame scared me’

What’s the best thing about playing Eric, the 1000-year-old Viking vampire in True Blood?

“As an actor, the last thing I want to play is a typical handsome leading man. It’s always great when you play a complicated character like Eric.”

So there’s more to him than just biting necks?

“In the first series, people thought he was just a bad guy, but there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye. We’re now seeing his loyal, caring and sensitive side. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still the same old Eric – there’s just more to him than being an evil vampire.”

Are you a music fan?

“I’d much rather be a rock star than an actor. My favourites are Van Morrison and The Clash. Because I’m Swedish, people think I must like ABBA, but they were always much bigger in the rest of the world than they ever were in Sweden.”

Read more of the interview here.

Q&A with True Blood author Charlaine Harris

AMERICAN author Charlaine Harris is best known for vampires-in-the-deep-south True Blood novels featuring heroine Sookie Stackhouse. On Wednesday, she’s signing books in Nottingham.

You’ve created a world of “supes” although the fairies have gone. (I’ll miss ’em, I love the way you gave them Irish names). Are there any new beings to come?

In the next book there’s an incidental character who’s of another race. And there are still some fairies hanging around. Hope you enjoy them.

What did you think of the True Blood TV version and were you able to have any input in the series? (They did seem to go overboard on the sex.)

I love the TV show, and I really enjoy seeing my work through Alan’s interpretation. (Alan Ball, who created American series Six Feet Under, is creator and producer of the True Blood television series.) My input lies in writing the books the show is based on.

What did you think of our true Brit Stephen Moyer’s performance as Bill Compton?

I admire Stephen. I’m so pleased he’s in the series, and I think he’s given Bill depth and great appeal.

You also write crime fiction with the Harper Connelly “grave” stories. Would you like to see Harper get the same small screen treatment as Sookie? The latest instalment, Grave Secret, seems to flesh out some characters, such as Manfred and Harper’s sisters, aunt and uncle, so there seem to be plenty of cast members for a TV series. Was this deliberate?

No, I fleshed out the characters because they were an integral part of the story. But there has been TV interest in the Harper books, and it may happen, may not.

Read more of Charlaine’s interview here.

I have to point out that Alexander would make a kick ass rock star. Would you agree with that? I don’t even care if he has a good voice, I just want to see him in skin tight leather pants…. 🙂

Charlaine Harris does a lot of interviews. I think it’s great that she is so accessible.

I’m sad that the Harper Connelly series hasn’t gotten interest for a TV series. I love those books and I think as a series it would do well. What do you think?