Middle Age Hollywood

Examiner's Melissa Zaro interviewed True Blood's Joe Manganiello recently and here's the TRUE BLOOD parts only.

Getting cast on True Blood was something that you really wanted. What is your favorite part about working on the show?

What is my favorite, favorite part about working on the show? It's being in such good company I think. I come from classical theater training and when I went to college it was a bunch of kids that were hand-picked from around the world. I was around such brilliant, young minds and incredible artists with incredible teachers. Then I came to Hollywood and it was never that good again. You bounce around Hollywood with a bunch of people who are "actors" who don't speak the same language as you. Then I wind up on True Blood then all of a sudden I'm back with....it's like that Blind Mellon video. 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.


How stoked are you about coming back as a regular for the fourth season?

In a lot of ways I'm happy. I was so glad they brought me on for six episodes and that was it. So, I didn't know if Alcide was going to come back or not, I honestly didn't know what they were planning. 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.

A steady job!

Yeah! It's good to have a steady job! 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!"

How are you dealing with the sudden amount of attention now that you're on the show?

Well, that's definitely been an adjustment. It's weird when you realize that there's somebody ....it's 100 degrees out and there's somebody sitting in a car outside your house waiting for you to walk out. Or if you just got done with a workout and there's somebody waiting for a picture of you. So, that kind of stuff has been a bit of an adjustment. But, the other side of it is that I was at the gym today working out and this girl ran up to me and wanted to tell me that I am her and all of her friends' favorite character on the show.

I think you became a very big favorite for a lot of people!

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.

Is there an actor or actress that would be your dream co-star any time in the future?

Well, Charlaine was asked who she would like to see on the show and she said that she would like to see David Bowie play Sookie's great-grandfather. I think that would be unbelievable as a David Bowie fan, but also as a fan of Labyrinth. I think that would be the best addition to the show ever! A lot of people have been asking me who I would like to see play Alcide's father. I have my dream wish list and I think Jeff Bridges would be great as Alcide's dad. Or Sam Elliott or Sam Shepard; one of those guys would be a dream come true.

Saturday Night Live or Saturday Night Fever? Saturday Night......Saturday Night Live like during the 90's with Farley, Hartman, Sandler...that Saturday Night Live.

Superman or Supergirl? Superman

Day or Night? Night

Vampires or Werewolves? Werewolves (laughs) no question!

Action Films or Comedy Films? Action

New York or LA? (this one was tough for him) New York