Here's some cast portraits from this weekends Comic-con courtesy of Ew.com. Is it just me or does this show have the best cast? They always look so comfortable with each other and having fun! Definitely kicking myself as usual for not making it!
Like me and couldn't make the trip to San Diego for Comic-Con? Well here's a little coverage of the True Blood panel from yesterday. And apparently it was all about giving respect, kudos to headliner Alan Ball and his leaving the series.
"True Blood” creator Alan Ball received a warm send-off in his final Comic-Con International appearance as the showrunner of the HBO vampire series, with fans and many members of the show’s cast rising to applaud the man who brought Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels to graphic life for five seasons and is now stepping down from his top post. Aside from that emotional moment, though, the tenor of the panel was high-spirited and even silly with many, many references to romance, nudity, sex and stripping, the latter courtesy of Joe Manganiello’s recent cinematic turn as a male dancer named Big Dick Richie in Steven Soderbergh’s film “Magic Mike.” The panel kicked off with a preview of the latter half of Season 5 that revealed Manganiello’s Alcide will step up to become pack master and Russell Edgington will create all kinds of trouble (not much of a surprise there). The footage also appeared to suggest that Sookie might be turning in some of her fairy powers (given that Bill sure seems to be glamoring her). And was that a glimpse of a ghostly Godric we saw? In addition to Manganiello and Ball, the panel included Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Christopher Meloni, Alexander Skarsgard, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin. Ball promised that fans can expect to see three new romances develop before the season’s conclusion, and that the story line will further explore the fate of Sookie and Jason’s parents. Wesley described how much she’s enjoying Tara’s new vampiric identity, recreating the character while still maintaining her essence. “Her life has been saved whether she wants to admit it or not,” she said. New cast member Meloni made a point to compare his role as the Guardian of the Authority to his previously famed turn as Detective Elliot Stabler on the long-running NBC crime drama “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”: “Trying to figure out what’s a sex crime on this show is very difficult. It’s an interesting world to inhabit as an actor… I’d never even heard of a werepanther.” MORE & SOURCE... There is now going to be released a new cosmetics, beauty line inspired by all favourite fang show, True Blood. Looks like the kind of stuff Pam might be into...
Forsaken will be available to consumers in an Eau de Parfum, a body cream and shimmering body veil powder. The fragrance evokes the dark and seductive world of True Blood, capturing the soul of the show. The feminine and sultry scent features pulpy fruits paired with crisp pear notes, mid notes of night blooming jasmine, known as ‘Queen of the Night’ and closes with the dark muskiness of amber and patchouli. The Forsaken fragrance will also be incorporated into a nail lacquer, called, “Let It Bleed,” developed celebrity manicurist, Deborah Lippmann and has a coordinating lipstick called “Bite Me.” Lippmann also created two additional sets for the collection: “Sookie Sookie” featuring full-size “Human Nature,” “Fairydust” and “Bad Things;” and a trio of minis including “Strange Love,” “New Flesh” and “Bad Blood.” Rounding out the collection is a specialty line of home products from high-end home fragrance company D. L. & Co., which includes luxury candles and diffusers with the Forsaken scent developed by Givaudan. This vampy collection will debut on HSN and on HSN.com on August 9, 2012. SOURCE Show runner, Alan Ball finally gives a interview on his departure from the hit HBO series and all the work, joy it brought him. We sure will miss him! Hopefully the show doesn't change too drastically in the next few Seasons..
Q: I'm sad. This will be your last season doing "True Blood"? A: It's just a question of mental and physical health. Running a TV show is huge. There's a reason people take a year off and stuff like that. I'm at the point where the show is very strong. All the writer-producers know what they're doing. Everybody is operating at the executive producer level. I need a break to clear my brain. Clear the deck. Live as a human for a few months. Q: It's not 12 months a year - A: It's close to 10-11 months a year. By the time I'm finishing post (-production) on episode 12 it's August. And I go to every single spotting, casting session, editing. After five years of that, it's self-preservation. I'm ready to move on and work on some different types of things. Q: Do you feel the show will be able to carry on your voice once you leave? A: I believe I'm leaving it in very good hands. I'm OK with not being in control. I am a control freak, every show-runner is, but I'm happy to let go of this control. Q: I'm not one of those guys who writes every single word. I empower other writer-producers on staff, they do a better job that way. I don't want to develop a drug habit to meet the output level. But the nature of horror genre means there is a heightened, visceral, Grand Guignol kind of aspect to it. The vampire idea is basically people feeding on other people. It's a horrifying concept once you look at. Q: So let's talk about sex. A: The vampire metaphor as sex is built into the whole mystique of vampires. There is an exchange of bodily fluid, lust, hunger, passion. French refer to orgasm as "the little death." That's one of the reasons vampires have been so popular as literary creatures, because they are sex. Q: But you've made it very explicit. A: I have to nod to Charlene Harris, the writer of books. The sex is pretty graphic. That's part of the appeal. She created a grab bag of horror, romance, humour, social satire, all in this little southern town. But it is insane and fantastic and ridiculous. Even when we use the vampires as metaphors for the gay and lesbian community, for people of colour. Q: When the show started, I remember your giving interviews talking about how "True Blood" was a kind of metaphor for the ostracizing of minorities. Has the show veered away from this? A: Vampires are mostly crazy and vicious and amoral. I don't say this is a metaphor for gays and lesbians and transgenders, it's more about getting to explore the dynamic of 'fear of the other' in the way that isn't really that serious because of the nature of the show. You don't need a show saying hating gays and lesbians is wrong. "True Blood" is mostly about entertainment and escape, that's been the joy of five years, after another show ("Six Feet Under") that looked at mortality. SOURCE & MORE.. |