"True Blood" Q&A Panel at San Diego Comic-Con July 22-23

[JamesG]

San Diego Comic Con: Thursday, July 22



1:00pm-2:00pm in Room 6BCF— Spotlight on Charlaine Harris:


Author and Comic-Con special guest Charlaine Harris gathered a huge fan base with her novels and stories featuring her characters mystery-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden; Shakespeare, Arkansas resident Lily Bard; and the telepathic barmaid who befriends vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, Sookie Stackhouse.

Once Sookie and company moved to the small screen with HBO's "True Blood", Harris entered the superstar realm. Be a part of the very first Spotlight panel devoted to Charlaine and hear what she has to say about what comes next for Sookie and everyone else!






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San Diego Comic Con: Friday, July 23



5:15pm-6:15pm in Ballroom 20— "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 panel will include:

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 van Straten (Pam)
Denis O'Hare (Russell Edgington)
Joe Manganiello (Alcide Herveaux)
and Series Creator Alan Ball


Moderated by Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/20859

[JamesG]

SD Comic-Con '10: "True Blood" Author Talks Books, Show & Sookie Turning
Thursday, July 22, 2010
By: MrDisgusting


The San Diego Comic-Con Spotlight panel just came to an end with author Charlaine Harris, who is known in the horror world as the author of the the Sookie Stackhouse novels that are the inspiration for HBO's "True Blood".

After receiving the Comic-Con Inkpot Award for excellence in fantasy and sci-fi writing, she talked about the next story, Death's Excellent Vacation, along with details on the Sookie Companion and her thoughts on the show.






At the panel at the San Diego Comic-Con Harris revealed that she's under contract to pen three more Sookie Stackhouse books, with the next coming in May.


Featuring Sookie, Pam, and a stripper pole, on the first Tuesday in August the short story Death's Excellent Vacation is being released.

Arriving in February is the Sookie Companion containing: A FAQ by Charlaine, an interview with Alan Ball, recipes, secret emails between Bill and Eric, and an original novella with Sookie, Sam, and Quinn.






When asked if she ever considers adding any of the new characters from the TV show into the books. She screamed: "No!" Adding that there are "separate entertainment vehicles ... two experiences for the price of one."

She also dismissed rumors that Sookie's telepathy is related to her fairy blood and added that Bubba will be in the next book.





But the big news is that Harris was firm on the idea that Sookie will never "turn", although, as we know, the show could go a completely different direction.

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/21001

[JamesG]

SD Comic-Con '10: "True Blood" Panel Seen, Full Report!!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
By: MrDisgusting


If you were ballsy enough to wait four hours, you might have been one of the lucky San Diego Comic-Con attendees to witness the panel for HBO's "True Blood", the most anticipated of the entire Con.


In attendance was not only show creator Alan Ball, but also source material author Charlaine Harris, and cast:

Anna Paquin
Stephen Moyer
Nelsan Ellis
Sam Trammell
Rutina Wesley
Deborah Ann Woll
Kristin Bauer van Straten
Denis O’Hare
and Joe Manganiello





The crowd was pretty distressed when they learned that Ryan Kwanten and Alexander Skarsgård weren't there (both are off shooting other projects at present), but to soften the blow, Moyer and Paquin brought out a cardboard standee of Skarsgård (hilarious!).








- We will find out more about Sookie's mysterious powers before the season's end.




- When asked about their favorite "gross-out" moments, Sam Trammell said he'd like to tell us about his, but we haven't seen it yet.

As for Anna, hers goes back to last season, after Maryann had taken over her home, when she found a small naked man in her sink along with an animal head on her kitchen table.





- Dennis O'Hare has created an elaborate back story in his own head for his character, King Russell, which entailed writing emails to Alan Ball with some of his ideas: alive since 2,800 BC -- or a Celt -- or a Pagan.

Ball's typical response? "Okay ... good, Denis."

O'Hare most appreciates Russell's ancient way of thinking, his different morality, and his relationship with the werewolves.





- We all know about Snoop Dogg's obsession with the show; what about other celebrity fans?

According to Kristin Bauer van Straten, Elizabeth Taylor is a follower of the show, as is Anne Rice, who has become Facebook pen pals with Charlaine Harris.





- Deborah Ann Woll was asked about her character Jessica's relationship with Hoyt and whether or not they'll reconcile.

The wise beyond her years young woman explained that she has to first learn who she is and love herself before she'll be able to love someone else.





- Who would Charlaine most like to see on the show from the world she's created in her books?

Sookie's great grandfather, Niall Brigant. (The audience roars its concurrence.)





- Newcomer Joe Manganiello (who confirmed that his alter ego Alcide will indeed be a regular next season and that he's aware of the Internet campaign for him to be the next Superman) lightened the mood considerably by describing the “Brotherhood of the Sock” -- the methods by which the men on the show prepare for nude shots.

He said they are presented with a black velvet tray on which three different items are displayed: a sock with a drawstring, a plastic black thong, and a man panty (or "manty").

The selection depends on the angle and nature of the scene. Hilarious!





- Finally we got some teasers about Season 4 from creator Ball: Apparently a character who doesn't know who he or she is becomes a different person, and someone who hated him or her doesn't do so anymore.

(Those in the audience who have read Charlaine's books seemed quite pleased to hear this news.)

Also, Ball promised that Holly would be a "big" character in Season 4.





- As part of the audience Q&A the group was asked, "If you could be any creature on the show, what would it be?"

Ball immediately said, "A shifter" while Deborah Ann replied that she's rather be a witch than a vampire. At least then she wouldn't eternally be 17 ... or a virgin.





- In the best news this Woman heard all day, Ball promised that we will get to "luxuriate in Franklin's psychopathology" for at least a bit longer before we're done with the character.





- A big difference between the books and the show is Sookie and Bill's relationship, and this is because Ball believes that they are soulmates and he's rooting for them to work things out in the long term.





- Poor Rutina Wesley. Her character, Tara, always seems to pick the wrong man. Will she ever get a break?

Ball said Tara will get a break toward the end of this season, but it won't last. And that was fine with Rutina as she likes the "meat" Tara's complexity provides her as an actress.





- Nelsan was asked what his inspiration is for his portrayal of the flamboyant Lafayette, and he explained that he takes all the energy and craziness of his mom and four sisters and combines their antics to make Lafayette into the character that we all have come to love so much.





- Lastly, Ball addressed putting the character of Bubba (Elvis Presley in vampire form) into the show by saying that the trouble is how to make it not look fake.

Someone suggested Bruce Campbell for the role, and the crowd went wild. So you just don't know ... we may see him show up after all.

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/21038