SPOILERS: Gary Cole Joins True Blood As…

When HBO sent out the official press release for True Blood season 4 yesterday, at first glance it looked like old news for Truebies who have been eagerly gobbling up anything True Blood related for the last few months. But on further examination, a very interesting tidbit is revealed: Gary Cole, who Alan Ball revealed as a guest star this season back at Paley Fest, will be playing Earl Stackhouse! Flashback? More info on Sookie’s faerie blood? (Apparently we’re spelling it “faerie” now.)

Also of note is that Sophie-Anne is listed as a returning character, Tara has a new friend named Naomi, and Portia is confirmed as a lawyer. So, yes, we’ll read more carefully and with less smugness next time.

The full press release is below:

HIT HBO SERIES TRUE BLOOD KICKS OFF FOURTH SEASON JUNE 26

At the conclusion of season three of TRUE BLOOD, vampire king Russell Edgington was buried alive in a pit of concrete, apparently ending his plans for world domination. But what happened to Sookie, who disappeared into a flash of light? Will Bill be able to make things right after breaking Sookie’s heart? And what awaits Eric, who nearly joined Russell in limbo?

The Emmy®-nominated TRUE BLOOD kicks off its 12-episode fourth season SUNDAY, JUNE 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, followed by other new episodes on subsequent Sundays at the same time. Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the show takes place in the not-too-distant future, when vampires have come out of the coffin, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood that means they no longer need humans as a nutritional source.

The series follows the on-and-off romance between waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy®-winning HBO series “Six Feet Under”) created and executive produces the show, which is based on the bestselling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

Other returning cast regulars on TRUE BLOOD include: Ryan Kwanten as Sookie’s trouble-prone brother Jason Stackhouse; Rutina Wesley as her best friend Tara Thornton; Sam Trammell as Sookie’s shape-shifting boss Sam Merlotte; Nelsan Ellis as Tara’s sharp-tongued cousin Lafayette Reynolds; Chris Bauer as detective Andy Bellefleur; Carrie Preston as Arlene Fowler, a Merlotte’s waitress; Todd Lowe as Andy’s cousin Terry Bellefleur; Jim Parrack as Jason’s friend Hoyt Fortenberry; Alexander Skarsgård as vampire sheriff Eric Northman; Deborah Ann Woll as teen vamp Jessica Hamby; Kristin Bauer van Straten as Eric’s vampire sidekick Pam; Marshall Allman as Sam’s brother Tommy Mickens; Joe Manganiello as werewolf Alcide; Lauren Bowles as Holly, a Merlotte’s waitress; Kevin Alejandro as Lafayette’s boyfriend Jesus; and Jessica Tuck as vampire spokesperson Nan Flanagan.

Other returning cast members include: Evan Rachel Wood as Sophie-Anne, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana; Lindsay Pulsipher as Crystal, a werepanther with ties to Jason; Dale Raoul as Maxine Fortenberry, Hoyt’s mother; and Adina Porter as Lettie Mae Thornton, Tara’s mother.

New cast regulars in season four include: Janina Gavankar as Luna, a shape-shifter who catches Sam’s eye, and Fiona Shaw as Marnie, a witch whose agenda threatens the vampire establishment.

Other new cast members include: Courtney Ford as lawyer Portia Bellefleur, Andy’s sister; Vedette Lim as Tara’s new friend Naomi; Alexandra Breckenridge as Katerina, one of Marnie’s followers; and Gary Cole as Earl Stackhouse.

June’s episode:
Episode #37: “She’s Not There”
Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: June 26 (11:00 p.m.), 28 (11:30 p.m.) and 29 (10:00 p.m.), and July 2 (11:15 p.m.) and 14 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: June 27 (9:00 p.m.) and 30 (9:00 p.m.), and July 1 (midnight) and 3 (2:00 p.m.)
Sookie (Anna Paquin) journeys away from Bon Temps; Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) try to win back the human public; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) learns that no good deed goes unpunished; Tara (Rutina Wesley) finds refuge in close quarters; Sam (Sam Trammell) bonds with his own; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) and Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) debate the dinner menu; Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) urges Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) to join a coven; and Terry (Todd Lowe) tries to alleviate Arlene’s (Carrie Preston) fears about the baby.
Written by Alexander Woo; directed by Michael Lehmann.

TRUE BLOOD received five Emmy® nominations last year, including Outstanding Drama Series.
“True Blood: The Complete Third Season” will be released on DVD and Blu-ray May 31.
TRUE BLOOD was created by Alan Ball; based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris; executive producers, Alan Ball and Gregg Fienberg; co-executive producers, Brian Buckner, Mark Hudis, Raelle Tucker, Nancy Oliver and Alexander Woo; associate producer, Christina Jokanovich.