/ These interviews with actors Alexander Skarsgård, who plays Viking vampire Eric Northman, and Stephen Moyer, who plays Southern vampire Bill Compton, were conducted by E! News at the True Blood season-two premiere party at the Paramount lot in Hollywood on the evening of June 9, 2009. /

Full Article & Videos:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b128607_true_blood_eric_bill_talk_season_two.html

Tags: Articles, Video, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, True Blood

Looks like Vampire Bill needs your helps, folks!

/ Robert Pattinson heats up the big screen as Edward Cullen in "Twilight," while Stephen Moyer displays his dark side as vampire Bill Compton in HBO's "True Blood."

Both of the bloodsuckers have denied the dark side of feeding off humans -- and both have a smoldering human love interest to share the screen!

Tell "Extra" -- Which vampire gets your blood rushing? /

Vote: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2009/06/vote_who_is_the_hottest_vampir.php

Tags: Articles, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

True Blood’s Stephen Moyer appeared on The View today to talk about the show, being a celebrity, his relationship with Anna and more!

Tags: Video, Stephen Moyer, TV, Appearances, True Blood

Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin took part in an article and a dazzling cover shoot for the June 15th, 2009 issue of TV Guide.

/ Unless you’ve been locked in a coffin lately, you know the hit HBO vampire drama True Blood helped ignite a true romance between stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. As telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse and Civil War–era bloodsucker Bill Compton, their sizzle is undeniable. “Our characters have had f---ing lust, romantic sex, emotional sex...” Moyer says. But as the show returns for Season 2, “it’s more like a normal relationship. They argue. But there’s a yang to that yin. There’s makeup sex.” Phew. Who wants to see these hot supernaturals paying bills and shopping at Wal-Mart? /

Full Article:
http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/feature/bloody-valentines-1373.html

...and here’s a video of the True Blood cast on the set of their cover shoot for TV Guide:


For more with Anna, Stephen and the rest of the cast, pick up the June 15 issue of TV Guide Magazine, on stands now!

Tags: Articles, Video, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, True Blood

The Paramount Theater in Los Angeles hosted the second season premiere party for "True Blood" on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009. Members of the cast and crew were in attendence, including Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alan Ball, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Carrie Preston, Alexander Skarsgard, Nelsan Ellis, Todd Lowe and several others.

You can view video from the event at:
http://extratv.warnerbros.com/videos/channels/?channel=channels/79356

Forum member Beerwolf is posting numerous photos from the event in our forum:
http://thebluewhalepub.com/viewtopic.php?p=132501#p132501

Tags: Appearances, Cast, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alan Ball, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Carrie Preston, Alexander Skarsgard, Nelsan Ellis, Todd Lowe, True Blood

/ We just spoke exclusively with True Blood's leading man, Stephen Moyer, aka Bill Compton himself, to find out what's in store for the vampires of the dirty, dirty South in season two. He told us that while there will be just as many near-pornographic sex scenes, his character is still primarily driven by an overiding morality and an abiding passion for Sookie Stackhouse.

Read on to find out what he told us about sex scenes, his "hideous" vampire daughter and falling in love with Anna Paquin, onscreen and off...

Is True Blood going to stay as explicitly sexual this season or will you dial that back a bit?

Stephen: The show is ridiculously f--king sexy…I think Alan Ball and the writers do very well in pushing the envelope. I think one of the things that drives me nuts about society is that you can watch hours about terrorists but you can't look at a human nipple. What the f--k is that about? Sex is part of our lives. It's part of our existence. So I kind of embrace the fact that we hit it full on the head. /

Full Article:
http://au.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b127160_true_blood_shes_given_him_reason_live.html

Tags: Articles, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

/ What's coming up on season two? Is it based a lot on the books?

Stephen Moyer: We follow the skeleton of the books. We follow the same patterns and ideas of the book. But there's a new character, Jessica. There are new things in the story. Yes, we follow the skeleton of the book, but Alan and this team of writers are taking it to a place that I certainly didn't know existed. It is insane. I can't describe it but I don't think there has ever been anything like it before on television. I'm very proud of it.

More insane than season one? That's going to be tough.

Stephen Moyer: You are in for a ride. We've seen up to episode three and I came out thoroughly moved by it, and shocked at how brilliant it is. It seems like every episode is getting better, better, and better. I really do think this season is going to be a very difficult one to beat.

What about Bill and Sookie?

Stephen Moyer: Well, I know what happens in book three. There is in book three and at the end of book two a triangle developing between Bill, Sookie, and Eric. That is definitely present on our show, and rightly so, because you can't watch two people be incredibly happy for 12 episodes. You might as well be making a sitcom. That is not our show. There has to be conflict. I think the show works, Alan puts characters in conflict. He puts little obstacles in their way and sees how they deal with them, and their loved ones, to see how their partners react when they are given those. I think that is really interesting to watch as an audience. /

Full Article:
http://www.daemonstv.com/2009/06/01/stephen-moyer-from-true-blood-exclusive-interview/

Tags: Articles, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

Stephen Moyer will be appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday June 10th, 2009.

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/

Tags: Appearances, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

InsideView: Bruce Dunn, co-producer HBO series True Blood
Markee

"Bruce Dunn has co-produced Strange Love, Tell Me You Love Me, Local Color, Kingdom Hospital, and has associate produced Californication, The Path to 9/11, Desperation, Sleeper Cell, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, Rose Red, Storm of the Century, The Siege at Ruby Ridge, and Sophie & the Moonhanger.

Markee: HBO’s new hit series, True Blood, from Alan Ball, gives a new twist to the vampire legend. With the development of synthetic blood, vampires have come out of the coffin to be integrated with mortal culture in rural Louisiana. Did you shoot there at all?
Dunn: We shot in Shreveport to get big-value local exteriors: the town of Bon Temps, the trailer that a tornado supposedly hit surrounded by those mossy trees we love, the exterior of Jason’s and Bill’s houses. We’re definitely going back to block shoot for the second season – it’s important for Alan to be where Charlaine Harris set her Sookie Stackhouse books. Louisiana’s tax incentives are icing on the cake, and the crews supporting us there are top-notch.

Since the second book in the series is called Living Dead in Dallas, it’s likely we’ll do doing a bit of shooting in Dallas, too.

MARKEE: Right from the opening titles – a collage of images ranging from bayous and evangelicals to sexy dancers and road kill – the audience knows it’s in for a different viewing experience.
Dunn: Digital Kitchen did the title montage. They worked on the opening sequence for Six Feet Under so Alan had a relationship with them. Their storyboards for the initial presentation blew us away – they really caught the flavor of what we were looking for. One of the mandates was to sell Louisiana, to let viewers know they were going to see something quirky and visit locations they’d never been to before."

Full Article:
http://www.markeemag.com/site/MMdepartments1.php#inview


One-On-One Interview with Actor Todd Lowe
By Jerod Williams
Splash Magazines Worldwide

"JW: What can the audience expect for Season 2 of TRUE BLOOD?
TL: I am contractually bound not to disclose any upcoming spoilers for Season 2. I’m dying to tell someone. I can’t even tell my mom who uses my cousins to get information out of me. I can tell you this much just based on last season that Terry’s coming back and appears to have a developing relationship with Arlene (played by Carrie Preston).

JW: Does your theatre background work better for you in either television or film ?
TL: I would have to say television. Television is a medium that I prefer and I am able to improvise. There is a rhythm and an arc and a pace that feels comfortable. There is something about doing a television table read that feels like reading a stage play. I’m thankful for having a theatre background because as an actor, you can sense the pulse of your audience whether it is with the director, the writer, the studio heads, etc. At this point in my career, I haven’t done enough film to know if I am good at it. I’m more of a character actor and I put a lot of myself into playing oddballs. "

Full Article:
http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Celebrity_Talk_102/One-On-One_Interview_with_Actor_Todd_Lowe_-.php


True Blood grabs audiences by the jugular
By Erica Thompson
The Courier-Mail

"THERE'S one major drawback to being a vampire in Los Angeles.

"I wasn't allowed to go into the sun because my character's white," laments British actor Stephen Moyer, who plays a 173-year-old blood sucker in raunchy US drama True Blood.

"After a while I was like, 'Come on, guys. I'm in LA! I live by the beach. Let me play'.

"Then of course I started getting the LA permatan and got in big trouble.""

Full Article:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25002140-7642,00.html


Paquin: Not Exactly Bloodthirsty
By Tom Gilbert
TV Week

"Blink has heard of low-carb diets, but this borders on the extreme. According to Dan Rebert, a creature and prosthetics make-up artist with MastersFX, which just signed on to do effects for a second season of HBO’s “True Blood,” star Anna Paquin is way conscientious about what she consumes on the set, even in character.

“Alan Ball requested of us during the first season that any time Anna Paquin needs to drink ‘blood’ on set, we have to ensure that our special-effects blood is carb-free...."

Full Article:
http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/blink/2009/01/paquin_not_exactly_bloodthirst.php


2009 MPSE Golden Reel Award Nominees: Television

"Best Sound Editing: Short Form Dialogue and ADR in Television

CALIFORNICATION “The Raw and the Cooked”
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION “Bull”
CSI: NY “Hostage #421”
FRINGE “Safe”
LOST “Confirmed Dead #402”
MAD MEN “The Jet Set”
THE TUDORS “Episode 210”
TRUE BLOOD “The Fourth Man in the Fire"

The Awards will be presented February 21, 2009:
Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
404 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Full List Of Nominees:
http://www.mpse.org/goldenreels/2009awards/2009tvnominees.html


20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees

"OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
The L Word (Showtime)
South of Nowhere (The N)
Torchwood (BBC America)
True Blood (HBO)"

Winners will be awarded their trophies during a trio of ceremonies in New York (March 28th), Los Angeles (April 18th) and San Francisco (May 9th).

Full list of nominees:
http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/20thAnnual/nominees.php


HBO Asia Takes Personalisation To New Levels
by Daryl Tay
Unique-Frequency.com

"Earlier this year, I got an email from Yin Qi from HBO Asia, who I met at a Social Media Breakfast, asking me if I was back from exchange and that HBO had a little something to send me for the new year. I replied yes and provided them with my address. When the package came, I was pleasantly surprised to find not one, but two True Blood calendars..."

Full Article:
http://uniquefrequency.com/2009/01/22/hbo-asia-takes-personalisation-to-new-levels/


Ad-On: 'Q' Score May Suggest Better TV Performance
by Wayne Friedman
Media Post News

"Emotionally bonded to your TV show? That may mean more to advertisers than just pure TV viewership.
Marketing Evaluations' Q Scores says high emotional bonding to TV shows is a better indication of future TV performance. In a recent study with its new metric, "Emotional Bonding Q scores," a number of scripted cable dramas posted better emotional levels than broadcast TV shows among women viewers.

Showtime's "Dexter," Sci-Fi Channel's "Sanctuary," ABC Family's "The Middleman" and HBO's "True Blood" bested all top broadcast TV shows. With a 100 index being average, "Dexter" hit a 174 index with females 18-49, the highest of any TV show. "Sanctuary" had a 171, "Middleman" was at 168 and "True Blood" earned a 157."

Full Article:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=98834

Tags: Articles, Stephen Moyer, Todd Lowe, Tru Blood

Press Release – for immediate release:

Brentwood Theatre congratulates ANNA PAQUIN - best known for winning an Oscar at the age of 11 for her role in THE PIANO and for playing Rogue in X-MEN – on her winning the 2009 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama, HBO’s TRUE BLOOD. Ms. Paquin plays Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic Louisiana waitress who falls for a vampire with a conscience.

And playing that vampire is Essex’s own STEPHEN MOYER, Patron of Brentwood Theatre!

Attending the ceremony with Ms. Paquin, Stephen commented, “I am so pleased for Anna. This series has been so well received in America, and it is great that the critics recognise its impact. Last week, we started filming Season Two, which takes us through until July. I am hoping to return to Brentwood in April when TRUE BLOOD launches in the UK on The FX Channel.”

TRUE BLOOD is a rather raunchy, utterly captivating story of vampires freely “living” among humans, thanks to the discovery of synthetic blood. Alan Ball – writer and creator of HBO’s acclaimed SIX FEET UNDER and Academy Award winning AMERICAN BEAUTY – dramatically adapted the popular Southern Vampire books written by Charlaine Harris, whose heroine’s supernatural abilities make her a target by all manner of night creatures.

Through Steve's Patronage of Brentwood Theatre, TRUE BLOOD fans have donated nearly four thousand pounds in two months - including a generous donation from author Charlaine Harris. These kind gifts to “STEPHEN’s FUND” will be invested in the completion of the community facilities at the Theatre. The final fitting-out, including a new multi-purpose community room, should be completed by Easter.

Before hitting the big-time, Steve was directed by Gaynor Wilson, who now runs youth group BOSSY, the first group to perform after the rebuilding with “FAME” -- which Stephen came along to see in November.

When asked about his protégé’s success, Gaynor said, “BOSSY are delighted for Steve on the success of TRUE BLOOD and send all of their good wishes for Season Two. The students can't wait to see it! Also, many congratulations to Steve’s co-star Anna Paquin on winning the Golden Globe!”

“The fantastic responses from their American fans and supporters is quite overwhelming. 'Stephen's Fund' will make such a difference to companies like BOSSY, who will be putting the new community room to such good use during production week for 'Ain't Life Good!' at the end of April… which we hope with any luck will coincide with Steve's return for the UK's 'True Blood' launch, so that he can see the show.”

BOSSY is the youth acting section of the Brentwood Operatic Society, comprised of boys and girls between the ages of 11-16 years who audition for participation. They are among forty-plus non-professional organizations that call Brentwood Theatre home.

Naming a brick and/or obtaining a signed certificate from Stephen are still options! For more information, please contact mark@brentwood-theatre.org or Jean, Volunteer Fundraising Coordinator for Brentwood Theatre, at laprov@optonline.net

Tags: Stephen Moyer, True Blood

Thanks to all the super fast YouTube vidders for these clips:

True Blood - Paquin wins GG, plus the after party interview


True Blood on E's Golden Globes preshow


True Blood on TVG's Golden Globes preshow
(Lisa Rinna's portion is cringe-worthy but Joey Fatone seems to be a fan)


30 Rock & True Blood: Join the Celebration!
By Kristin Dos Santos

Ashlan Gorse chatted up everybody's favorite fangbangers from the vampire drama True Blood at the HBO afterparty

Tags: Video, Appearances, Awards, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Nelsan Ellis, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, True Blood

Fans of Stephen Moyer — star of HBO’s True Blood are supporting their favorite Vampire to ‘re-Vamp’ Brentwood Theatre!

The initial success of “Stephen’s Fund” – created to support Brentwood Theatre’s building renovations campaign – has brought hundreds of responses and more than £1500 in the first few days since launching!

More than 15 unofficial ‘True Blood’ related fan websites have posted the appeal – reaching fans in the USA, Canada, Italy, France, and Germany.

Author CHARLAINE HARRIS whose Southern Vampire-Sookie Stackhouse books inspired the hit HBO series, has also joined the effort!

This is a limited opportunity supporting the final phase of construction at Brentwood Theatre – Essex, UK’s vital, professional community theatre serving dozens of local non-professional performance groups – where Stephen is Patron. A great holiday gift for your fan!

Each £25 (appx $40) minimum donation gets a certificate personally SIGNED by STEPHEN MOYER as commemorative thank you! Each £50 (appx USD $80) donor will be able to name a Brick for the theatre’s donor wall and receive the certificate. One or two lines (16 total spaces/letters per line)
http://www.brentwood-theatre.org/donations.htm
(Note: If you have trouble with Internet Explorer as your browser; download Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome at no cost to make your donation easily.)

Other naming opportunities are available, as well as corporate sponsorships. Please contact Mark at mark@brentwood-theatre.org or Jean at LaProv@optonline.net for more information.

Tags: Stephen Moyer, True Blood

For all Fans of True Blood, Southern Vampires, & Charlaine Harris! An opportunity to help complete backstage facilities at Brentwood Theatre and receive a certificate signed by your favorite vampire, Stephen Moyer!

HBO/True Blood’s own Stephen Moyer, born in Brentwood, Essex, UK, is Brentwood Theatre's first Patron. His initial effort as Patron is supporting their "Reaching Out, Building On" campaign to help fund the 2008 completion of the backstage facilities renovations. http://www.brentwood-theatre.org/

Inspired by the first gift from the USA in his honor, as heard in an interview with Stephen on the Opening night performance of “Fame” Nov 4th (click here)
http://www.phoenixfm.com/upload/Phoenix%20FM%20Interview%20with%20Stephen%20Moyer%20041108%20(Steve%20Mead).MP3
the idea to appeal to ALL FANS of Stephen or “True Blood” became a reality!

This limited opportunity supporting the final phase of construction gets each £25 minimum donation a signed certificate as commemorative thank you!

Campaign Purpose: In September 2005, Brentwood Theatre launched an appeal to raise £350,000 to replace existing temporary facilities with proper, accessible dressing rooms and backstage facilities. The works commenced in June 2008, and the Theatre re-opened at the end of October, but £75,000 is still needed to finish and open the Theatre office and the new ‘multi purpose room’ in 2009 for community use.

About the theatre: Brentwood Theatre aims to provide the people of Brentwood and the surrounding areas with a vibrant, artistically challenging, community theatre, which offers a wide-ranging program in the performing arts. Visitors to the theatre number over 15,000, who come to attend a wide variety of productions. More than forty non-professional drama and music companies consider BT their “home” – bringing their finished productions (rehearsed, costumed, and set elsewhere) to this professional venue for public presentation.

Several gift options are available, and no gift is too small!

It’s EASY to make your contribution by credit card, PayPal account, or eCheck with your PayPal account. Select the amount you wish to contribute and in the MEMO box, type in any comments or instructions. If you are buying a brick, type in the one or two lines (16 total spaces/letters per line) you want printed.
http://www.brentwood-theatre.org/direct.php?p=custom.php?n=Donations%20-%20Buy%20a%20Brick

If link doesn’t work, please copy and paste link into your browser.

GIVING OPTIONS INCLUDE:

*Buy-A-Brick Scheme: £50 (appx USD $80) or more – Donors at this level will be able to name a Brick for the theatre’s donor wall and receive a certificate signed by patron Stephen Moyer. One or two lines (16 total spaces/letters per line)

*Certificates: Donors at the £25 to £49 (appx $40 to $78) level will receive a certificate signed by patron Stephen Moyer.

*Friends: Donors with a minimum of £20 (or $32) and up will receive an honorary membership card in the Friends of Brentwood Theatre good for one year.

Tags: Stephen Moyer, True Blood

The leads of True Blood, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, were recently interviewed by Media Blvd. Magazine. You can read these articles online.

Anna Paquin’s Interview:
http://www.mediablvd.com/magazine/the_news/celebrity/anna_paquin_takes_the_lead_in_%22true_blood%22_200809071268.html

Stephen Moyer’s Interview:
http://www.mediablvd.com/magazine/the_news/celebrity/stephen_moyer__in_%22true_blood%22_200809191289.html

Tags: Articles, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

The Los Angeles Premiere screening of HBO's Series "True Blood" was held at the Cinerama Dome on September 4, 2008 in Hollywood, Cafliornia. This was followed up by an after-party where “Tru Blood” was served...

Photos of people arriving at the premiere:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/lyINc-n9krE/Los+Angeles+Premiere+HBO+Series+True+Blood/

Photos from the After Party:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/pqJwTA5HBL8/Los+Angeles+Premiere+HBO+Series+True+Blood/

Tags: Appearances, Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, Charlaine Harris, True Blood

True Blood’s Stephen Moyer made a brief appearance on the September 3rd, 2008 Broadcast Of Entertainment Tonight. He talks about the difficulty in talking while wearing fangs and does a great comic Dracula impression.



(Source: Forum member Bretagne)

Tags: Video, Stephen Moyer, Appearances, True Blood

The True Blood “Cast & Crew” section has been updated with new photos and in depth biographies for Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell and Nelsan Ellis. Other cast and crew data has been ammended, as well.

Additionally, a new page has been added, titled “About True Blood”, that provides a general overview of the TV Series.

Tags: Site Update, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, True Blood

Extensive footage of the HBO True Blood Panel at San Diego Comic-Con has been posted online in 8 parts. These were recorded by an audience member and seem to be mosty of the view screen. You can view them below:

















(Source: Gonturan74 )

Tags: Video, Convention, Appearances, Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, Rutina Wesley, Charlaine Harris

Yet another snippet of video footage from the HBO Tru Blood Comic-Con Panel has surfaced. This time from Daemons.tv, it features Q&A with Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, CHarlaine Harris and Stephen Moyer.




Thanks to forum member LadyAyla for the heads up.

Tags: Video, Convention, Appearances, Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Charlaine Harris, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

Additional season 1 promotional photos of Sookie Stackhouse and vampire Bill Compton have been added to the True Blood Photo Gallery. Also, another photo of Stephen Moyer has been added to the HBO TCA Summer 2008 photo album under Appearances.

Tags: Site Update, Pictures, Appearances, Stephen Moyer, True Blood

Six photos, taken during the HBO True Blood Panel at Comic-Con 2008, have been added to the “Appearances” section of the Photo Gallery. If you’d like to contribute some photos of your own, please let me know!

Thanks to aceattorney for the current photos.

Tags: Pictures, Appearances, Convention, Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, True Blood

Courtesy of KPBS, we have around 8 minutes of video from the HBO True Blood Panel at Comic-Con:


Alan Ball, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, also, appeared on G4TV’s “Attack Of The Show” as part of thei Comic-Con coverage:

Tags: Video, Appearances, Convention, Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Charlaine Harris, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Nelsan Ellis, True Blood

The San Diego Comic-Con panel for HBO's "True Blood" took place Thursday afternoon between 4:30 and 5:30 Pacific time and reports are now coming in. Here is a quick summary of the event.

In Attendance were Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Nelsan Ellis, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Alan Ball and Charlaine Harris.

The moderator for the panel was Entertainment Weekly’s Lynette Rice.

Panel Description: “Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood is created by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning series Six Feet Under. The series takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts. With their integration into a small Louisiana town causing a stir, a love story ensues between Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Academy Award winner for The Piano), an innocent waitress with the unusual ability to read minds, and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer, The Starter Wife). The series also features Ryan Kwanten (Summerland), Rutina Wesley (How She Move), Sam Trammell (Judging Amy), and Nelsan Ellis (The Inside). True Blood debuts September 7 exclusively on HBO. Room 6CDEF ”

*A trailer was prepared and played specifically for Comic-Con.
*They have only three more days of shooting for this season.
*The first season follows the first book with only slight transgressions beyond.
*Alan Ball says that the biggest challenge has been expanding the show’s universe beyond the book serie,s given they are told from Sookie’s point of view.
*The relationship between Sookie and Bill will be the centerpeice of the series.
*Alan Ball promises to avoid the vampire cliches of “blue light, contact lenses and opera music”.
*Alan Ball was tight lipped when asked if the book character “Bubba” would be in the series.
*Alan Ball says it’s a show about relationships, not just vampires.
*When asked if there was going to be a real Tru Blood beverage, Alan Ball answered “V8, Valium, Vicodin and Viagra”
*Alan Ball doesn’t have time to go online and worry about fan reaction. He’s respectful but won’t cater to them.
*We don’t learn why Sookie is telepathic this season.
*Sookie has remained a virgin because of her “disability”.
*Aside from working at Merlotte’s, Lafayette runs an adult website.
*When vampire blood is used as a drug in the series, the effects are different with each person.
*The vampire Eric will be introduced later in the season as part of the setup for season 2.
*Stephen Moyer tries to be ‘very still’ when playing Bill. Since there’s no heartbeat, there’s no extraneous or unintended movements.
*Ryan Kwanten lost all of his inhibitions after playing Jason Stackhouse.
*Sam Trammellwas drawn to the role because his family’s from LA.
*Nelsan Ellis loves playing a character without boundaries.
*Alan Ball doesn’t feel there’s need for competition with different vampire projects like Twilight, though Charlaine says they could take ‘em.
*Alan doesn’t have a rule on whether the cast should read ahead in the Southern Vampire novels. Anna has read the first three, for a better understanding of her character.
*Alan Ball ends the discussion by revealing that “ I wanted to do something fun and so far I’ve had more fun working on this series than anything else in my career.”

Did you attend Comic-Con? I’d love to hear of your experience and post your photos. Let me know.

Meanwhile, don’t forget about our Tru Blood Beverage Give-Away!

Tags: Appearances, Convention, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Nelsan Ellis, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Alan Ball, Charlaine Harris

Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and series creator Alan Ball appeared at the TCA Press Tour on July 10th, 2008 to discuss True Blood with members of the TV Critic’s Association.

I’ve added a few pics to the new “Appearances” section of the True Blood Gallery. More to come!

Tags: Pictures, Appearances, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alan Ball, True Blood