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True Blood: "She's Given Him Reason to Live Again"

Stephen Moyer talks about what it's like to be in love with Anna Paquin, both in real life and on HBO's cult-hit drama

By Jennifer Godwin Jun 03, 2009 1:00 PMTags
True Blood, Promotional Poster, Stephen MoyerHBO

Is it possible that Twilight is only the second-most-romantic vampire saga of the moment?

Being on premium cable as they are, True Blood's Sookie and Bill certainly give virginal Edward and Bella a run for their money when it comes to blood-hot sex, but what about love?

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 overriding 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?

Jaimie Trueblood / HBO

What kind of arc can we expect for Bill and Sookie this season?
I think that they love each other more than they have loved anything ever. Speaking from Bill's point of view, she's given him reason to live again.

Does your relationship with Anna [Paquin] make it more or less difficult to do emotionally awkward scenes between Sookie and Bill, like when she and Sam got together last season and Bill walked in on them? 
Anna and I met on this show. We met doing the job. And so the crew has seen us grow together. They have seen our relationship grow by watching us on set. Now, you know, we kept it from them to begin with. You know, it was very…we wanted to keep it private. We didn't want people to think we were f--king with their lives with something fickle. But honestly, there's no one I'd rather work with. I really mean it. I love working with her, and that's how it all started, by falling in love on camera…So last year, Sam had his stuff coming up with Anna and at that point nobody knew we were a couple. So Sam's a close friend, and I had to go to Sam and say, 'Look. I need to tell you something. I need you to know. I don't want you to find out later and feel like a heel.' So I told him; that was the first time I told him about me and Anna. And he couldn't believe it! It's about trust, you know. And that trust is a very important part of a relationship.

From your perspective as an actor, how would you characterize Bill and Eric's relationship—are they friends, enemies, coworkers or what?
Bill just knows that's how Eric is, and that he's not going to be changing him anytime soon. Certainly in this season there is a moral hierarchy. And you understand that in the vampire world there's a very strong sense of right and wrong. There are things you do and things you don't and if you do something within the vampire world that is f--ked up and against your fellow vamp, you are going to suffer for that. I kind of like that idea that, you know, anything goes, but if you cross a line, you're going to suffer for it. Whether Eric is adhering to those vampire morals is important.

What about your vampire daughter, Jessica—does that continue to be a fractured fairy tale?
If Bill imagined a daughter, he imagined a beautiful little well-mannered Victorian beauty. And Jessica comes along, and she is this hideous, sex-and-blood-hungry 17-year-old. And we don't think she's going to be that. We think she's going to be this home-schooled innocent, and that's not where she is at all. The actress, Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Jessica, she's f--king brilliant. And I love her. She goes about creating her part through a very pure, you know, method way. And I don't mean she's a Method actress, I just mean she really, she really goes at it with incredible, incredible industry. She's fantastic to work with!

What can you tell us about season two?
I think the second season is beyond amazing…more than anybody imagined. Honestly, I came out of the screening the other day with my jaw on the floor. And I've read it, you know. 

True Blood season two premieres June 14 at 9 p.m. on HBO. But between now and then, let's kill a little time by discussing the merits of Team Bill. Tell us why this Southern vampire makes you so hot and bothered!

Plus, check out our True Blood and Kissing Costars galleries for more snaps of Stephen and Anna.