What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Well, that is not entirely accurate. Actress Rutina Wesley, one of the stars of the HBO series True Blood, did not stay. The daughter of professional dancers, the Las Vegas born-and-bred Wesley took her show on the road—first to the University of Evansville as an undergrad and then to the Juilliard School in New York. Along the way, Wesley also studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. A plum role on Broadway in David Hare’s The Vertical Hour and the lead in the 2007 dance film How She Move earned her an audition for Alan Ball, who was casting the tricky role of Tara Thornton in True Blood. The depth she brought to the character not only won her the part, it has since made Wesley one of the most popular characters on television. EDGE Assignments Editor Zack Burgess took the actress back to Las Vegas to talk about her show business roots and inspirations, and to explore the imaginative and eclectic Rutina Look (his words, not hers). The ground rules for the interview? Only one “vampire question” allowed (our rules, not hers). Oh, the pressure! As usual, Zack saved the best for last.

EDGE: You grew up in a town that isn’t always known for its taste, but it is definitely known for its style.

RW: True.

EDGE: Yet you seem to have developed a keen sense for both. How did that happen?

RW: Being the daughter of a mother who was a professional dancer had a definite influence. My mother loves to dress and she has a great sense of style, with the feathers and colors and all. I can go in any direction, from elegant to tomboyish. I think traveling as much as I have has helped, as well.

EDGE: Does your sense of style come naturally or is it something that you have to plan and work on?

RW: A little bit of both. I’m a chameleon with my style because there are so many things I like; it’s hard for me to choose. I love to glam it up for events and wear things that I can’t in everyday life, but I also love to run around in jeans and sneakers, especially since I’m secretly a sneaker freak.

EDGE: Is there a story behind the Rutina Look?

RW: I definitely consider myself a New York girl. I just like the style of New York. There really is no story behind my look. I just think I have a good sense of what makes good and bad fashion—although I have been known to take risk with fashion from time to time.

EDGE: Who are some of the designers that you like?

RW: Jean Paul Gaultier, Cynthia Vincent, Stacey Bendet [Alice & Olivia], Versace, Tadashi—there are just too many to name. I like a variety. It’s nice to switch it up every once in a while.

EDGE: Were there actors you felt drawn to as a girl—any that you wanted to model yourself after?

RW: Of course. Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts come to mind. I consider them all people who carry themselves with dignity and class, and who have mastered their craft.

EDGE: On True Blood, there is a lot of grittiness to your character, Tara, in the face of unimaginable danger and evil. Where do you reach down and pull that from?

RW: I know a few people who were forced to grow up too fast because of something that happened in their lives. I tend to draw from the stories I’ve heard from them. I’ll just take myself to these dark places and use my imagination, to picture what it would be like to grow up in a home that was abusive and volatile, try to think of how that would make me feel. I do always try to come from a place of honesty and humanity, because I don’t want it to be too over-the-top. A lot of the time, though, I can get a true sense of things from the words I’m given in the script. I’m lucky to be working with some amazing writers.

EDGE: Talk about the performing arts school you attended in Vegas. People picture Fame on the Strip. What was the reality like?

RW: Yeah, I can see how people would think that. You know what our first play was? Fame! It was a ton of fun. We were always doing something. Whether we were singing songs from Grease or performing Shakespeare, I love Shakespeare, it was definitely a wonderful experience. It prepared me for what was to come and fueled my desire and drive to become who I am today.

EDGE: What percentage of your classmates had parents who were entertainers, as you did?

RW: Not many at all. Most of the kids’ parents either worked on the Strip or had their own businesses.

EDGE: You mentioned your mother’s influence. In what ways has your father helped your career?

RW: Both of my parents prepared me for what to expect as I made my way in this business. My father was always there to say make sure you read something before you sign it, and makes sure you have a lawyer.

EDGE: Was acting your first love?

EDGE: After earning your theater degree at Evansville, you made the quantum leap to Juilliard. Looking back, can you identify the performances that won you a spot there?

RW: At Evansville we did a lot of Shakespeare, and we had to perform many monologues, which they knew about at Juilliard. So they made me do all of them, which is amazing when you think about it.

EDGE: Looking back, which Juilliard teachers played key roles in your development as an actress?

RW: John Stix and Richard Feldman were very influential.

EDGE: Is Juilliard harder to get in or stay in? And who were some of the teachers who were influential in your development as a performer?

RW: Both are hard! They used to have a cut rule, but they don’t anymore, which is good. That way you can really concentrate on your craft and not worry about being sent home. It was definitely challenging, but worth every minute of my time. It was fun—just an awesome experience. I met lifelong friends there. I met my husband there. It was, and has been, one of the greatest experiences of my life. Recently I was walking with a friend from high school and he reminded me that I once said that I would go to Juilliard. I didn’t remember that. He reminded me that I was living out my dream. I couldn’t help but start crying right there on the streets of New York.

EDGE: When you were cast in The Vertical Hour on Broadway, what kind of expectations did you have in terms of building a personal or professional relationship with Julianne Moore?

RW: None really. But she was nothing but exceptional to work with and be around. It was a small cast, so we really became like a family. To work with Julianne and Bill Nighy, who is a true professional, was a remarkable experience. And to work with people you admire and to have them treat you well, it was such a pleasant experience. I have nothing but positive memories of working with Julianne and being around her.

EDGE: What did you learn about the craft from her?

RW: Her work ethic was amazing. The way Julianne immersed herself in her character was a very good thing to see. She works so hard at her craft that it can’t help but rub off on you—especially if you are willing to learn. She’s a risk-taker. She’s not afraid to do different things with a character.

EDGE: In what ways did the director, Sam Mendes, have an impact on your approach to performing?

RW: He was always working to get the best out of you. He forced—and allowed—me to stretch as an actress. Which is what good directors do.

EDGE: Juilliard connections can take you in any number of directions. In your case, it led to your part on True Blood, through a classmate, Nelsan Ellis, who is now your co-star.

RW: Yes, we have known each other forever and have been good friends throughout. So it was great when he recommended me for the part. It was so natural because he knew my work and what I was capable of. When I found out I got the part I was driving out of a Starbucks parking lot. I was so excited I almost crashed the car. So I pulled over and just started screaming.

EDGE: Is it fun being a celebrity?

RW: It’s fun. Although I still have a hard time considering myself a celebrity. But in this business if you are being recognized for what you do, it’s a sign that you are doing well. And so far, it has been very good to me and I am enjoying it. I consider myself fortunate.

EDGE: Final question. Would you rather be trapped in a room with a vampire or a Hollywood agent?

RW: I would have to say a vampire. At least with a vampire, I think I’d have a chance of surviving.

JOE MANGANIELLO

A self-described “ugly duckling,” Manganiello, 34, has physically transformed into a hunky werewolf on True Blood thanks to his six-days-a-week, twice-daily workouts. But it’s not about vanity: “I’m playing a supernaturally strong character; I need to look that way,” Manganiello tells PEOPLE.

Källa

Ryan Kwanten

“Australian women tend to tell it like it is, even if it’s the brutal, honest truth,” Ryan has said of his female Aussie
counterparts. “I think American women usually break it to you a little easier. There’s a softer side to them.”

Evan Rachel Wood

“I think [love] happens when you least expect it, and that’s usually the best, you know, when love finds you ….
I believe in fate in a weird way, I guess,” Wood told Moviefone last year.

Chris Bauer is known for his role of Andy Bellefleur in HBO’s “True Blood” With the show entering its fourth season next year. Movie Mikes had a chance to talk with Chris to discuss his character and how he has changed over through the seasons. We also discussed his other film roles and what he is currently working on besides “True Blood”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what has been the best part of playing Andy Bellefleur in “True Blood”?
Chris Bauer: The best part for me, so far, is that, like it or not, for better or worse, there’s something about this guy that I love. There’s an essential kind of insecurity mixed with strength and moral fortitude that I’m interested in…that I identify with. I think the guy’s funny. And in a lot of ways I think he’s the portal the audience see’s that world through. And that’s a fun role to have.

MG: How do you feel that your character has grown season by season?
CB: I think he’s gotten more dynamic. He’s gotten more human. He has gone from, essentially, a plot function into a contradictory, complicated character. And that humanity is what I like to bring to a role. To me that’s the difference between a character and an idea. In the first season he was out to break Jason Stackhouse’s balls. (laughs) And that was fun. In the second season we found out a little more of his biographical background. He went on this bender. And his obsession to get things right turned out to be true. And he paid the price for it in the third season. But I would love to see him expand more. I would love to see that whole human dimension take up more space. But in the mean time I think they are continuing to write an interesting and compelling character that I’m very happy to play. This is the sixth TV show that I’ve been a regular on and I’ve never been the kind of actor who gets right up the writer’s ass to find out what they’re going to do with the character. I look forward to the surprise…week to week…to see what happens next. I trust the writers that I work with. I’ve been very lucky in my career to work with very talented and inspired writers. And it’s a thrill to see how the character evolves, symbiotically, through your relationship with the writers and their experience with your work.

MG: What has been the most difficult part of working on the show?
CB: Honest to God, there’s two versions to that. The logistical one…for the first two years I commuted from
New York to L.A. I was out there by myself a lot and really missed my wife and kids. And I’m really not the kind of guy who wants to be flying from coast to coast every ten days. On the creative side, the most difficult thing is unfortunately the downside of one of the strengths of the show. One of the strengths of the show is that it has a library of characters that inhabit a really broad world. And unfortunately, we only have sixty minutes per episode to visit all of these characters. I’d like to think that I keep myself in really fit creative shape. And that I devote my life, and have devoted my life heading into my mid 40s, to getting really good at one thing, which is acting. And if you think of a race horse being good to go as soon as the gate opens, basically the horse gets into a gallop and the race is over. That’s hard. I want to take the ball and run. Very few of us get to do that on “True Blood.” The good thing is what we get to do is pretty rich…it’s pretty interesting. It’s pretty inspired and that makes up for the limited screen time.

MG: What can we expect from Andy Bellefleur in Season Four?
CB: I don’t know! This is the sixth TV show that I’ve been a regular on and I’ve never been the kind of actor who gets right up the writer’s ass to find out what they’re going to do with the character. I look forward to the surprise…week to week…to see what happens next. I trust the writers that I work with. I’ve been very lucky in my career to work with very talented and inspired writers. And it’s a thrill to see how the character evolves, symbiotically, through your relationship with the writers and their experience with your work. But at the same time it’s disappointing sometimes. When you open that script and you don’t have much to do, that’s a disappointment. That’s a straight up “I wanted a 10-speed for Christmas and I got a Big Wheel.” (laughs) But that’s sometimes how it is.

MG: I’m a big fan of the “Masters of Horror” episode “Sounds Like.” Talk about working on that show?
CB: I’m really glad that you saw that, number one. I’m very proud of that piece of work. Brad Anderson directed that and to me he’s one of the greatest filmmakers out there. He’s got it all. He’s a really thoughtful, unique writer. And as a director, you can’t ask for somebody more well prepared and concentrated and really there to support your performance. And on top of that, his aesthetic…if you look at “Sounds Like”…if you look at “The Machinist”…he understands psychological tension…psychological pain. And for some reason, I do to. (laughs) And I got to be the lead, which is what I want…can you tell this is turning into the theme of this interview (laughs)…I feel like I can handle a lot of story on my shoulders. And I was so grateful to Brad for giving me the opportunity to do that. I love the emotional repression that that guy was under and how it drove him crazy. I think that’s very relatable and very human.

MG: Going back in time a bit, you played Lloyd Gettys in “Devil’s Advocate.” Did you enjoy playing such a creepy role?
CB: For some reason that role just stuck in people’s psyche. I honest to God don’t know if it’s because the role really had an honest effect on people or because that movie seemed to run on a loop on TNT 24 hours a day for ten years! (laughs) I mean who didn’t see that movie? It was like “The Rockford Files,” it was never NOT on TV. It was a creepy character. And you know, there’s something a lot of people don’t know about that movie. There’s an insert at the beginning where Keanu Reeves looks under a table and you can see my little greasy hands doing my thing. Those are not MY hands. Not only are they not my hands, they shot that part of the film in L.A. I shot my parts of the film in New York. Taylor Hackford, who’s one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with, he called me and said “I can’t fly you to L.A. to do this but if you’re going to be in L.A. I’d love for you to do it” but I couldn’t because I was working in New York. So somebody else did it and I was having drinks in a bar in the Village many years later and a guy comes up to me and asks, “Yo, dude, I was your hands.” It was some camera assistant and he was the hands. It was kind of funny.

MG: Are you currently working on anything else at the moment?
CB: I’ve got a little part in a movie Robert Redford just directed called “Conspirators.” That was pretty cool to work with him. I have a list of directors that I’d love to work with before they stop making movies and he was definitely on that list. Clint Eastwood was on that list and I worked with him a few years ago on “Flags of Our Fathers.” I was never much of a student and I consider all of these experiences…working with master filmmakers like them…to be my primary education really. It’s such an opportunity and privilege to get to work with these guys. I just finished a David Mamet play. That’s something I like to do every couple of years. I need to get on stage because frankly as an actor you get stronger. Other than that, we start up on “True Blood” in November, so in another month it’s back to the show.