Anna Paquin has already played a mutant with an untouchable curse in the X-Men feature film franchise (along with, oh, a few dozen other characters, including one--The Piano--that netted her an Oscar), so why not a telepathic waitress with a thing for the undead?
But I'm not talking about any old telepathic waitress. No, I'm speaking of the lead in HBO's new drama pilot True Blood from writer/director/executive producer Alan Ball (Six Feet Under). The pilot is based on the Southern Vampire series of novels by Charlaine Harris.
Paquin will play Sookie Stackhouse, an innocent waitress who can read people's minds. In a small Louisana town, she comes into contact with the burgeoning underworld... which isn't quite so underground now that vampires can buy Japanese-made synthetic blood and mingle with the living. The vampires' emergence into everyday society throws Sookie into the arms of one of the undead and a love story (writ large by Ball) begins.
Also cast: Ryan Kwanten (Summerland) and Sam Trammell (Judging Amy). Kwanten will play Sookie's brother while Trammel will play the owner of the restaurant where Sookie works.
Personally, I've been tracking this project since it was first announced and I cannot wait to see what the confluence between Harris, Ball, and Paquin produces. It's one of the very few pilot scripts I've yet to get my greedy little mitts on, but, believe me, I'm trying.
What next?
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since when is anna paquin that hot?
since Forever!
Sound like this could be fun...
The books are amazing - all 6 of them! Might want to check them out prior to the show being released!
Does anyone know where they are going to be filming?
i have read all of the sookie books including the new one "all together dead" ...so when did true blood air??
I think it's a summer replacement series, so it will probably start in mid-June. I hope Alan Ball has enough sense to leave the humor intact and not try to make it all dark and scary. Can't wait to see Eric! (and Bubba) Gpd, please don't let them leave out Bubba.
Nice piece but you should recheck your sources. It's not (writ large by Ball). It's edited for screen by Ball and written whole by Charlaine Harris.
Uh, Anonymous (gotta love when people can't be bothered to put a name--any name--when they post comments), my source is myself, as I *read* the script in question months ago and again when I wrote this post.
Alan Ball wrote the script, based on Charlaine Harris' book series. Harris DID NOT write the script, Alan Ball did. Nor did he "edit Harris' script for the screen."
In fact, I am looking at the script right now. The title page reads:
TRUE BLOOD
"Strange Love"
by
Alan Ball
revised 11/12/06
based on the Southern Vampire Novels
by Charlaine Harris
Thus, no need to "recheck my sources." But thanks for the input.
When does the series start? I know that it's been in the works for over 2 yrs.
BTW great books do not read before you watch the series, as it won't be the same. This T.V. series is written by Ball, not Harris. The basic outline is the same, that's all.
Ball has hired a team of writers and they are actively working on the series now. The set is still under construction. All the writers but one have tv experience.
Ball brought in a Southern born novelist to join his team.
Email me when True Blood airs it's first night. Keep me posted at dsutton_sa@yahoo.com.
It's now Feb 2008 and I still can't find out if True Blood has been screened in the US yet. I hope it makes it to Australia. Love the books - the humour and the violence. I hope they keep it on the adult level as it was originally written and don't turn it into a teenage 'Buffy' like series
Any new word on when HBO will actually air True Blood? Why has there been such a long delay?...writer strike?
I can't say they are concrete sources, but my searches seem to agree that HBO will air True Blood in the fall with other shows that will be waiting until that time.
the season is supposed to begin september 1 08 but iv heard rumors of the date being pushed back to feb 23 o9
I absolutely love all the books in this series and was really looking forward to the TV version of it. That said, I think, from what I have read online, it has been grossly miscast. I just can't see Anna Paquin as Sookie. Sookie is part fairy and very very beautiful... and naturally blonde... and chipper... Anna Paquin is NONE of those things. And the guy chosen to be Eric is ridiculous! Ugg. NOT was I invisioned AT ALL.
I have just discovered the Sookie books about 2 weeks ago with the
7th and and 8th books then I bought the first six and am now on the fourth book. They are delightful and fun. The personalities are alive and always falling into big trouble. I look forward to the series. I only hope HBO does Sookie and friends well.
i have seen the preair of the first episode. you guys are going to love it. it was an hour long format, and they've been really creative about it. it's set in louisiana, and the atmosphere they create is excellent. like a spooky groovy safe thing. if i were inbred, i'd give it 3 thumbs up, but being quite normal, i'll give it 2. i'm really looking forward to it when it comes out officially.
True Blood will air on HBO on September 7th right after Entourage.