The Show

In the not-too-distant future, vampires have come out of the coffin. Thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts – though they can still come out only at night.

Meanwhile, in the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, Sookie Stackhouse works as a waitress at the down-home bar Merlotte’s. Though outwardly normal, she has unusual qualities of her own: Sookie can read minds, which complicates her world in endless ways. But Sookie’s life becomes a lot more interesting when Merlotte’s gets its first vampire patron – the 173-year-old Bill Compton – and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other.

Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the new HBO series TRUE BLOOD kicks off its 12-episode first season SUNDAY, SEPT. 7 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT). Starring Anna Paquin (the “X-Men” films; Academy Award®-winner for “The Piano”) as Sookie and Stephen Moyer (“The Starter Wife,” “88 Minutes”) as Bill, the series is created and executive produced by Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy®-winning HBO series “Six Feet Under”), who also wrote the first three episodes and directs two episodes of the show, which is based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels of Charlaine Harris.

Other cast regulars on TRUE BLOOD include Ryan Kwanten (“Summerland”) as Sookie’s brother Jason, whose womanizing makes him the prime suspect in a gruesome murder case; Rutina Wesley (“How She Move”) as Sookie’s best friend Tara Thornton, whose outspoken ways constantly get her into trouble; Sam Trammell (“Judging Amy”) as Sookie’s good-hearted boss Sam Merlotte, who carries a torch for her; Nelsan Ellis (“The Inside”) as Lafayette Reynolds, a cook at Merlotte’s, whose personal life is as colorful as his wardrobe; Chris Bauer (HBO’s “The Wire”) as Detective Andy Bellefleur; Jim Parrack (“Criminal Minds”) as Hoyt Fortenberry, one of Jason Stackhouse’s co-workers on a road construction crew; Carrie Preston (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) as Sookie’s fellow waitress Arlene Fowler; Michael Raymond James (“Black Snake Moan”) as Rene Lenier, another one of Jason’s co-workers; William Sanderson (HBO’s “Deadwood”) as Sheriff Bud Dearborne; and Alexander Skarsgård (HBO’s “Generation Kill”) as Eric, a Nordic vampire.

Also appearing in TRUE BLOOD are Lois Smith (“Hollywoodland”) as Sookie’s grandmother Adele, who shares her fascination with vampires; Lizzy Kaplan (“Cloverfield”) as Amy Burley, the new girl in town who falls for Jason; Lynn Collins (“The Number 23”) as Dawn Green, a waitress who has an on-again, off-again relationship with Sookie’s brother; Kristin Bauer (“Dirty Sexy Money”) as Eric’s cohort Pam, who helps run a vampire bar; and Stephen Root (“No Country for Old Men”) as Eddie, a neophyte vampire.

In addition to Alan Ball, directors on the series include John Dahl (“Rounders”), Nick Gomez (“The Shield”), Anthony Hemingway (HBO’s “The Wire”), Michael Lehmann (HBO’s “Big Love”), Daniel Minahan (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Nancy Oliver (writer, “Lars and the Real Girl”), Marcos Siega (“Veronica Mars”) and Scott Winant (“Hidden Palms”). ~ HBO

CO-EXECUTIVE

PRODUCER: Brian Buckner

SUPERVISING

PRODUCER: Nancy Oliver

PRODUCERS: Alexander Woo, Carol Dunn Trussell

CO-PRODUCER: Raelle Tucker

CASTING BY: Junie Lowry Johnson, C.S.A. & Libby Goldstein

MUSIC BY: Nathan Barr

EDITED BY: Andy Keir and Michael Ruscio, A.C.E.

PRODUCTION

DESIGNER: Suzuki Ingerslev