How about some ‘True Blood‘ scoop? I would love to know what Eric is up to in upcoming episodes! – Lorraine

Here is the Eric-centric intel courtesy of HBO’s very wonderful and spoilery previews: On August 1, “Eric uses Hadley as bait to get information from Sophie-Anne.” Later that month, “Eric proves the depth of his allegiance to Russell,” and then “Nan Flanagan detours to Fangtasia to confront Eric.”

There are so many stories and new characters on True Blood. Please tell me it gets better! — Carol
MICKEY: We’ve spoken to quite a few cast members about this common complaint, and they’ve all assured us that the season’s multiple plot splinters will eventually coalesce. “I never got to eat at Merlotte’s, but I certainly visit the front porches of many people’s houses,” says Denis O’Hare, who plays Russell Edgington, King of Mississippi. He goes on to defend the new kids on the bayou. “Pam and Eric’s relationship really blossoms this season, in part because of his interaction with people like me.”

Patty in Hollywood, Calif.: I love Dennis O’Hare on True Blood. Anything ahead for the King?
Lots and lots of blood, so says Dennis. “Russell steps up to defend the Earth because he feels like humans abdicate it. He wants them to step back, and vampires will run things because they’ll do a little better.” Unfortunately, all does not go well for the Mississippi man. In fact, by the end: “I’m wearing a trench coat and flip flops and I’m much bloodier. I’ve fallen from grace. It’s a big character arch, where I end up going through a lot of pain and a lot of blood shed.” Dun-dun-dun.

Here is the schedule and cast appearances:

TRUE BLOOD Q&A PANEL:

* Alan Ball, Executive Producer
* Anna Paquin, Sookie Stackhouse
* Stephen Moyer, Bill Compton),
* Nelsan Ellis, Lafayette Reynolds
* Sam Trammell, Sam Merlotte
* Rutina Wesley, Tara Thornton
* Deborah Ann Woll, Jessica Hamby
* Kristin Bauer, Pam
* Denis O’Hare, Russell Ediington
* Joe Manganiello, Alcide Hervaux

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY SCHEDULE OF TRUE BLOOD EVENTS

5:15-6:15 True Blood Panel and Q&A session— Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode third season June 13 on HBO. The series, which has earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series—Drama, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, Golden Globe winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for The Piano), who can hear people’s thoughts, and her soulmate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under) created and serves as executive producer of the series, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. The series also features Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds, Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte, Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby, Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam, Denis O’Hare as Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, and Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux. (Note: names in bold will be appearing on the panel.) Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly. Ballroom 20

More info on Comic Con here.

Source

True Blood has been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.

WooHoo!!!!!
Congrats to cast and crew!!

The EW talked with True Blood’s production designer, Suzuki Ingerslev, about some of the sets.

Check it all out here.

Here is an excerpt:

The King of Mississippi’s Mansion:
Ingerslev and her art director took a little side trip to Natchez, Mississippi last year, and found Longwood, a National Historic Landmark and the largest remaining octagonal home in the U.S., which she was told had never been filmed before for TV or features. “The interior was never completed. After the Civil War, they walked away from it,” she says. “But we just needed it for the exterior, because there’s nothing like it in the whole world. So we convinced our producers, begged and begged, and they let us go down there and shoot it.” As for the interiors, they were created from scratch after studying the furniture, chandeliers, and wallpapers in plantation homes. “The wallpaper in the King’s dining room is completely Mississippi wallpaper,” she says. “It’s got the river, it’s got Spanish moss and alligators. It’s really amazing that we found that in a wallpaper book.”

When it came time to acquire Bill’s much-storied bed, Ingerslev admits she felt some pressure to find one that would live up to those expectations. ”That kind of a bed is probably $20-, $30-, $40-, $50,000. Our producers wouldn’t have liked that,” she says. They settled on a rental from Warner Bros., which was probably used in a lot of old studio films. Another decision that required some thought: How to decorate the table. “At first, we were like, ‘Let’s get all this great silver,’ and then we realized we couldn’t use silverware in there because vampires can’t touch silver. So we ended up going with a gold flatware. We used a lot of glass displays and crystal. Waterford was kind enough to loan us some pieces because apparently, they’re fans of the show.”

Question: Regarding last Sunday’s True Blood sexcapades, I was not expecting that from Bill. Please may I have a scoop, since I have to wait until July 11 for the next episode? —Angi
Ausiello: I warned you it would go down as the most, ahem, twisted sex scene in television history, didn’t I? Anyway, Kevin Alejandro — who goes back to work on Southland in October — says we’ll “be seeing more of Jesus” beginning July 18. “I come back in the fifth episode, then you see me pretty regularly from there to the finale.” And, erm, a lot of him. As things heat up between Jesus and Lafayette, he says, “I promise it gets racy.”

Question: More True Blood scoop, please! —Sam
Ausiello: Alan Ball reveals that there will be lots of “werewolves and vampires throwing down” at the end of the season. I know, not much of a scoop. Cut me some slack. It’s the Thursday before the Fourth of July. Is anyone even reading this thing?

Spoilers from E!:

George in Michigan: Alright, give it to me straight. What’s the deal with Sam’s little brother on True Blood?
What, you mean little ol’ Tommy? He’s harmless—in the sociopath, crazy-person sorta way! Marshall Allman, aka Sam’s little bro Tommy, is in it for the long haul this season, and a source tells us he intends on “bringing Bon Temps to its knees.” Sounds fun, right? “I go in and have a lot of fun,” Marshall tells us. “There’s not an impulse that I don’t act on. I’m tons of fun. And then I’ll take your wallet, [and] I’ll also steal your girl.” Yes, we’re hearing some girl-stealing is afoot. Any guesses as to which lovely lady Tommy might have on his arm? Hands off Sookie, L.J., or we’ll tell your Dad! (A little old-timey Prison Break humor brought to you by Wentworth’s abs.)

Julie in Toronto: True Blood, please.
Marshall tells us he’ll be around well into the “shocking” season finale, and that even though he’ll do some pwetty tewibble things to Bon Temps during his stay (yep, he’s moving in!), don’t judge too quickly. “People will see that I have a heart, but they’re just going to be frustrated that I’m not being who I was meant to be,” he says, “I suffered a lot of dysfunction, and I just need a lot of love.” Sources have also revealed that Tommy might be working to Sam at Merlotte’s soon enough, so watch out for that, ’cause that seems to be where all truly terrible people end up at one time or another. (Note: Hands off Arlene, too, buddy. She’s with child.)

Marybeth in Laurel, Md.: Anything good coming up for Tara on True Blood?
That depends on your definition of good. Rutina Wesley tells us our ever-troubled bartender “is gonna struggle with this vampire lover named Franklin Mott. He’s very psychological and very hard. So this relationship is not necessarily by choice.” Probably not your definition of good, huh? One thing you don’t have to worry about? Tara becoming a vamp herself. “Probably not,” she says. “I love being human. It’s like I’m one of the only humans on the show!”

Question: Season 3 has barely started, but I am dying for some True Blood news. Got any to share? —Kelly
Ausiello: Exec producer Alan Ball teases that a big secret Bill’s “been carrying with him gets revealed at the end of the season.” That noise you hear is the sound of me dipping into the Ausiello Files archives and going Hmm…

Question: Have you received confirmation from Alan Ball that Talbot and Eric will get, ahem, down to business on True Blood this season? —Rob
Ausiello: No, but I haven’t received a denial from him, either. “I think one of the things about being a vampire and living for 100 years is you pretty much try everything,” Ball says. “Whether or not [Talbot and Eric] end up getting together I can’t reveal. I’ll definitely tell you that this season is pretty pansexual.” Yeah, got that bit from the first two episodes.