Alan Ball Talks Alcide, Love Interests

EW’s Ausiello has a new tidbit from True Blood executive producer Alan Ball discussing Alcide and whether Sookie’s getting a new love interest in season 3, which debuts in June:

“We were looking for a guy who was big, sexy, decent and heroic, with some darkness,” he says. “And [Manganiello] showed us all of that in the audition.”

Though Alcide isn’t introduced as a potential suitor for Sookie — “As in the book, he’s helping her find [her kidnapped boyfriend] Bill,” Ball notes, “and he has a business reason for owing Eric a favor” — one (bad) thing leads to an (incredibly sexy) other. “He’s there with her during a very painful time in her life — and his life, actually. And they’re thrown into some pretty intense situations together.

“And hello, he’s hot!” he adds with a laugh. “And hello, so is she. Two hot people in some intense situations and, for whatever reasons, their significant others are not there… they’re human.”

What do you think, will Alcide vie for Sookie’s affections? Will she be interested?