Alexander Skarsgard Looks Forward to Returning to True Blood
Bullett Media has a new interview with Alexander Skarsgard talking about looking forward to returning to True Blood, as well as his experiences working in New York and filming Melancholia (currently available on [easyazon-link asin=”B005TJ7EFG”]video on demand[/easyazon-link]).
In what ways has your experience on True Blood been different from those of the films you’ve been shooting?
I was worried it would get redundant—that was my fear when I started the show—but the writing is so good. If I do a play or a movie, I have the script, and I can see where it’s going, how the story will evolve and how my character will grow. True Blood was completely different, obviously. I was like, How the fuck will I sustain this? What will happen in two, three, four years? Will I be like, Ugh, I’m so over this guy?
It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. You want the show to have continued success, and you owe much of your mainstream popularity to it, but it’s also a huge commitment.
Absolutely. And, of course, I’ve missed out on some amazing opportunities because we shoot for seven months of the year. I’ve been offered some fantastic projects, but if they don’t fit into the window of our five-month hiatus, then I have to decline. That’s just the nature of the beast. I was disappointed, of course, but I’m so fortunate to be working on True Blood. Plus, I have two more years on the contract and then I can freelance if I want.
How does that work?
I signed a six-year contract, so they have the option to keep me for those six years if they want.
If you decided to leave at the end of your contract, they’d have to find a way to kill off your character—but he’s already dead.
[Laughs.] It’s true! By the same token, they’re not obligated to use you for the full six years. I could be written out of the show at any time, although I hope I’m not! I love my character. I loved his storyline this year, the stuff I got to do on the show, and the phenomenal people I work with. Plus, I do get time off every year so I can go home and see my family in Sweden. Last year I shot Melancholia, which was one of the most amazing experiences. I did [Peter Berg’s] Battleship right after that, which was also a great experience but completely different obviously. Each season, I come back to True Blood refreshed and excited to be there.
It’s pretty uncommon that costars on a show get along so well.
It feels so cheesy, but it’s true. You always hear actors who are like, “We love each other.” But the vibe on True Blood really is that fucking awesome. There are no egos and we really care about each other.
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