EXCLUSIVE: Alexander Skarsgard on Amnesia Eric & True Blood Season 4

It’s been a while since we last spoke with Alexander Skarsgard on the record, but this week we were able to snag a few minutes with the busy guy to talk about Melancholia, Straw Dogs, What Maisie Knew and, of course, True Blood. We’ll have the full interview for you on next week’s True Blood Radio, but to whet your appetite we’re sharing his comments about True Blood as we head into the final few episodes.

True-Blood.net:  On True Blood you’ve been able to play someone almost completely different [than “regular” Eric] for most of the season with Amnesia Eric. Were you excited when you saw that coming up in the scripts?

Alexander Skarsgard: Oh yeah, I was thrilled. It was so much fun. Obviously completely different from what had gone before. I got to be playful and really have fun with it and just go crazy. I really, really enjoyed it.

T-B.net: You’ve said in the past that for Eric from the first three seasons, you studied lions and based a lot of his movements on how lions move around. That grace and predator element. Who or what did you look to for Amnesia Eric?

Skarsgard: To me it was important that he was still dangerous. That was the challenge this season, to make sure that he’s not just goofy and funny. It’s not a new Eric, it’s just a different side of Eric. To me it was about finding that predator; that lion within still had to be there deep inside. You have to feel that when you watch it. Even though he’s naive and innocent and very very different, it was important to find a level where we don’t lose him completely.

T-B.net: It seemed like we were seeing parts of the Eric that we already knew, especially in how he reacted to Bill once he knew that Bill was his King.

Skarsgard: Yeah, exactly.

T-B.net: The ancient, Viking Eric knew all about fealty and loyalty.

Skarsgard: Right, that’s the heirarchy. This is his King now. He doesn’t recognize Bill. He doesn’t know what their history is, he just knows that a guy shows up and he knows about loyalty even though he’s lost his memory. He can feel that. He knows that if someone shows up and he’s told that he’s your king, he knows that you have to obey and be loyal.

T-B.net: Here in the last few episodes, Eric is under Martonia’s spell, so you got to work with Fiona Shaw some. Can you tell us a little bit about that and going into the last couple of episodes, what we can expect from Eric?

Skarsgard: Oh, she’s phenomenal. She’s a lovely, lovely woman and obviously a fantastic actress. I was really lucky to get some fun stuff with Fiona this year. At this point, I’m her puppet. Obviously Eric is very strong and powerful, so he’s a good weapon for her to have. I can’t reveal anything that’s coming up, but I can say that it’s dangerous when Antonia or Marnie gets her hands on someone as strong and old as Eric.

Hear the full interview on next week’s True Blood Radio, scheduled for release on Tuesday, August 30.