I’m anxiously awaiting the new season of True Blood, but it isn’t out until the end of July so I’ll have to console myself with CW’s Vampire Diaries, which is worthy of all the hype in my opinion.* New episodes of The Vampire Diaries air on January 21.
Spoilers below
There’s plenty of casting news for the HBO favorite. Again, there are spoilers below so quit reading now if you want to be surprised.
First up is casting for Alcide, the hot construction company owner who also happens to be a werewolf. We’ve seen shapeshifters on the show, but no werewolves yet. They’re coming, and they’ll probably be wearing shirts more often than they do in Twilight. In the Sookie Stackhouse book series, Alcide plays a competitor for Sookie’s affections. I’m not going to tell you much more, but it’s hard to tell how that plotline will play out on the show as producer Alan Ball likes to mix things up. Alcide will be played by a guy I’ve never heard of, Joe Manganiello, from One Tree Hill and How I Met Your Mother.
Playing the role of Lafayette’s mom will be veteran actress Alfre Woodard. Layfayette’s character has a much different fate on the TV show than in the novels and I can’t remember him having a mother in the books.
We also have news of casting for vampire Franklin Mott, who is set to be Tara’s mean boyfriend. Mott will be played by British actor James Frain of the Tudors. I know him from the 2000 film Where the Heart Is with Natalie Portman and he’s done a lot of TV work since then.
A soap opera actress from Bold and The Beautiful, Natasha Alam, has been slated to play a new dancer at Fangtasia who catches hot Nordic owner Eric’s eye. Just thinking about Alexander Skarsgard gets me a little swoony.
And last but not least, Patrick Swayze’s brother, Donny, 51, will be cast as a werewolf in the upcoming season! The National Enquirer reports the news, along with the quote that “he’s thrilled, but the downside for him is that Patrick won’t be around to enjoy seeing him finally come into his own.”
It’s cruel that we’ll have to wait over 10 months since the end of the last season to get our True Blood fix, but the fans will surely stick around. There’s also a new book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Dead in the Family, coming out in May 2010. The books are a lot of fun and if you like the show you’ll probably enjoy them. They would also make a great gift for a fan. Start with the first one, Dead Until Dark.
*The CW has advertised with us, but I genuinely love this show.
True Blood promotional images, courtesy of WENN.
Alan Ball made a wise decision to deviate Lafayette’s character from how it was written in the books. Nelsan Ellis really brings Lafayette to life and that’s why everybody loves him!
Tip Your Waitress!
Good choice of Alfre Woodard for his mom.
James Frain looks exactly as I pictured Franklin Mott as I was reading the books, great casting.
Looking forward to seeing Alcide and his interactions with Sookie.
Can’t wait for season 3!
love the books, love the show. I am disappointed that Nelsan Ellis was not acknowledged in the awards nominations for his portrayal of the outstanding character Lafayette. I fell in love with his character and am glad he wasn’t not killed off early as he was in the books. I hope the producers do follow the storyline of Eric and Sookie..Bill be damned, I love the Hot Nordic Vamp.
Rosalee- I agree with you on Nelson being left out of the nominations.
Club Dead (which season three is based on) was one of the best books in the series. This season should be good.
I miss True Blood *sigh* But the books are certainly worth reading during the wait and most of the spoilers sounds great. I’m glad Don Swayze has been cast – I wounder who he’ll play?
Also I love Alex. Hot Nordic Vamp indeed.
I picture James Frain more as Mickey than Franklin Mott. If I recall, Franklin is supposed to have been older when he was changed. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Don Swayze as the Colonel. However, it’s also possible that he was not actually cast as a Were, but as a werepanther, and he could be playing Calvin Norris. Those are two of the older Weres from the series. Ooh, he could be cast as Alcide’s dad.
James Frain looks a little creepy but maybe that’s why he’s cast in that role?? Also, am not interested in having a dancer in Fangtasia. That plot seems incredibly boring and unnecessary.
I’m a little nervous with all the new characters, I feel like they may take more of the main characters’ time. Hopefully that won’t be the case though, I mean Alan Ball really knows what he is doing and produces awesome stuff!
Love the books. The show peeves me. Might not last through the next season if Alan Ball changes the main characters any more than he already has. Not a fan of his Sookie AT ALL. Happy for Don. Not sure about Joe as Alcide, but I’ll wait and see before I pass judgment.
Love the Vampire Diaries. Really enjoy Ian/Damien, as his character is more Eric Northman than Alan Ball’s interpretation of Eric. I don’t fault Alex, I actually think he makes the perfect Eric, but as written on the show he’s crippled.
The Colonel or Alcide’s dad would be great! Alcide doesn’t look like I imagined him at all – I pictured someone older and more rugged. I’m somewhat anxious about how Ball is going to deal with the storyline. I don’t really like his version of Sookie either. She’s quite Sueish to me.
Why are they introducing another love interest for Eric? The love triangle in the books WORKS. Leave it be, Mr. Ball!
Nelsan was robbed, lemme tell you…I love his portrayal of Lafayette. he is by far, my favorite character in TB..
I’m with you, Jane – Lafayette is my boy!! I love that character, and Nelsan Ellis is so talented.
I like the casting choice for Alcide, he looks very close to how I imagined him! I forget who Franklin Mott is…or maybe I haven’t gotten that far in the books. Wow, it’s a long wait til the new season starts!
Love the books, but I think I love the show even more. The secondary characters are so much more developed, and in the case of Lafayette, alive! I thoroughly agree that Nelsan should have gotten some award recognition, his is truly phenomenal in his role.
I don’t like show Sookie as much as book Sookie though. I suspect the Fangtasia dancer will just be a small part, mainly to make Sookie realize she’s jealous.
That guy cast for Alcide, I couldn’t stand him on One Tree Hill back when I used to watch that. He always just seemed like kind of a dolt. But I’d assume Alan Ball wouldn’t cast a lousy actor on such a major role, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
I had always pictured Jeremy Sisto as Alcide. The guy they cast looks a bit too young for the part. Oh well, maybe if they scruff him up a bit it’ll work. Can’t. Wait. For. Next. Season!
Donny’s a very good actor, but a majorly creepy-looking guy.
Ameila, I oompletely agree with you. I watched two episodes, then couldn’t watch anymore because I love the books and the show is just so different. Not even the plot so much as the characters are just completely different. That bothered me a lot.
And I love Ian Somerholder as Damon. He’s the reason I watch that show. Love me that bad boy.
I just hope that they put Bubba into the show!
@ Rae I also love Ian Somerhalder as Damon on The Vampire Diaries. The character is so bad he’s good. Ian IS the show as far as I’m concerned. Without his character the show would be just another Twilight clone. I adore Alexander Skarsgard, but I wish they would make the character of Eric on True Blood darker and more dangerous like Damon on The Vampire Diaries.
Keeping Lafayette alive was a brilliant move by A.Ball. Cannot wait for the next season. I know the dude who will play Alcide. He is cute on HIMYM. 😀
-meream
I go against the “swoony” grain here when I say that I don’t enjoy Alex as Eric at all. He looks too wimpy in the face and doesn’t come off as strong, like he is in the books. I’ve said it before, but he often reminds me of Jim Carrey as the Cable Guy. And Sookie was a let down for me as well. Miss squiggly lips just doesn’t work for me. Lafayette is a jewel. Thank god they let this actor develop his role. It SO works. Oh yes, they can just get another actor right now for Bill as well. The triad can all be replaced and I wouldn’t much care. I’m just not that invested in them as actors.
I was rather disappointed the first time I watched the True Blood series – because I read the book first and I had astronomically high expectation for the series. But after 15 minutes into it I was hooked! The trick is not to second guess every plot and compare it to the book! Then you’ll enjoy it like hell! I REALLY really do hope they wont change the books version of how things pun out between Bill(pukes) and Sookie! Team Eric all the way! Ha and I must say they have Erics character to a T with the actor Alexander Skarsgard (drool) I love him!! He portrays Eric just like the book! And so doe Sookie – I’m ashamed to confess this but she does get on my nerve sometimes :s (note to director SORT IT OUT) Ohh and for and Alexander Skarsgard fans watch Generation Kill – Alex looks completely different but the sex appeal is still there!
Can’t wait for the next True Blood to come to the UK! x
I think he will add to the list of characters on true blood for sure. Wise pick up. I like this guy.
I love Bill and Sookie TOGETHER! They are both great actors and their characters on the show are soulmates, so if you don’t like it DON’T watch it!!!!! Lay off of Anna Paquin….she is an amazing actress and Steven Moyer is simply delicious!!!!