True Blood’s Joe Manganiello Interviewed by the Examiner

Melissa Zaro, writing for the Examiner, chatted with True Blood's Joe Manganiello (Alcide Herveaux) about his work on the hit HBO series, turning his girlfriend into a Trubie and the downside to fame. The best thing about landing a part on True Blood, Joe explains, is working with the high caliber cast.  A classically trained theatre actor, Joe spent ten years of grind in Hollywood in acting jobs that never quite matched up to his student experiences.  But then Joe joined True Blood and it was a revelation.

It was like I found my way back to the land of the bumblebees.  Everybody speaks the same language.  They're all classically trained theater people.  Very intelligent, and deep, and well spoken.  So for me, it was like spending ten years wandering around in the woods and finding my way back home.  It really feels like I am back home; like I'm amongst my people again.

And luckily for Joe he will get more of that feeling next season when werewolf Alcide returns as a series regular.

I'm super excited to get to play this character more, I'm excited to be on my favorite show permanently,  Also, as a bit of a journey man actor, I mean, it's nice to know where I'm going to be. … Aside from the fact that it is my favorite show and I'm playing my favorite character I have ever played.  Honestly, every time I see a full moon I think, "That's my moon!"

Joe gave away a possible spoiler when asked about which actors he would like to see joint the cast in future seasons.  It seems Charlaine Harris is keen to see rock star and actor, David Bowie cast as Sookie's fairy great-grandfather and Joe would like to see actors such as Jeff Bridges, Sam Elliot or Sam Shepard cast as Alcide's father.  Time will tell. Joe's enthusiasm for True Blood has rubbed off on his girlfriend Audra Marie who is now a confirmed Trubie.

Actually on our first date I could not stop talking about this show that I was obsessed with that she hadn't seen, which was True Blood.  I think it was on our third date I brought her the DVD set of season one and she got hooked on it.  So a lot of our first dates were spent talking about True Blood and within two months of us dating I wound up getting cast.

His role on True Blood has raised Joe's public profile.  The downside of this is being constantly hunted by the paparazzi, but there is a good side, too – us fans.

That's amazing to me!  That's incredible to me!  I mean, you are going to have that feeling that you're being watched a lot more than normal.  But, aside from that you're going to get to share some really cool....fans are going to share some really cool stuff with you.  I'm on a show that people love and I'm playing a character that people love.

To listen to the complete interview, click here and scroll to the bottom of the interview. Source: Examiner.com : Exclusive Interview with Joe Manganiello (Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

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