They're cool, they're sexy, and they're undead. Yes, we're talking about vampires. No, not those angsty teens from the Twilight saga, but those cool bloodsuckers from the HBO TV series, True Blood. The series has garnered millions of fans from all over the world since its debut three years ago, and will soon launch its third season here in Asia on July 19.

And while the series boasts a vibrant cast - Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley and Nelsan Ellis - for Season 3, the attention also falls on Jessica, a teen-turned-vampire played by Deborah Ann Woll, who has to come to terms with being a vampire. (Jessica wasn't part of the original Charlaine Harris books upon which the series is based, but a specially created character for TV.)

"(Producer) Alan Ball has defined (this season's theme) as 'identity'," said Woll in a teleconference. 

"And it's like, 'do I want to be true to my vampire nature, or do I want to rise above that and be compassionate as well?' Jessica (has to find out) where on that spectrum she wants to fall in."

Woll, initially started in theatre and didn't think too much of it when she auditioned for her role ("It was just a guest spot, I had no idea what I was getting myself into," she said previously). Her audition pieces - a traumatic tribunal scene followed by a lighter one with Moyer - wowed the producers that they turned Jessica into a regular character. And probably one of the sexiest and deadliest ones on television. 

But of course we had to ask: What does Woll think of the summer hype surrounding the new Twilight movie? 

"I saw the first one, I haven't seen the rest. And I think it works for them, that their characters are younger," she said.

"One thing that does interest me though is that in the Twilight movies, there's this sense of 'if you were a 17-year-old forever, how cool would that be? You'd be young, attractive and you could hit on all these 17-year-old girls forever'," said the 25-year-old actress. 

"But for me, I think being 17 forever is the worst thing in the world! I mean, eternal virgin, I cry all the time, everything is up and down - it's taken the romanticism out of that idea. So, to have a teenage vampire in a story for adults, that takes a whole new perspective on that idea."



Did you watch any vampire movies to prepare for your role?

I did watch those movies but I didn't use that to prepare. But I think True Blood has its own mythos - its world is very specific to itself. It's very different from Anne Rice's or Stephanie Meyer's world. And I wanted to be very sure that I stayed true to the type of vampire this show has created. I like the human nature versus animal nature (of being) a vampire. So, I studied animals a lot, actually.



What's the biggest challenge on the show?

Playing a teenager. Every single scene is blood, tears, fangs, crying ... there's never a sit-down-and-read-a-book scene with Jessica. That's hard. It's a lot of high energy work.



What's your most memorable experience on set?

We had real wolves on the set this season, and they're gorgeous. I've never seen anything so wild and beautiful in my life. Although I don't have a lot of interaction with them, the little bit that I got to do has impacted me. They're really good actors - puts the rest of us to shame!



Do you actually drink that synthetic blood?

Yes! I think it tastes pretty good. We have a couple of different types. The bottled one that anyone can buy is like a blood-orange soda and tastes like grapefruit soda, non-carbonated. What we drink on the show is much thicker. We have mouth blood, which we use when we're biting someone, which has a minty chocolate flavour to it. But the stuff out of the bottles is purple carrot juice. We even have a sugarless version for some people who don't want to damage their teeth. 



What's it like working with Anna? 

Anna's lovely! I think she's extremely cute and sexy. And she works hard for it, too. So, she deserves all the credit. She's very funny and makes a lot of jokes. Watching her work, I sometimes get a little lost. She's so good that sometimes you forget that you're working with her and you're not an audience member. She can take you out of it like that. She's beautiful in that way. I feel very lucky to work with them. A lot them have a lot of experience, like Anna and Stephen, and it's nice to learn from them. Stephen has a brilliant eye for the camera - he knows what to do onscreen. So, I enjoy picking up tips from him. 



So which of the guys - Stephen, Alex, Ryan Kwanten - is the sexiest?

Oh, Jim Parrack, who plays Jessica's boyfriend Hoyt, he's definitely the sexiest! (laughs) I think they're all extremely attractive men, but they're also very nice men. They're more concerned about doing really good work and being warm and welcoming to all the cast before they're concerned about how pretty they look. But, you know, it certainly makes it easy to go to work, I'll tell you that!



Is Alex as hot as his character?

I haven't got to work much with him, but he's so different from Eric. Eric has got this eternal cool and queerness about him, but Alex is a big sweetheart. He's very flirtatious and makes all the girls feel we're ... extra special. 



So ... a younger guy like Ryan or someone more mature like Stephen? 

Stephen Moyer plays my dad. So, I don't know if I can look at him that way. I think he's an attractive man and one of my good friends from the show, but he's my dad. Can I pick the middle? My boyfriend is in his 30s! That's a pretty good age. I think I'd like a guy with a bit of maturity. I don't want to help a boy grow up. It'd be nice if he'd already done that. 



Are there any Spinal Tap moments?

There's no ego or anything, so we don't really run into those problems! But I must say we get asked to do some pretty ridiculous things, like getting covered in blood and rolling around in the dirt. I mean, I've been buried alive - I don't know how many other people can say that! In terms of goofy, off-the-wall moments, we've had plenty of that.



How's life different after True Blood?

Certainly, more roles have been offered to me. Before True Blood, I had to prove myself every time I auditioned, but I think now, people have seen me and how I work, and I'm very pleased with the opportunities that have come because of True Blood. I love the role. I really, really love it. And to be as green as I am; to work on something where I haven't had to compromise in any way is rare. I think I've been very lucky. 



Would you like to do more movies?

I would love to make films and do theatre too. The first film I worked on (was) Little Murder, last summer, with Terence Howard and Josh Lucas. It's a detective story set in New Orleans after Katrina. But we shoot True Blood like we shoot a feature film. So, it's not that different. I'd love to branch off and do more.



What kind of role would you like to play?

One of my favourite roles that I've always wanted to play was Cleopatra, from Anthony And Cleopatra by Shakespeare. I like the idea to be a crazy, powerful woman. It's such an interesting perspective and I don't think we see a lot of women portrayed like that. I'd love to play royalty, but "powerful aggressive queen" would be really fun.



Who would you like to work with?

Alfre Woodward is one of my favourite actresses and she's in season three. Unfortunately, I never got to work with her. I didn't even get to meet her, really. But I would really love to work with her. Everything she's done has blown me away.

For a long time I've wanted to work with Terry Gilliam. I like those films that teeter along that edge of fantasy and reality and Gilliam is really brilliant about treading that line. Brazil is one of my favourite movies of all time. He's definitely someone I would love to work with. And yes, I'm definitely a Monty Python fan. They're very creative, and with the drawings and artwork included in the show, it was such a multi-media experience. My favourite sketch? I like the funny walks a lot. They're so silly, you just sit there and giggle and lose complete control of your senses. There's something lovely about that!



What do you think makes True Blood so successful?

The storylines. Charlaine Harris laid a good foundation ... but our writers make sure the show is fun and sexy but also has a huge heart and has something important to say. They really put in a huge effort to make sure these are important stories. I think the show has a lot to offer, but you have to remember not to take it too seriously. It's just a lot of fun and I hope you really enjoy it.

Last week, we spoke with Marshall Allmanabout his shape-shifting character Tommy Mickens on "True Blood." By now, we've seen Tommy transform into a rough-looking dog and a devious bird, possibly even a fly — but that's not even scratching the surface, based on Marshall's passionate claims thatshapeshifters are better than werewolves and vampires, two of the other prominent supernaturals featured on "True Blood."

Of course, not everyone is going to share Marshall's opinion. In an exclusive interview with Hollywood Crush, Joe Manganiello (Alcide) spoke about the theoretical match-up between a vampire, werewolf and shapeshifter, barely acknowledging the shapeshifter's role in the fight. Instead, Joe said that the main showdown would be between the wolves and the vamps.

Check out his full thoughts on the match-up after the jump!

"As far as brute strength goes, the vampires are kind of agreed upon as being super strong, especially the ones that are thousands of years old," Joe admitted to us. "You get into this super, ancient strength. But from there, there are werewolves that can take out vampires."

Joe said that his very own character of Alcide Hevreaux, introduced in the most recent episode of "True Blood," is one such werewolf that could hold his own against the vampires.

"That was important for me in creating Alcide," said Joe. "A vampire can get away with being pale, thin and skinny but still being powerful. Werewolves have to look like animals — really big, strong animals. I wanted Alcide to be as powerfully built as possible so you would see him and think that he could take out a vampire. I think throwing him into an arena, you would have a pretty good fight between the vampires and the werewolves."

But what about the shapeshifters? Joe said that it all depends on the specific shifter, but typically they would fall somewhere behind the vampires and the werewolves — something that Marshall would undoubtedly disagree with.

"Depending on the shapeshifter, they'll come in some place afterward," he said. "But werewolves are generally thought of as being the strongest of the shapeshifters. Probably the most egotistical, too!"

True Blood's Jason Stackhouse hasn't exactly had a lot of luck with women, having hooked up with everyone from psychopaths to religious zealots to ladies of, shall we say, dubious moral virtue. But that might be changing with the introduction of Crystal Norris, the lovely young addition to True Blood's cast in this, the show's third season. This morning I chatted with the actress who plays Crystal Norris, Lindsay Pulsipher, and was happy to find she's not only smart, funny and a fan of horror films, but that a hardcore horror classic is her favorite within the genre. Hit the jump to read our conversation.

Your character is new to the show. Can you talk a little bit about her background?

Sure, she kind of comes from this Christian compound in the sticks of Louisiana, the backwoods; and [she's had] a pretty sheltered life. She's had to learn to grow up pretty quickly. Yeah, she's a pretty colorful character. She's in the books. She comes in in the fourth book.

Can you comment on how your portrayal and the show's portrayal of the character might differ from that in the books?

Sure. When I got the part I was a fan of the show. I hadn't read the books yet, and I kind of made a conscious decision not to read Charlaine [Harris]'s depiction of Crystal first, because I kind of wanted to see her through the eyes of the writers – Alan Ball and the other writers of the show – and kind of create my own perception of her. I started to read the books. I actually haven't gotten to [my] book yet, but I'm very excited to kind of see her through Charlaine right now, as well.

Since you were a fan of the show beforehand, had you a favorite character?

I think that Lafayette is just amazing. I think that that character is just so great. Both written and the way that Nelsan plays him. I just think he's so great, so funny.

Were you a fan of the fantasy and horror genres in general? Growing up were you drawn to movies or books with this subject matter?

Yeah, I mean, I'm a huge B-horror fan. I love all the horror films from the 70's, so that definitely got me into something I've always loved. The whole world of vampires is kind of new to me. I didn't think it was ever particularly important or interesting, but I can see why people love it and it's definitely an interesting subject matter, for sure.

Do you have a favorite horror movie?

Yes, I think my favorite horror movie is also one of my favorite films ever made, and that's the originalTexas Chainsaw Massacre. I just think that it's so beautifully shot and that grainy, old film… I just love it. It's one of my favorite films of all time. I just think it's so beautiful. [Laughs.]

You have excellent taste. It's a masterpiece.

Yeah! [Laughs.]

Obviously you can't spoil things, but can you discuss your character's arc this season?  Where we might see her go?

Yeah, she kind of comes from this meth lab; this compound she never really left, and so I think that deep down inside her she kind of is longing for a life outside of that, and when she meets Jason for the first time she's kind of contemplating life outside of this compound. This season focuses on her and Jason's relationship, and if they can make it work – if it is going to work – and if she can kind of leave this world behind that she's always known. So she definitely has some surprises and secrets along the way, but she's she's struggling with this relationship.

Jason's had some questionable taste in women and has been a little unlucky in love.

[Laughs.] Yeah.

What is it about your character that complements him?

Well, I can't say. I can't really speak for Ryan [Kwanten] and Jason the character, but I feel like for the first time he's kind of maybe swept off his feet; and he just kind of is looking at Crystal as this new way of life. It's new for him. He's not really sure how to handle true love, I don't think, and I think that, for him, Crystal is maybe the real deal. She could be the one.

Can you talk a little bit about working with Ryan? Because he's developed this amazing character that's almost Shakespearean in its tragedy and comedy.

[Laughs.] That's so true!

Can you tell us what that experience might have been like?

Watching him work has just been amazing because he's very spontaneous as far as acting goes. He always has these little spontaneous looks or improv that he does. He just knows his character so well – knows Jason so well – that he just lives through him. It's really amazing to watch. A lot of it is the writing and a lot of it is him. He's pretty incredible, excellently cast, and very funny. [Laughs.] Sometimes I have to catch myself from actually bursting out laughing while we're shooting 'cause he's just so funny.

In real life, what's your greatest fear?

[Laughs.] Believe it or not, blood, draining blood through a needle. Biggest fear ever. I will start hyperventilating.

It's funny that you mention that. That's one of my terrors.

Oh is it?

Totally. The thing about it that always freaks me out is how they use the same size needle for people who have arms like wrestlers as they do for people like me who are ninety-eight-pound weaklings.

I know! Me too, I'm a ninety-eight-pound weakling myself. I'm glad somebody shares my fear 'cause it's a big one.

Can you say what's next for you, what other projects you might be working on right now?

Yeah, I have a few things in the works right now, and I'm just ready to hit the ground running and get back into work again. Before we started shooting True Blood I did a couple feature films. One is called Do Not Disturb. It's a Mali Elfman film. It's sort of a vignette of short films that they edited into a feature, and that should also be doing the festival circuit later this year. I didn't have a lot of character development in the story, but it's kind of a sci-fi theme, and it's really funny. The whole idea is really great, and my segment is definitely the weirdest of the five. [Laughs.] It's kind of a sci-fi throwback to ‘60s sci-fi stuff… So I've got a couple things in the works and a couple things about to do the festivals.

True Blood grows its audience exponentially with each new season, and right now excitement's at a fever pitch. I'm sure you're pretty busy right now, so thank you for taking the time to do this interview.

I'm so happy to do it. It's cool that you guys cover one of my favorite genres. [Laughs.] I'm more than happy to oblige.

It takes a special kind of person to name Texas Chainsaw as their favorite movie.

I know, right! [Laughs.] Well, thank you so much, Joe.

I’ve got to ask you about being on ‘The Good Wife.’ I don’t know if you started filming yet …
I did. I’m afraid the Internet has gone a little insane with this story [laughs].

Everyone thinks this means that you’re not going to be on ‘True Blood.’
That’s so funny. Well, obviously I can’t comment on what’s happening on ‘True Blood,’ but I will say that I go through stretches where they don’t need me. We have a cast of about 1,000 on ‘True Blood.’ [Laughs] I’m not kidding, we’ve got 20 series regulars, or at least people who do more than half the episodes. Then we have at least another 20 guest stars and stuff, so the writers are servicing many, many people. We all end up — even Anna [Paquin] and Stephen [Moyer] — having a stretch of time where we’re not working. ‘The Good Wife’ caught me during one of those times, so I did an episode and right now, we’re in discussions with ‘True Blood’ for me to do more.

Since last year, it’s been hard to escape the phenomenon that is True Blood. Vampires have been made cool again, biting is all the rage, and Stephen Moyer calendars are hanging on walls around our office the world. While Alan Ball has been responsible for bringing Sookie Stackhouse and co. to our screens, author of the novels Charlaine Harris is the real brains behind the world of Bon Temps. Recently, we caught up with her to talk all things TB.

What was your reaction when you were approached to take your books to the small screen?
“I’d been approached before and it hadn’t come to anything, so when that option arrived, I had three offers on the books. But of course, Alan’s was the most interesting! I was very excited when it looked like it was gonna gel.”

Have you been following the series?
“Yes I have!”

And what are your thoughts?
“I’m amazed! I love Alan’s creativity, I love the cast – I’ve just been very impressed with the way he’s stayed true to the spirit of the books. I’ve been with the characters for so long, but I admire the way they’re taking the parts and making them their own.”

Does Anna Paquin do a good Sookie?
“Anna Paquin does a fantastic Sookie! I was so excited when she wanted the role and I think she’s doing a wonderful job. It’s bizarre seeing famous faces acting out my characters – it’s very strange and I’m still trying to get used to it! But of course, seeing my name up there every week is quite a thrill!”

How does the series compare to the books?
“They’re very different in a lot of ways. The plot has been altered quite a bit and there’s more material that I didn’t write because they’re having to bring in the secondary characters and buff them up. There are some great differences, but as Alan promised me, he is staying true to the spirit of the books – and that’s what I wanted.”

Have there been any changes that you didn’t like?
“There have been some sub-stories that I wasn’t as nuts about as others, but there hasn’t been anything I’ve really hated. I wasn’t too keen on the voodoo story, but I see now why they introduced it in the second season. Once I saw it, it all made sense.”

Have you been involved at all in the series?
“Oh no – my involvement consists of my having written the books.”

Would you be up for writing an episode?
“No. I’m too busy! I know that sounds pretentious, but I can’t imagine trying to make the time for that.”

How many more Sookie Stackhouse books do you have planned?
“I don’t plan anything! I’m signed through book 13, and I’ll consider whether or not to finish the series probably when I’m writing the next book.”

Are you conscious that what you write may affect the television series?
“No. Alan doesn’t tell me how to write the books and I don’t tell him how to write the series and I’ll continue the series the way I think is best to tell my story. Of course, he’s telling a slightly different story.”

You’re contracted for 13 books. How long do you see the TV series running for?
“Well they’re contracted through season four, and I’m sure they’ll re-evaluate then.”

You’ve said before that you have no plans to turn Sookie into a vampire. Why is that?
“I just think it would be a betrayal of the character. That is totally unappealing to me.”

Finally, how likely is it that you’ll kill Sookie off in the last book?
“Killed?! Oh no, no, no! I don’t think you really need to worry about that!”

Other vampire fiction – and there’s a lot of it out there right now – has a very simplistic take on vampire mythology. You have a soul, you’re good. You don’t have a soul, you’re evil. ‘True Blood’ is interesting to me, in that the vampires do have to exploit humans because that’s where the blood lives, but they’re very nuanced. Some of them are nice and have respect for humans, some are primarily working their own agenda but they have some kind of sense of compassion… and then there’s your character Lorena, who is thus far… well… why is she so just evil?

“The writers have put just a tiny little nugget in an episode that has just been released, which I can’t say, of course. I love that it is more complex and each vampire, there’s a lot of gray area between what they do to fulfill their needs and how they relate to the humans. I think that’s one of the brilliant things in the show. She is evil, and it’s hard because, as an actor, you can’t judge your character. I just really try to focus on the fact that she’s… I don’t think that she’s evil for no reason. She’s focused on Bill, and, as weird as it sounds, she’s motivated by love, and that’s where it comes from, and it’s obviously a different plane than the one we live in.”