Friday, July 31, 2009
True Blood 2.07 Release Me previews
EW Vampire cover issue preview
This week's cover: Vampires!
This week’s Entertainment Weekly delivers the ultimate guide to vampires. You’ll find interviews with the authors behind Twilight and True Blood, our list of the 20 greatest bloodsuckers ever, and Anne Rice’s pick for the best new vampire — as well as a talk with her about how she revolutionized the vampire legend decades ago with Interview with a Vampire.
With Twilight a phenomenon, True Blood attracting converts by the millions, and hordes of new vampire projects looming in the shadows, bloodsuckers are haunting every corner of our lives: bookstores, television, movies, and more. Why has pop culture thrown open its door and invited them in? “The traditional vampire story, with monsters and victims, chases and chills, is more plain fun,” says True Blood’s executive producer Alan Ball. “But they can often reveal the general state of the cultural psyche.”
Vampires are such versatile symbols now that they can express both conservative and liberal views. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels are steeped in her Mormon values. But True Blood speaks in part for gays and, as Ball puts it, “eight years of institutionalized demonization of pretty much any group that wasn’t on the bus with Mr. Bush.”
It may come as a surprise to learn that Meyer – reigning queen of pop culture’s vampire coven – has an uneasy relationship with them. Back in 2003, when she was writing the first draft of Twilight, she refused to show it to her husband. “I was embarrassed,” she said. “It was about vampires.” In fact, last year, she told EW that her great wish was to reclaim some time to write something new. “Look, I’m not just a vampire girl,” she said emphatically. “I can do other worlds.”
Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books, has her own thoughts on the Twilight phenomenon. “Stephenie Meyer has come and she’s taken the genre that I sort of pioneered. Her original audience was 11- and 12-year-olds, so she – very rightly – sanitized the genre. She took out a lot of the sex and violence, especially for the first book…I ask people, Why has this really captured you? What I heard from all ages is that it was very romantic that he was willing to wait for her and that there was no sex. They like the idea that [Bella] was like the fairy princess and [Edward] is the handsome prince that rides in and saves her. The fact that women are so attracted to that idea – that they want to wait for Prince Charming rather than taking control of their own life – I find that frightening.”
When asked why people find vampires so appealing, Anne Rice (author of the series The Vampire Chronicles) says, “I think people are intrigued by what they would do if they were offered the opportunity to be a vampire. Would they be willing to drink human blood in order to be immortal? Maybe they would.”
For more about vampires, including our list of the 20 Greatest Ever and Anne Rice’s pick for the coolest of the new crops, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly onstands as of July 31. And be sure to check out our 27 hottest TV/movies vampires gallery, online now.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A little Q&A with Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris on her Sookie books, ‘True Blood,’ Bill vs. Edward
Posted by Diana McCabe, Paranormal Romance
Charlaine Harris is pretty much everywhere these days. The author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which HBO is basing its TRUE BLOOD shows on, is working on her 10th Sookie book (due out May 2010), keeping an eye on the TV show as well as appearing at big fan shows such as Comic-Con. We caught up with her right before Comic Con to ask her a few things about the latest book out, DEAD AND GONE, and a little bit about the show!
Q. Do you think Eric has grown because of his relationship with Sookie?
A. I think parts of Eric have surfaced that he thought were buried for good.
Q. What will it take for Sookie to understand the blood bond? (It seems as if she is losing her ability to distinguish between her own feelings, Eric’s feelings and those generated by the blood bond.)
A. This is an issue in the next book.
Q. How would you compare the strengths between the bonds of vampire and sire, a vampire and his/her king or queen, and a vampire and his/her sheriff?
A. The vampire/sire relationship is the strongest.
Q. In one podcast interview, you said you didn’t see Sookie turning into a vampire or even winding up with one — in the sense that she would lead a normal life and be with a human. Do you still think she will be able to do that — settle with one person? Not a vampire?
A. I said that Sookie will never become a vampire. And a vampire can’t give her what she’s always thought she wanted; a regular marriage with children. But that doesn’t mean Sookie will end up with exactly what she wants. I see no reason why she couldn’t settle with one person.
Q. What did you want readers to take away from DEAD AND GONE?
A. I don’t know that I had a specific goal; I had several themes, though. The ruthlessness and inhumanity of the fae, the outrages we commit in the name of love, and the loneliness of those who simply can’t fit in and are doomed by their own nature . . . those were all elements of the book.
Q. Do you have a good idea of how the series will eventually end? If so — have you ever changed your mind about the ending?
A. I do know how the series will end. And I have never changed my mind.
Q. Tell us a little bit about your cameo at the end of season 2!!!!
A. I’m sitting in Merlotte’s at the bar talking to Sam. I’m wearing a striped shirt. I have a line. I almost hope they cut it. I’m not an actor.
Q. Alan Ball has certainly developed the HBO show differently from the books. Does his vision of the show make you think about how you’re writing your current book? Have you ever gotten an idea from the show to build on in the book series?
A. I keep them separate in my mind. The book characters have been living with me for a long, long time.
Q. Do you and Alan Ball talk before, during, after the season?
A. We email back and forth from time to time, more frequently before each season. We are both very busy people. If I’m in Los Angeles, we usually have lunch together or something. And we have some good conversations when we’re doing publicity for the show.
Q. To you — what’s been the most interesting/surprising or creative storyline(s) that HBO has developed in the series?
A. Jessica, without a doubt.
Q. Which parts of the TV series most visually match what you envisioned when you wrote your book series?
A. Sookie’s house is perfect, though it doesn’t have the same layout. But the rooms are just right. In Sam’s office, the desk is turned in a different direction, but other than that it’s wonderful.
Q. Do you know ahead of time what is on each episode? Do you watch each Sunday?
A. I do know ahead of time. And I do watch each Sunday.
Q. OK — gotta ask because it’s everywhere! Bill Compton vs. Edward Cullen?
A. There is no contest.
Deborah Ann Woll (TB Jessica) on becoming a Vamp
by Amy Wilkinson MTV Hollywood Crush
Bon Temps has seen a lot of changes during the second season of "True Blood." Jason left town to bunk at Jesus camp. Sam has a potential love interest in fellow shapeshifter Daphne. And orgies are all the rage thanks to mysterious Maryann. But one of the best additions to the small Louisiana town has got to be newborn vampire Jessica, played by Deborah Ann Woll.
The 24-year-old Brooklyn native spoke with H Magazine(see her full cover after the jump) about preparing to play Jessica, on-set antics and her favorite horror flicks.
For Deborah, portraying a sheltered-teenager-turned-mischevious-bloodsucker took both mental and physical preparation. "Research is a great tool," she said. "The more I know about my surroundings and the situations I am in the more creative I can be. So there is the culture of Louisiana, the primal vampire animalistic qualities, the awkward home schooled teenager syndrome. Even sometimes looking up precisely what a word means can be very eye opening."
Wildlife footage was also a great tool for mastering the "alien/animal" movements of a vampire. "I watched a lot of animal videos and often attack footage. Stalking and attacking and killing are practices lost in most humans, so I needed to teach myself to do them."
The HBO series isn't all blood, guts and gore though. Deborah described the set's vibe as comical, even revealing that hunky Ryan Kwanten, who plays Jason, is quite the prankster, inciting a bit of revenge from the crew. "I heard they filled his car to the brim with tiny styrofoam balls," Deborah said. "I don't believe he will ever get them all out!"
So what horror flicks does a vampire (or a gal who plays a vampire) watch to give herself the willies? "Well, at present I would say Neil Marshall's 'Descent.' That really terrified me and it was shot so creatively," Deborah said. " 'His Dog Soldiers' is great too. But growing up I always loved 'Alien,' 'The Exorcist,' and the original 'Haunting' with Julie Harris. 'The Haunting' would keep me up at night."
True Blood set for third season
Zap2it.com
The shows behind HBO's ratings resurgence this summer are getting their reward.
The premium-cable channel picked up all three of its current Sunday-night shows -- "True Blood," "Hung" and "Entourage" -- for new seasons. All three will be back in summer 2010, HBO programming group chief Michael Lombardo announced Thursday at the summer TV press tour.
"True Blood" has turned into HBO's biggest show in its second season. The series is averaging close to 4 million viewers in premiere airings on Sunday nights, and HBO says cumulative weekly viewing (including repeats, DVRs and on demand) tops 10 million people. "Hung" has also started strong, while "Entourage" has made huge gains on its ratings compared to last summer.
Follow Zap2it on Twitter for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Dammit Momma! Turn my cell back on! (True Blood recap)
It’s the roaring 20s and Bill and Lorena are vamping it up old-school style. “F*k Prohibition!” is what I say! I guess back in the day Bill wasn’t so sensitive to human emotions and wasn’t sold on the whole mainstreaming concept yet. Watch out ladies, this one’s a biter!
Sorry Sam, your love life sucks worse than Terry’s. Daphne teaches us there’s more than meets the eye (even for pig shifters) and lures Sam to MaryAnne’s hog heaven orgy festival. Everyone is doing 30-ways of nasty and Tara and scrambled Eggs just got home in time. Daphne says it’s the end of the road Sam and I happen to think this is an excellent time to fly.. as in shift into a bird Sam! Fly like the wind!
Lafeyette is back to business at Merlotte’s, Pam is offering employment opportunities turning his old tricks, V! Lafeyette ain’t playin. Terry tells Andy he’s not the same sheriff he was at Memaw’s and Papaws… ah.. isn’t that precious!
Meanwhile, back in Dallas. There’s all sorts of fang-tastic stuff happening, starting with Eric likes his donors kinky! Lorena’s in town sporting vintage bling. Bill’s not that thrilled to see his old tramp, as opposed to Jessica who is tickled pink… err white, to see that Hoyt made a road trip! Yippee!
Sookie and Hugo take a roadtrip themselves, to the Fellowship of the Sun compound. The compound sports a church, dorms, bunker and, thanks to Jason & Luke a “Meet the Sun” burn-a-vamp-in-flames alter! Folks this makes for a great tourism brochure! While Jason and Luke sing camp songs, Sookie and Hugo make wedding plans. Steve Newlin gives the grand tour with a grand finale trip to his daddy’s tomb. That Steve! He’s such a character! Sarah doesn’t think Sookie would like the dark, damp basement. Me neither, my hair always frizzes with that kind of humidity. Steve insists and shoves Sookie down the steps. Why is Hugo here? Dude can’t even protect a girl.
Sarah doesn’t like the “c” word, you know, the one that rhymes with bundt. But we’re not talking cakes here honey. She leans on Jason, because God, its His will.. you know.. God is all about adultery and live and let live, especially in church!
Next up, Bill sharpen stakes for Sookie, Eric puts the smack down on the Dallas vamps and Newlin is onto Jason’s shenanigans.
Sam wants Kristen Stewart on True Blood? WHAT?!
True Blood's Sam Trammell: Give Us Kristen Stewart!
by Marc Malkin, E! OnlineCan someone please send Twilight DVDs over to the set of True Blood?
Even though Sam Trammell, who plays shape-shifter bar owner Sam Merlotte on the hit HBO series, told us over a month ago he wanted to see everybody's favorite young vampire love flick, that's yet to happen.
"I swear to God, I'm going to do it because it's ridiculous," Trammell told us the other night at the EA Sports Madden NFL 10 Xbox 360 party. "Everywhere I go I get asked [if I've seen Twilight]. I'm going to read all the books and watch the movie."
He has, however, seen Adventureland, Kristen Stewart's recent coming-of-age comedy about a group of young summer amusement-park workers…
Trammell thinks Stewart would be a great on True Blood. "I really loved her in Adventureland," he said. "I'd love her to come on. She could be a little vampire or a victim."
While we don't see that happening anytime soon, Trammell did tease us with what's coming up for True Blood.
"I'll tell you that starting at episode six, it's utter mayhem," he said. "I turn into the smallest possible thing I can turn into and a very big thing as well."
—Reporting by Dahvi Shira
Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton singing!
Season 2: Episode 6
I know all the Team Bill fans were about ready to jump through the TV. I don't know about you, but I'm impressed!
Alan Ball Spills "True Blood" Secrets
DOUGLAS WOLK - Rolling Stone Magazine
Alan Ball began the True Blood panel Saturday afternoon at Comic-Con by holding up a very familiar-looking bottle and announcing that "True Blood, the drink, is a reality now." In lieu of actual synthetic blood, it's a blood-orange soda, "an exact replica of the props we use on the show," and it'll be available September 10th, "just in time for your viewing party for the final episode of Season Two."
Following a montage of previously unseen snippets from forthcoming episodes of the hot HBO vampire series, the panel got under way, with producer Ball joined by actors Anna Paquin (who was celebrating her birthday), Michelle Forbes, Nelsan Ellis, Stephen Moyer, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell, Deborah Ann Woll, and Alexander Skarsgård — who got particularly loud cheers — and Charlaine Harris, author of the novels on which True Blood is based. (The panel's other big announcement was that Harris has just signed a contract to write three more Sookie Stackhouse books.)
The capacity crowd in the San Diego Convention Center's ballroom had lined up seemingly halfway to Tijuana to get in, so most of the panel was devoted to Ball, Harris and the cast answering their questions. A few highlights:
• Harris, on the initial experience of seeing her books come to life: "I watched it, and in some of the scenes I went OH!" [She covered her eyes.] "And then I called my husband, and I said, honey, we're gonna have to move..."
• Skarsgård, on why his character Eric is smitten with Sookie: "Well, just look at her! ... Eric's been around for a very long time, he's kind of over humanity — he's seen it all — and then she comes along, and there's something different about her. The fact that he can't really put that finger on what it is excites him."
• Ball, on what he's excited about for Season Three: "I'm just excited that there is a Season Three, even though I don't think that's been officially announced. I'm looking forward to seeing werewolves for the first time, I'm definitely interested in getting into the world of Russell Edginton and the Mississippi vampires, and I'm really excited about the character of Debbie Pelt."
• Forbes, on what attracted her to the role of Maryann Forrester: "When someone offers you an entrance where you're standing in the middle of the road naked with a pig, you don't say no."
• Ball, on whether there's going to be a half-vampire baby in True Blood a Twilight-inspired question met with loud booing: "What? Oh. No. No. In our show, vampires are either full-on vampires, or they're not vampires." (That answer got cheers. There seems to have been a bit of Twilight vs. True Blood rivalry going on at Comic-Con.)
• Harris, on where the inspiration for her work comes from: "Inspiration is a word I really don't trust. Writing is work, and what I do is work. Some days I actually pull my own hair when I'm trying to make ideas come. But I have a contract, and my contract has a deadline. So I sit there, and I flex my fingers and say 'Who's coming to Sookie's house today?'"
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Charlaine Harris Upcoming Events
July 29-30: Write the Region conference - Gainesville, FL
September 3 - 7: DragonCon - Atlanta, GA.
October 14 - 18: Bouchercon - Indianapolis, INCharlaine Harris announces Sookie books 11, 12, and 13.
Earlier this month Charlaine Harris announced, at the Chicago Borders book signing, she just signed a 3 (more) book deal with Penguin.Saturday she announced more details of that plan. Charlaine will write three more Sookie books #11, #12, #13 planned for publication starting in 2011 and through 2014.
Alexander Skarsgard really is all THAT.
Gina McIntyre | LA Times.com
Lest anyone forget, there is more than one vampire-themed entertainment phenomenon in the pop culture universe right now.
"True Blood," HBO's hit adaptation of the Sookie Stackhouse mystery novels from author Charlaine Harris, has its own legion of devoted fans keen on the show's sexy, campy aesthetic, and plenty of them turned up Saturday to see cast members Anna Paquin (on her birthday, no less), Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Michelle Forbes, Deborah Ann Woll and Alexander Skarsgard and creator Alan Ball talk about what's in store for Season Two and beyond. It was Skarsgard, though, who might have earned the most enthusiastic reception -- he plays vamp heavy Eric Northman on the Louisiana-set series, and well, there just must be something about those centuries-old former vikings who become powerful immortals. They make the ladies swoon.
After screening a brief teaser reel promoting the second half of the current season, the cast took turns answering questions posed by moderator Kate Hahn from TV Guide and members of the audience -- several of whom focused on the tension between Eric and Paquin's Sookie, who happens to be romantically involved with Moyer's Southern gentleman vampire Bill Compton. (The couple are also an item off-screen.)
Paquin said that after Sookie's experiences last season -- when she suffered the loss of her grandmother and was in almost constant danger of losing her own life -- she felt that her character had become stronger and tougher, but conceded that she still gets into trouble. "Good thing she has her vampire boyfriend," she noted. Moyer, for one, intends to make sure that Bill remains Sookie's beau. "I'm not sure Bill's just going to roll over and let that happen," he said of any potential developments on the Eric/Sookie front. "He might not be as polite."
Which means things could turn ugly, and fast, as Skarsgard said that Eric's most likely not going to drop his advances toward the plucky cocktail waitress anytime soon. "Eric's been around for a very long time. He's kind of over humanity, then she comes along and there's something different about her. For the first time in a long time, he's curious."
Skarsgard went on to say that he's enjoyed working on the series' second season, as it's allowed him to develop the character: "Eric was misunderstood. People would say, 'You're the bad guy,' and I had to defend him. He is a bad ass, but as an actor, you have to have layers... He doesn't care for a lot of people, or vampires either, but the ones he does, he's very loyal to."
For those who thirst for something else related to the show, Ball announced that TruBlood (an all natural blood orange soda sold in replica bottles that look just like the props used on the show) will be available for purchase Sept. 10, just in time for the Season Two finale. Fans will be able to place orders at hbo.com.
And there's more good news for those who read Harris' novels: she revealed during the panel that she's signed a contract to write three more, which should take her up through 2014.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Tru Blood (the drink) announced at Comic Con for mass consumption!
The synthetic blood drink on HBO's True Blood is going "mainstream" for human consumption. Alan Ball announced during the True Blood Comic Con panel on Saturday.
The drink, which goes on pre-sale Saturday night on hbo.com, is being described as a "bloody-orange" carbonated drink. Tru Blood will be available on September 10, just in time for season 2 finale parties.
Tru Blood is all natural (no caffeine), will be available in stores, and is only 99 calories. International version is coming soon.
Deborah Ann Woll (TB Jessica) will appear on SVU
By Rick Porter, Zap2it.com
"True Blood" actress Deborah Ann Woll will leave her fangs at home for her next role, a guest-starring gig on "Law & Order: SVU."
Woll, who plays teenage vampire Jessica on the HBO hit, will appear in the third episode of the NBC show's upcoming season, executive producer Neal Baer revealed via his Twitter account late Thursday. Bobby Campo, who stars in the upcoming movie "The Final Destination," will also appear in the episode, Baer says.
Baer also told True Blood Net that Woll will be playing "a very different character on 'SVU'" than she does on "True Blood." It's probably safe to assume she's not a vampire, for starters, but that could also mean that she won't be quite the wild child that Jessica is.
Campo is set to play her boyfriend in the episode, which will likely air in October.
Woll has also guested on "The Mentalist," "My Name Is Earl" and "CSI." Campo's credits include two episodes of "Greek" and ABC Family's movie "Legally Blondes."
Friday, July 24, 2009
"True Blood" reveals meat amid all the fangs, gore
My tastes usually run to the living.
When "True Blood" premiered on HBO last September, it struck me as too fantastical to appeal as serious drama, too awash in gushing blood to entice week to week. I was at best lukewarm to vampire stories other than those involving Buffy slayage.
But "True Blood's" humor won me over, its excessive blood lust a minor point en route to its knowing social commentary.
There are easier, less-violent shows on cable this summer. But easier isn't the answer.
Now that it's got the summer to itself, "True Blood" is looking better and better, and gaining traction with viewers. Apparently more viewers are giving it another shot in the months when there are fewer quality dramatic distractions.
And the series, with new episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. on HBO, is as funny and as unapologetically bloody as ever.
The hour delivers satisfying comedy and witty social satire — along with the requisite grit, gore, fantasy and, not least, the boundary-pushing sexuality promised by the premium channel.
Beyond the fangs, which click into place over the actors' teeth with the goofy thrill of a cheap effect when a vamp is overcome by blood thirst, this is thoughtful small-screen filmmaking. Now and then the silliness of the fangs gimmick jolts your awareness that this is a real genre piece. Creator Alan Ball calls it "popcorn TV for smart people."
The story lines of "True Blood" are rife with allusions to teenage mood swings and impulse control, adult hedonism, religious compulsion, cross- cultural romance and intermarriage — of the inter-species kind.
On the surface, the action may specifically concern shape-shifters who turn from human to canine form, and undead bloodsuckers who avoid daylight and can move at supersonic speed. But going deeper, it is more generally a study of subcultures, discrimination and timeless romance.
Ball ("Six Feet Under") has beautifully adapted the well-received Southern Gothic novels by Charlaine Harris following the adventures of clairvoyant Sookie Stackhouse in Bon Temps, La. Ball makes the most of the vampire/Southern Gothic form, sometimes forgoing any subtlety. When he closes an episode with a musical rendition of "What can wash away my sins? Nothin' but the blood of Jesus," the moody, hilarious and pointed commentary gets the perfect end note.
Anna Paquin ("The Piano") is fetching as the short-shorts- wearing roadhouse barmaid, Sookie. Stephen Moyer ("The Starter Wife") is oddly magnetic in layers of gray makeup as the 173-year-old vamp, Bill Compton. He steals Sookie's heart, but not literally — that's another story line.
In this parable, vampires have won the right to marry humans in Vermont. And lots of folks in Ku Klux Klan territory are tsk-ing about that. But the underclass of vamps, coming out of the casket, still faces tremendous prejudice and instances of self-loathing.
Religious extremists preach vamp-ophobia and shun the "vamp-bangers" who consort with the undead. Sookie's brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) is entranced by the cultists who want him reborn as one of their own.
"Vampires!" laments an evangelical hater. "Everything they are, down to their very blood, is seductive."
Sookie's best friend Tara (Rutina Wesley) has come under the spell of the mysterious love goddess Maryann (Michelle Forbes), living in her luxurious estate where the food, like the romance, is too good to be true.
And while vampires pass on the tradition of becoming a "Maker" to a newly born vamp, they can't escape the travails of parenthood, dealing with adolescent angst. In this case, Sookie unwittingly becomes something of a stepmom to the vamp Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), whom Bill has turned from human to one of the fanged. The young'un suffers the usual teen embarrassment about her caretakers, pouting, "I'd die if I wasn't already dead."
Typical Ball goofiness amid the somber dramatic turns.
The question, for the undead and the living alike, is simple. What level of humanity resides in each person?
It's all so very seductive.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
A special message from Les Temps des Vampyres
**Below is a note from the fantabulous Krewe organizing this year's TRU BLOOD AND GOLD BALL in New Orleans which I would like to pass along to you! This year they have combined the traditional Vampire Chronicles theme with True Blood! For more information visit the Vampire Lestat Fan Club or the Les Temps des Vampires MySpace page.
It is that time of year when things really begin picking up and plans for Halloween weekend kick into high gear. Costumes are being made, lenses and fangs are on order, rooms are being reserved, and flights are being arranged. We are quickly approaching the time of our gathering! We are truly excited this year to be bringing you a party that blends two very different vampire worlds in an amazing and beautiful venue such as Republic New Orleans! The president and staff of Les Temps des Vampires/ARVLFC have worked night and day over these last few months to make this Halloween weekend one of great fun, high spirits, and unexpected thrills; we know that you will love your time with us!
The weekend begins with a book signing at Boutique du Vampyre with Gabrielle S. Faust, author of Eternal Vigilance from 3 to 7pm on Thursday, October 29th. After, there will be a Wine Tasting event, which this year includes a sampling of Absinthe. The Wine Tasting has for years been the introduction to the weekend and is a great way to meet up with friends in a relaxed setting before all of the activities get underway. Special guest Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, will be joining us that evening for fun and beverages. Tickets for the Wine Tasting are sold separately from the Les Temps des Vampires Ball and we will post information for their easy purchase as soon as they are made available.
On Friday, October 30th Les Temps des Vampires and the ARVLFC present the TRU BLOOD AND GOLD BALL at Republic New Orleans! Charlaine Harris will join us again that night as a special guest as will Gabrielle Faust, author of Eternal Vigilance. The theme for this year's Ball is a blending of the world of the Vampire Chronicles as well as that of Sookie Stackhouse. The options for costumes and characters are now truly endless and we expect you all to show your creativity! Have fun with it! The night's entertainment includes music from Marc Gunn, the Kinky Tuscaderos, and Saints of Ruin. There will be more fun activities announced for the evening as we get closer to the party. Tickets are not yet on sale but when they do go on sale next month ARVLFC members in good standing will have first dibs at purchasing them at the member discount. Tickets left over after member sales will then be made available to the public at full price. For membership information please visit www.vampirelestatfanclub.com and click on the membership icon. The events page is under development at this time, do not attempt to purchase tickets yet.
An after-party for the Ball is currently planned at The Dragon's Den by our friends from Endless Night. Details are coming soon!
On Saturday afternoon Charlaine will have a book signing at the Garden District Bookstore and we encourage all of you to get out there and show your support and appreciation!
On Saturday, Halloween Night, Endless Night XII: An Evening in Versailles will be happening at the House of Blues and the party will start at midnight! Mingle with friends and party til dawn!
More events and activities are in the works so check back with us often to keep in the know!
Best,
Your Krewe
Les Temps des Vampires
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Lafayette wants his momma
By Amy Amatangelo, Boston Herald online
Now that the second season of HBO’s “True Blood” is under way, Nelsan Ellis finally can talk.
Since the first-season finale last November, he had been dodging questions about his character’s fate. The Illinois native plays fan-favorite Lafayette Reynolds on the series, whose ratings have skyrocketed this season.
In the books the series is based on, Lafayette was killed early on and many feared the same fate would befall Ellis’ character.
“My father would call me four or five times a week and say, ‘Your Aunt Esther, she wants to know if you’re dying. She just wants to know.’ Or, ‘My friends from work want to know if you’re dying.’ ”
But soon after everyone learned Lafayette lived, a new question arose. Now everyone wants to know if Lafayette, who survived being kidnapped by vampire Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), will be turned into a vampire.
“I personally don’t want to be a vampire,” he said. “I would say Lafayette should be a vampire in the very last season, but up until that point, I don’t think he should be a vampire.”
Ellis will only say that for the duration of this season Lafayette works for Eric.
“He’s sort of beholden to Eric, how deeply, that I can’t say. And he goes through post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s not the Lafayette that we know. That was hard. These new circumstances that he’s in calls for a completely different mind-set and attitude and behavior, and I kept going, ‘I want to have some fun.’ But you can’t really when you’re going through post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s not the tough Lafayette. He’s not the sharp-tongued Lafayette. He’s another Lafayette entirely.”
The Juilliard-trained actor also is a playwright and has written plays based on events that have affected his life. While he was attending Juilliard, his sister was murdered by her boyfriend, and he wrote a play about domestic violence that he hopes will be produced for TV. “It’s an epidemic of great proportion,” he said. “People responded to it. It sparked conversation that otherwise might have been taboo.”
Ellis had no idea how popular his character was until a reporter told him toward the end of the first season. “I’m just around, for the most part, my family and friends,” he said. “And my family don’t really dig the show because I have a very conservative Christian family. In my mind, I thought everybody felt like my family and friends.”
He’s still not sure why his character is so well-received. “The majority of people just tell me they have not seen a character like this on TV, and I’m grateful for it because it’s keeping me working.”
He’s put his character completely in the hands of executive producer and creator Alan Ball and has only one request.
“I think his mama should make an appearance, since she apparently has been a big influence negatively on Lafayette. That’s the only thing I would actually say to Alan Ball: ‘Can his mama make an appearance and can she be played by Viola Davis?’ ”
Which vampire story do YOU want?
'True Blood' vs. 'Twilight'
From True Blood to Twilight, vampire literature is being sought by production companies everywhere. The goal of these companies is to produce a movie, a series, or even cartoons that has the now lovable blood-suckers, in the mainstream. Some deserve this treatment, while other stories, should just be left as written stories.
True Blood, the HBO original series, based on the novels titled, "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" debuted in September of 2008. The first few episodes received mixed reviews, but by the end of the first season, True Blood became extremely popular and ratings went up. The show was HBO's first true success since "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City". Critics also started to get on board and the majority of them were now sucked into the new series.
As it stands today, TWILIGHT is not only the hottest vampire commodity, it is becoming a phenomenon world-wide. Google searches for "Twilight" are higher than any other movie franchise (Harry Potter, Transformers, comic books, etc.) today. The problem is that TWILIGHT is not a vampire story that the public really wants. The franchise obviously has it's core base of fans and the next movie NEW MOON will probably be a very successful at theaters. As far as a vampire movie goes, this is a poor excuse and the public should not be fooled by this.
True Blood was based on the novels that were first published in 2001. Twilight was published in 2005. It's a shame that Summit Entertainment didn't choose to go with "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" over Twilight. Instead the public is getting a watered-down romance novel instead of a unique gritty-tale that True Blood portrays.
The point of this ramble is that True Blood will hopefully become a feature film down the road. One could see this series follow the same path as the popular sci-fi series, "X-Files", once did. Have a few seasons on television and then make the final two or three episodes into a feature film. Yes, the delivery of a TV show and a movie would be and has to be different. However, the one thing that is lacking in True Blood is the pacing of some episodes. In a feature film, the faster pace would be a welcomed addition to fans who already watch the series, and also please the general movie going audience.
True Blood is the vampire story the fans want. Not since INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, based on "The Vampire Chronicles", has a vampire adaptation compared on the big screen. Perhaps, True Blood will go this route since the series is getting bigger every week. As audience, one should tell studios what they want. Right now, the studios are dictating our wants.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Road trip to Chicago: Two podcasters meet best selling author
By Brandi Hess
It was early Monday morning when I gathered up my MacBook Pro, two headset microphones, podcast notes and headed for the door to meet up with my good friend Luz Moskos. We had a long drive ahead of us as we took off for Chicago en route to a Borders bookstore. Why drive over 6 hrs to go to a bookstore that’s also located in Evansville? Simple. We wanted to meet our favorite writer, New York Times best selling author, Charlaine Harris.
It all started back in January. We just finished reading the famed “Twilight” books and I was trying to talk Luz into reading another series I really enjoyed. She reluctantly decided to give them a try and quickly fell under the same spell. We called each other, discussed book plots and details over lunch, traded books during our kids’ play dates. It was obviously clear--we couldn’t get enough of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series, we couldn’t stop talking about them, and we were completely drawn to a new genre of books called paranormal romance.
It was during one of our lunch chats I brought up the idea of podcasting our discussions on the Harris series to share with other fans. Podcasts are similar to radio shows, in digital audio or video format and are recorded, then stored and syndicated on the Internet. Podcast listeners can search by topics using directories like iTunes to subscribe and download episodes.
Luz was ready to give it a try and we launched our first “Wake the Dead Podcast” episode in March.
Fast forward to July. Charlaine Harris was scheduled for a book signing at a Borders store located in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, IL and we knew this was our chance to meet the author, snap a picture and have her sign our books with all the other fans in tow. Luz thought I was aiming too high when I told her I contacted Harris’ publicist and requested a recorded interview for our podcast. She ate her words the day I got the confirmation email back from the publicist and our interview was scheduled before the event.
Harris’ popularity has risen quite high within the last year especially with the help of the television adaptation of the Sookie series on HBO. “True Blood” is now in it’s second season and is gaining ground as HBO’s most popular show since “The Sopranos”.
With all this heightened celebrity, Luz and I were very honored to have the opportunity to meet Charlaine Harris privately, interview her for our podcast, and have her personalize and sign our books. The event turned out to be the largest book signing she’s ever had with over 630 people in attendance.We finished up the podcast in the hotel room the next day, packed up our gear and left Chicago even bigger fans of Charlaine Harris (if that’s even possible) because of her down-to-earth personality, humble attitude, and gracious love of her fans.
Since it’s launch, our podcast episode of Charlaine Harris’ interview is one of our most popular podcasts to date. We have subscribers and website visitors from all over the United States and other countries ranging from Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Canada. Our website, www.wakethedeadpodcast.com, has had the honor of being added to HBO’s “True Blood” website, and our podcast has been ranked in the top 100 literature podcasts on iTunes.
On the way home to Cannelton, Luz and I were dreaming up ideas for our next road trip to feed our passion for paranormal romance literature. Who knows, maybe it’ll be San Diego’s Comic Con in 2010? One can dream.
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Brandi Hess and Luz Moskos are both from Cannelton and record their Wake the Dead Podcast roughly every 2 weeks. Their website is at www.wakethedeadpodcast.com and can be found on iTunes, Twitter and Facebook.
Vamps and the women who love them
Posted July 20th, 2009 by Amy Wilkinson, MTV.com Hollywood Crush
Edward Cullen (above, far left) is practically the perfect boyfriend. He's a kind-hearted musician. A granite-bodied heartthrob. A chivalrous protector. And a deadly killer capable of stopping your heart in .53 seconds flat. Yet, tweens, grandmothers and every woman in between inexplicably crave this dichotomous character. Whether it be a Cullen coven member or gentlemanly Bill Compton (above, far right) and his Louisiana sheriff Eric Northam from "True Blood," it's likely you've got a bleeding heart for a vampire or two. But what is it about these bloodsuckers that we just can't get enough of?
Newsweek spoke with psychologists, authors and gals like you and me to get to the bottom of our desire for the undead and, not surprisingly, the answers were as varied as the fanged-ones we love.
1. They've got skills
"It's fang, penetration, ecstasy," says Laurell K. Hamilton, bestselling author of the "Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter" series. "Our readers know that vampire sex is somehow going to be the very best sex a woman has ever had." I guess we'll have to take her word on that one. Adds "Southern Vampire Mysteries" author Charlaine Harris (whose books were the inspiration for "True Blood"), it's so enticing because "they've generally had centuries to practice."
2. They're just like us ... sorta
Bloodsuckers have cleaned up nicely since 1922's "Nosferatu" crept out of the coffin. (Take a look at his chilling mug here.) Today's vampires are still dangerous but accessible in a way that's hard to resist. Joan Raymond, the author of the Newsweek piece writes, "In some ways, these new vamps have been defanged — a few wear condoms and others sparkle in the sun like Abercrombie & Fitch models (OK, that's just the "Twilight" vampires). But these changes in the vampire myth also have helped to humanize the characters, turning them into modern-day Romeos for all the angsty Juliets in the tweenage world." And what woman isn't looking for her Romeo?
3. It's the economy, silly
"In times of economic contraction, fear of job loss, and war, the vampire myth really speaks to people," says Donovan Gwinner, assistant professor of English at Aurora University, who teaches the class "Got Blood? Vampires in Literature, Film and Popular Culture." "What's so bad about being powerful, almost immortal, always in control, and incredibly desirable?" Answer: Nothing at all.
4. They're eternally youthful
"We're obsessed with staying young," Charlaine says. "And vampires never worry about Social Security or knee replacements. That's almost irresistible to us." Every time I watch "True Blood" though, I can't help but wonder what will become of the immortal beloveds when Sookie's once-supple body is pumped full of Botox.
True Blood gets hot (in a temperature sort of way)
(07-21) 02:57 PDT Baton Rouge, La. (AP) --
Sookie Stackhouse and her brother Jason are returning from Dallas to the tiny Louisiana town of Bon Temps. But something is wrong: Newspapers drift in the steamy air; fruit stands and flower stalls are overturned; graffiti assaults signs and a courthouse statue; and trash and clothes litter streets and lawns.
A force of nature? Or something brewed by Maryann, the dark, mysterious newcomer in HBO's hit vampire drama, "True Blood"?
Cast and crew of the show, based on Charlaine Harris' best-selling Sookie Stackhouse stories, were in Louisiana to soak up the antebellum atmosphere of Clinton, a community of 2,000 people, 30 miles north of Baton Rouge. Main Street and the town's courthouse, surrounded by sprawling, moss-covered oak trees, were perfect as backdrops for the tale of vampires living among humans, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood.
The sticky heat, mossy greenery, white columned houses and slow-moving lifestyle also added to the allure, and gave a dimension and authenticity to the series that can only be captured here.
"The moment you step off the plane, you feel you're in the world of the show," said "True Blood" writer Alexander Woo. "You don't have to imagine you're there."
The series, from "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball, opened last year and slowly began building an audience, gaining a cultlike following among Sookie Stackhouse fans. Its second season began airing June 14. "True Blood" enjoyed a series high last Sunday night with 3.9 million viewers, according to HBO, and averages 10.8 million viewers an episode, up 39 percent from last season.
But despite its critical acclaim and strong fan base, the show got only two Emmy nominations last week, for outstanding casting and main title design. Nothing for star Anna Paquin, who picked up a Golden Globe for her role as Sookie, or for Ball. Fans Twittered and blogged their outrage. "It is rather frustrating that the Emmys have continued their tradition of ignoring genre work except in the technical departments. ... We can only hope that next year is the year that finally brings down the wall," one blog read.
"True Blood" blends murder, mystery, drama, comedy and romance. Though vampires and humans live together, some — including religious humans — don't believe they should coexist. The series centers on Sookie, a waitress with telepathic powers who falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).
In season one, the plot revolved around the murders of women strangled shortly after being alone with Jason (Ryan Kwanten). The second season has several overlapping plots and a mysterious new creature whose motives are unknown.
Shooting the series in Louisiana, where temperatures soared to nearly 100 degrees, helped the actors get into character.
"It makes you move slower, which is interesting for character," Moyer said. "I understand now why people move so slow down here."
"You have to move slower, or you'll pass out," Paquin said, laughing.
Because of the heat, a medic was on hand to give out water and Gatorade, and the cast had to be transported by van the few blocks between base camp and the shooting location in Clinton because it was too hot to walk.
Still, said the show's executive producer, Gregg Fienberg, "It was a great town. It worked really well for what we needed."
Chris Stelly, head of the state film office, acknowledged that the summer may be uncomfortable for filming, but that's not usually a deterrent to companies coming to Louisiana. Higher insurance costs during hurricane season, which includes the summer months, are more likely to keep productions away than the temperatures, he said.
"True Blood" is one of about 30 productions to film in Louisiana this year. Stelly was happy to see the activity after what's been a slow start for 2009 compared to the record filming year Louisiana had in 2008 with more than 80 film and TV projects. He said the slow start this year can be attributed to a number of things, including competition from other states and the troubled economy. But Stelly expects filming to pick up after Louisiana's Legislature proposed raising the state's current tax credit for movie makers from 25 percent to 30 percent.
After the Clinton shoot, production shifted indoors to the Stockade Bed and Breakfast in Baton Rouge. Once a Civil War stockade, the B&B is listed on the National Register of Historical Places as an archaeological site.
The Stockade's great room — an open space with a balcony, baby grand piano, large wood-burning fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass wall — was transformed into a restaurant for the shoot. A nearby breakfast room, filled with antiques and hummingbird and botanical prints, became a makeshift studio for directors and script supervisors to watch the scenes unfold on monitors.
The sequence shot on this day was a dance scene. Paquin, in a sundress with her hair in a sleek up-do, and Moyer in black suit, do a modified jitterbug to the Jerry Lee Lewis song "Before the Night Is Over." Between takes, the actors chill out in a back room at the B&B where stylists touch up their makeup.
Footage from the Louisiana shoot will appear in upcoming episodes and the season finale, set to air on Sept. 13, which is expected to include the dance scene.
HBO will be back in Louisiana in the fall for the filming of "Treme," a new series by David Simon named after a Creole neighborhood with a rich musical tradition. The show, which will begin airing in late 2010, focuses on New Orleans and its ongoing effort to recover from Hurricane Katrina.
"True Blood" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/21/entertainment/e025727D71.DTL#ixzz0LtzcQ76w
Monday, July 20, 2009
You Sexy Beast: Our Fascination With Werewolves
Werethings are showing up everywhere. There's The Wolfman movie in the works starring Benicio Del Toro. And word of a remake of John Landis' 1981 movie An American Werewolf in London. A new series on BBC America premiering in July features a weresomething-or-other.
Even the United States Senate is worrying about werecreatures. More on that in a sec.
But first: Where in the world is this wereness weirdness coming from?
Anxiety And Animal Magnetism
Charlotte Otten, author of A Lycanthropy Reader and The Literary Werewolf, attributes the present pop-cult fascination with werethings to "our continuing interest in metamorphosis."
A professor emerita at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., Otten says that some of the struggles in the history of metamorphosis can be traced to "uncertainty about the nature of a human being and his/her relationship to the animal kingdom."
In werecreatures, she says, "ultimately, we find ambiguities and mysteries."
Werefiction provides readers with much-needed escapism, says Leila Taylor, co-owner of Creatures 'n Crooks Bookshoppe in Richmond, Va.: "People are wanting to read something that doesn't make them depressed and that has a little excitement in it."
And, she adds, "When it comes to the whole werewolves, werecats, werepanthers thing, people are getting tired of the vampire scene."
A Long, Hairy History
The idea of shape-shifting and man-beast combos dates at least as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose myths abounded with humans morphing into animals, then back again. The most famous example is the werewolf, a half-human, half-wolf concoction.
In the past there have been reports of real, live "wolfman" sightings. For the most part today, wolfmanism, or lycanthropy, is considered to be a delusional disorder.
For example, Otten says that a couple of decades ago, a psychiatrist "encountered a man in a three-piece suit who was on all-fours, barking like a dog."
It took several months to convince the barking man that he was not a dog, she says. "He found a pleasant escape in the form — an escape from an exhausting business life."
And, she says, "I had a student some years ago who abandoned human society and set himself up to live outdoors. When he came to see me one day, I didn't recognize him. His facial hair almost covered his entire face, and he had an animal smell."
The Were-Lust Cycle
Werecreatures crawl in and out of popular culture in cyclical faddish fashion.
The word "werewolf" is believed to be an ancient amalgam of the Old English "wer," meaning "a man," and "wolf."
For ages, European folktales have contained threads of bloodthirsty, superstrong, highly sensitized werewolves, often controlled by the Devil. In the stories, men transmogrified into hairy creatures either at will or under the spell of some external force, such as a full moon.
Writing in the 2006 book The Curse of the Werewolf: Fantasy, Horror and the Beast Within, Chantal Bourgault du Coudray points out that the werewolf has a longstanding documentary history: In the sweeping poem "Metamorphoses," Ovid tells the tale of Zeus turning a king into a wolf. In "Satyricon," written by the 1st century Roman writer Petronius Arbiter, one man watches another turn into a fur-covered beast. By the 7th century, scholars were documenting a medical disease in which patients believed they were wolves.
In the early part of the 19th century, du Coudray argues, interest in werecreatures emerges as a romantic response to the anti-superstitious lessons of the Enlightenment.
She writes, "While the reality of lycanthropy was defended in several accounts dating from the medieval and early modern periods, the nineteenth century understanding of biology and physics precluded the possibility that the transformation of a human into a wolf was possible."
That impossibility did not end the fascination.
Howl Of Modern Angst?
In the 20th century, popular literature and films kept the stories alive. One of the most famous horror movies is the 1941 The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. Scads of other films and books followed. Jack Nicholson played a werewolf; so did Michael Landon and Michael J. Fox.
Today the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and the True Blood series by Charlaine Harris contain creatively crafted werecreatures, along with vampires and other monstrous beings.
So where does this present obsession stem from? You could blame Harry Potter, who had a wolfish professor named Remus Lupin. You could point to the Internet, which teems with fan-fiction sagas of shape-shifting and wolfen Web sites devoted to the worship of werecreatures.
Maybe it's just the natural (unnatural?) progression of American culture's preoccupation with vampires and zombies. Or perhaps, as Charlotte Otten suggests, this fascination with human paw-tential springs from new biotechnology that might finally make the impossible possible.
The genetic alteration of plants and animals has become a hot-button issue. This week, the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act, a bill that would prohibit the laboratory creation of human-animal hybrids, was introduced into the U.S. Senate by Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, and Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana.
"Creating human-animal hybrids, which permanently alter the genetic makeup of an organism, will challenge the very definition of what it means to be human and is a violation of human dignity and a grave injustice," Brownback said in a statement.
"Cloning — in all its delicate and precarious aspects — is like a jab to the thought process," Otten says. "It raises all the fundamental issues about human life that have been raised for centuries."
And now that there's discussion, in real life as well as fiction, of "reproducing human life through 'mechanical' means," she says, "it creates anxiety in the hearts of human beings."
Wake the Dead Podcast Episode 10: True Blood 2.05-Never Let Me Go
Available on iTunes or here's the feed.
True Blood happy hours at Comic Con
For those of you lucky souls attending this year's Comic-Con convention in San Diego, California you'll be pleased to hear that HBO and True Blood will be hosting several happy hours after hours over the course of the weekend!
• On Thursday (7/23) there will be two happy hour events, both from 7-9PM. One will be at Rock Bottom and the other will be at Prohibition and you’re welcome to come to both. They’re open to the general public and complimentary food and beverages will be served. We’ll also be giving away limited edition True Blood memorabilia including pint glasses, T-shirts and posters.
• On Friday (7/24 there will also be two happy hours - one at Rock Bottom and one at Prohibition.
• On Saturday (7/25) the happy hour will be at Bondi Bar from 7-10PM and include complimentary food and beverages and a special “reveal.” You definitely don’t want to miss it.
The cast of True Blood will also be in attendance for a mass autograph session that Saturday from 2:30pm-3:30pm at WB Booth 4329. The confirmed actors and creators include Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Rutina Wesley, Michelle Forbes, Alexander Skarsgard, Nelsan Ellis, Sam Trammell, Deborah Ann Woll, Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. If you're a fan of True Blood this is definitely one event you will not want to miss at Comic-Con!
More information about Comic-Con can be found by visiting comic-con.org.Sunday, July 19, 2009
Stephen Moyer discusses the love triangle of Bill, Sookie & Eric
As brooding vampire Bill Compton, British actor Stephen Moyer is right at the center of the bloodthirsty buzz surrounding HBO's hit True Blood (Sundays at 10 pm/.ET). Not a bad place to be, right?
Not so fast. Moyer's character virtually disappears in the third of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels, on which the show is based. And while series creator Alan Ball is clearly creating his own path (see the non-death of Book 1 casualty Lafayette on the show), shouldn't Moyer worry a little? Nah.
"That gives Alan the opportunity to invent something," Moyer tells TVGuide.com. "Just like last season with the V trips — they had to invent that. And they're very good at it. So I'm confident that however they keep him there, they'll make Bill's story interesting."
That's not to say his arc this season hasn't given him plenty to sink his teeth into. Bill's playing daddy to a newborn bloodsucker, while also trying to keep afloat his turbulent relationship with Sookie (Anna Paquin), who is increasingly being eyed by Bill's sheriff, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard). Moyer promises that the road trip to Texas will reveal much more about who Eric was (and is) and further flesh out the vampire world.
"Toward the end of the season, we're going to see the hierarchy taken almost to its peak," he says. "We're going to meet the monarchy, if you will. Last year, we met the grand judge of Louisiana, and this year we're going to meet the monarch of Texas. But he's not the monarch of America. It's kind of an almost feudal system. I love the idea of this incredibly detailed society in which manners are very important as to how you relate to people that are above you.
"As much as Eric does to piss Bill off, Bill never has a childlike fit," Moyer continues. "The hierarchy is incredibly strong. So no matter how much Eric does against Bill, Bill will never bad-mouth him. It's sort of an elevated playground mentality. However horrible a kid is to you, you don't go and report him."
Even if that horrible kid is moving in on your girlfriend/midnight snack? "What I think is interesting is the love triangle — giving your characters conflict is always much more interesting to watch than suddenly making Sookie and Eric have a relationship," Moyer says, noting that Bill and Sookie can't — and shouldn't — always be happy together.
"You can't watch two characters be happy in love for 12 episodes," Moyer says. "That would be extremely dull. I do know that [a separation is] going to happen. The writers will do what's best for the show. And who's to say they won't create a character for Bill to love? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the writers' room."
It's evident in every anecdote the actor tells that he adores the show and his character. Moyer giddily cackles at the mere thought of an upcoming plot twist he can't bring himself to spoil. "You wait, you wait," he laughs. "You won't believe it."
The life and times of Anna Paquin
By Lorien Haynes | The Daily Mail
Since her Oscar-winning performance in The Piano at the age of 11, Anna Paquin has worked hard and kept her head down. So how is the reluctant A-lister coping with the phenomenal success of cult vampire series True Blood?
Anna Paquin arrives at Gjelina’s, her favourite LA restaurant, on a pale pink pushbike, asks for her usual lemonade, smiles and starts to chatter. Not nervous, over-your-head chatter, but wry, offbeat, barbed wit.
The actress, who for many will for ever be the elemental child Flora in Jane Campion’s 1993 film The Piano, is laughing about the superhero doll made after her. ‘There’s a Rogue [her character in X-Men] action figure at Toys ’R’ Us! You have to get a kick out of that. I’m nonbiodegradable.’
Chattiness ‘is what people least expect of me, I know,’ says Anna. ‘At one point, in my early 20s, I was so shy that people were surprised I actually spoke.’ Since winning an Oscar at only 11 for The Piano, Anna, now 26, has had a consistent and acclaimed career – from Zeffirelli’s Jane Eyre, via Almost Famous, to Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, The Squid and the Whale, and as Rogue (the superheroine whose kiss kills) in the X-Men franchise – but has avoided the public eye. She rarely gives interviews and even more rarely talks about her private life. Her reputation is, she confesses, ‘Being incredibly serious about my work.’
Her head-down, work-hard approach has paid off with industry respect, no tabloid tittle-tattle and a recent Best Actress win at the Golden Globes for True Blood, the steamy vampire comedy-drama TV series that is now airing on the FX channel and will be shown on Channel 4 in October.
Since it first screened in the US last autumn, the show has become HBO’s third highest-rated series after The Sopranos and Sex and the City, and Anna is now constantly recognised and papped.
The drama, based on the cult Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, features Anna in the lead role of Sookie, a Southern barmaid who can hear people’s thoughts in a world where vampires have ‘come out of the coffin’. Sookie (for whom Anna has gone blond) even has dress-alike disciples among teens and 20-somethings across the US, all denim micro-shorts and clinging white T-shirts.
For Anna, the show works, ‘Because it’s a perfect marriage of something creatively challenging and potentially mainstream. And that’s rare. It’s a really bold show; odd, dark, twisted and funny.’
The character appeals to Anna’s ‘serious actress’ side because she’s a ‘kick-ass female action lead’, she says. ‘Usually [in dramas] things happen to the girl and around the girl and here she’s right in the centre of it and does a good job holding her own. She’s a very complex and beautifully structured character. How many actresses get to say that?’
True Blood taps into the current vogue for vampires instigated by the hit film Twilight. Anna feels it reflects the need for a secular society to believe in something ‘other’, although the bottom line, she admits, is that a vampire storyline has a ‘dark, dangerous, brooding sexuality’ to it.
Sexual chemistry is arguably what has made True Blood such a success. Anna’s Sookie falls for Bill Compton, a vampire whose thoughts she cannot read, played by British actor Stephen Moyer (Ny-Lon, Lilies, Quills). While filming the first series, Anna and Stephen developed a real-life relationship, which they tried to keep quiet. When they eventually went public it was, says Anna, ‘the worst kept secret on the planet’.
These days they are often snapped by tabloids doing entirely low-key couple things such as shopping at Whole Foods and swinging on the monkey rings in Santa Monica. They appear very together, very much in love. Anna is also a firm fixture in the lives of Steve’s two children, Billy, nine, and Lilac, seven.
With a stable relationship, her first proper home in Venice, Los Angeles, and high hopes for a third series of True Blood, it all seems as though, for the first time, Anna is settling down. ‘I don’t want to disappear. I’m done with that. I don’t want to be a transient figure in my own life any more. I’m enjoying the prospect of doing up the house. I’ve never decorated anywhere I’ve lived before.’
She loves the laid-back vibe of Venice, and the beach: ‘It reminds me of home in New Zealand.’ Anna’s older brother, film producer Andrew, 32, lives in LA, too, ‘So there is family,’ she smiles. Together they have formed a production company, and produced the indie film Blue State in 2007.
The relief with which she describes her happiness is a reminder that Anna has worked solidly for the past 18 years and rarely had what she could call a consistent life of her own. She was born in Canada and brought up in New Zealand; her parents Mary and Brian were teachers, who separated when she was 12.
On settling down, Anna says: 'I'm enjoying the prospect of doing up the house. I've never decorated anywhere I've lived before'
Anna auditioned for The Piano when she was nine alongside 5,000 other hopefuls, only because, she says, ‘I got to have the day off school.’ She had no acting experience bar what she calls ‘the skunk incident’ (playing said skunk in a class ballet recital – ‘by no means a formal stage debut’).
When director Jane Campion chose Anna, her parents were reticent. ‘It wasn’t an automatic yes, which shocked Jane. They said, “OK, we will think about it and get back to you.” But that’s how my family is. They were not overly impressed by the film world.’
Anna remembers The Piano as ‘doing what I was told. You listen, you repeat. It was a hell of a lot easier than it is now, because I didn’t think about it. There wasn’t the overlay of, “If I screw up, people are going to judge me.”’ And she was used to imaginative play: ‘I went to one of those Steiner schools where at that age all you do is make-believe. So it wasn’t a massively odd transition.’
Of The Piano in retrospect she says, ‘I guess what was strangest about it is that it is an adult film; one I didn’t see in full until I was much older. My character became the mouthpiece in the burgeoning relationship between her mother [Holly Hunter] and Harvey Keitel, but I was sent off-set for anything beyond kissing. Even though, truth be told, I had a good idea of what was going on.’
It’s hard to forget the open-mouthed 11-year-old, who was handed her Oscar statue by Gene Hackman, ran back to her seat instead of off-stage, and fell asleep at the after-party. Her parents subsequently decided she could only do ‘one film a year. And they were very picky about what they would give me to look at. The emphasis was on: was it an interesting writer, director? Was it creatively challenging, a growth experience?’ and she thanks them for this.
With co-star and boyfriend Stephen Moyer last month and vamping it up in True Blood
n the first few years after The Piano she starred in Fly Away Home and Franco Zeffirelli’s Jane Eyre, in agreement with both parents, despite their separation. She says they created the standards by which she chooses her work to this day.
At 16, she moved to LA with her mother and enrolled at the academic Windward School, although she was rarely there. ‘I was kind of a joke. In the school year book my “most likely to…” was “be too busy to read my own most likely to”. I was always working.’
However, the family also agreed that she could move to New York and go to Columbia University as a break from acting, if she managed a year of high school first. ‘At Columbia [where she studied liberal arts] it was the first time I’d ever not worked. So what did I do? I handed my papers in on time. I went to seminars. I had time to go shopping and socialise with people my own age.’
After a year at university, acting took over. Philip Seymour Hoffman specifically wanted to direct her on Broadway in The Glory of Living and Anna postponed finishing her degree indefinitely.
There was never any danger of Anna derailing in the way that other child actors have done. What does she put this down to?
‘My parents, firstly, because they took a conservative approach with me, so I was never overexposed and work never became a chore. And secondly because I have always valued being taken seriously at work, and you don’t get that unless you behave [appropriately]. I was the most serious 15-year-old ever, but that was my happy place. I was a very good girl wanting to do a good job.’
You can’t help but feel, though, that she must have missed out somewhere by growing up so quickly. ‘Yes of course I did,’ she admits. ‘I was always quite shy and learned quickly how to behave like an adult in an adult world. But I have a Hello Kitty bike now, thank you. I might not have had it when I was eight but, hell, I appreciate it so much more now.’
So is it any surprise that Anna, 18 years and 23 movies after her debut, wants to kick off her shoes and stay by the beach with Stephen, and have downtime filled with yoga and photography?
As to whether she and Stephen are thinking of having a child of their own, she can’t say. ‘I don’t know how they’d resolve me and my short shorts on the show with a baby bump! So there are a few “not untils” on that one. At some point, when that convenient time, which never exists for actresses, comes – somewhere between now and menopause – I will. I have time.’
Hearing her today, aside from her addiction to caffeine (‘my one true vice’), Anna’s only enemy sounds like her formidable work ethic. Her perfect day is ‘a good day at work, until I’m so tired I fall over’. A woman who, when I ask where she wants to be in five years says, ‘Employed!’
As we finish dinner at Gjelina’s there’s – honest to God – an earthquake. A 5.0 no less, 15 long seconds, during which we both go quiet and I reach for Anna’s hand (it’s my first quake, I’m scared).
It’s an odd end to our interview; a reality slap that puts everything into sharp focus. I want to get back to my daughter immediately and Anna turns to me and says, ‘Well, that reminds me to be grateful. Of quite how happy I am – here and now. I’m so very lucky. It all feels right.’ And with that, she pedals off into the night.
True Blood is on FX on Fridays at 10pm
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1199843/Rising-vamp-Anna-Paquin-limelight.html;jsessionid=7E3E1F22A45021AC74E13E2518E75D06#ixzz0LiKA3fL6
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Women and their vampire lit
By SOLVEJ SCHOU Associated Press Writer
All are modern female heroes written by women, read by women and not only obsessed over by teenagers but also their older sisters and mothers. The economy may be deeply troubled, but urban fantasy novels about vampires, werewolves, zombies, supernatural creatures, blood and romance are booming, and women are sinking their teeth into them in ravenous numbers.
"We're living in a frightening time. I don't know if it's an escapism as in there's scary stuff out there so let me control it through the medium of reading," says Amy Clarke, a lecturer at the University of California, Davis who teaches science fiction literature.
"There's dreaming of being with a vampire or werewolf, but there's always the danger of crossing over. I think it's a post-feminist way of taking on power."
The trend gathered steam with Bella Swan and her conflicted romance with gorgeous vampire Edward in Stephenie Meyer's four-book "Twilight" series, which has sold more than 53 million copies worldwide since the first book's release in 2005, according to publisher Little, Brown and Company. Meyer's newest, the more adult-themed "The Host," has 2 million copies in print domestically.
Call it dark escapism with a racy flair. The "Twilight" explosion, including its hit movie version, has deepened the needs of women urban fantasy novel readers. Other authors are jumping in: P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristin's popular "House of Night" vampire series; Alyson Noel's "Immortals" books: the "Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries" novels by Charlaine Harris, which inspired the TV series "True Blood" on HBO; Richelle Mead's "Vampire Academy" trilogy; and books by more than half a dozen other female writers. The genre's popularity is bigger than just books, says P.C. Cast. "With women, this is reflecting a shift in our society," Cast said in an interview from her home in Tulsa, Okla. "I've seen a big shift, especially in my classroom, with women standing up and demanding respect. That's in every woman, whether 16, 26, 56." "Our fiction is also reflecting that because we're writing the fiction. We've given ourselves permission to be successful. We're also giving ourselves permission to have fun," said Cast, a single mother who taught high school English for 15 years before focusing only on writing. Her five "House of Night" books, starting in 2007 with "Marked," follow the adventures of Zoey Redbird, a high school student marked to be a vamp, who must enter the House of Night. Described as a "vampyre finishing school," it's filled with bratty girls, cute guys and no end of drama. Cast enlisted the help of daughter Kristin, 22, to ensure that the teen-speak in her stories reflected current vernacular as opposed to the author's "inner '70s teenager saying things that were so not cool." It paid off. There are 5.5 million copies of the five "House of Night" books in print in the United States and the series has been on The New York Times list of best sellers for 63 weeks, according to publisher St. Martin's Press. "Tempted," the sixth book, is due out in October. The series has been optioned by Empire Pictures, with a film script in the works. "Vampires are super sexy. Vampires and teens have a lot in common. Teens have surging hormones, vampires have surging blood lust. Teenagers think they're immortal," Cast said. And for older women, says UC Davis' Clarke, "hot blooded" has taken on new meaning. "All of the stuff I've read have some pretty heated sex scenes in them, and that brings people into the world of it," Clarke said. "The teens haven't had sex yet and the mothers have, and it's maybe not as good as it was." Noel's "Immortals" series focuses on the telepathic teen Ever, who gains her abilities after surviving a car accident that kills her family. Brooding and lonely at a new school in sunny California, she meets handsome immortal Damen. They're drawn to each other like magnets. "All of us older people reading these books magically survived high school even though we thought we wouldn't," Noel said in an interview from her home in Laguna Beach, Calif. "To be young and beautiful and have power forever is pretty alluring in this society." More than 700,000 copies of the two "Immortals" books are in print, according to St. Martin's Press. The first book, "Evermore," has been on the Times list for 23 weeks since its release in February. The second book, "Blue Moon," was released this month, with book three scheduled for January 2010. Mead's "Vampire Academy" series has 1.5 million books in print, according to publisher Penguin Razorbill Books. The fourth book in the series comes out in August. Amber Benson, who earned a huge fan base as witch Tara on the cult-hit TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which ended in 2003, channeled her love of urban fantasy into a trilogy, with the first book released this year by venerable science fiction and fantasy publisher Ace Books, an imprint of Penguin. In "Death's Daughter," Calliope Reaper-Jones is a 25-year-old immortal who works in New York City. After her father, the CEO of Death, Inc., is kidnapped, she must run the family business. "That was the beauty of Buffy, this female protagonist who looked totally harmless but could do all these amazing things and was trying to be a real person at the same time. She definitely influenced Calliope and her journey," says Benson, as she sits in her Los Angeles home beneath a sign reading "Old Friends to Read, Old Friends to Trust." "We don't just want to be the tough chick who has no feelings, or the super girly girl who can't do anything for herself. We want that middle ground," she says. With online word of mouth driving sales, fan gals have also started churning out their own stories about witches, vampires, wolves and half-bloods on such Web sites as http://www.textnovel.com under categories such as "Romance—Paranormal" and "Romance—Urban Fantasy." "This is where the key demographic for the 'House of Night' lives, these teenage girls that are online most of the time," Matthew Shear, St. Martin's senior vice president of publishing, said. Shear acknowledged Meyer's effect on Cast's series and other urban fantasy novels. "We didn't buy the 'House of Night' series because of 'Twilight,' but when we saw sales increasing, we went to everywhere Stephenie Meyer was selling," he said. "Stephenie Meyer started the boom, and 'House of Night' has continued the boom." He's cheering on sales. "Is it welcome news to the publishing world? You bet it is," Shear said. "We're thrilled that people want to buy these books."
We are not affiliated with Charlaine Harris or her publisher.