Alexander Skarsgard : The Guardian

Hi, Alexander! In True Blood, you own Fangtasia, a vampire bar. What would happen if Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Edward from Twilight or Kiefer Sutherland from The Lost Boys dropped in for a snifter?

Well, Fangtasia is open to humans and vampires alike so we’re very welcoming (1). I’d buy Edward and Kiefer some Tru Blood (2) and I’d buy Buffy a memorabilia T-shirt. Ha!

 

You weren’t in season one very much. How do we know you’re not going to be killed off in the opening seconds of season two?

I only had a couple of scenes in season one, you’re right. But we get to know Eric a lot better in season two. We get to see his background and why his motives are personal and not always for business. There’s a lot more to Eric than the antagonist bad boy.

 

Season one gave us vampires. Season two promises vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters and devil worshippers. Who have you got in season three? The Gruffalo and the Bogeyman (3)?

Ha ha, maybe! We’ll have to wait and see …

 

Do you sleep in a coffin in real life or do you prefer to hang upside down like Batman (4)?

I’m obviously a very diligent actor so I slept in a coffin for three months to prepare for the job. I work with Alan Ball (5), so obviously I slept Six Feet Under.

 

How many sets of plastic gnashers and bottles of tomato ketchup do you chomp through per episode?

Well, the teeth are pretty strong. They usually last the whole season. I wish the blood was tomato juice but it’s nasty, sticky sweet artificial stuff.

 

Ever keep in the fangs on the bus on the way home?

Not the teeth, but I’ve gone home drenched in blood. I’ve been so tired that I’ve just pulled on a pair of skivvies (6), jumped in my car and driven home. Fortunately, I’ve never yet been pulled over the cops!

 

Lesbian Vampire Killers (7). Seen it?

Never heard of it.

 

You’re not missing much. How would True Blood differ if it were British?

I think we vampires would be far more polite if we were British. We would slaughter someone then apologise profusely!

 

Would Her Majesty the Queen make a good vampire?

I would want her as a vampire on my side. I wouldn’t want to fight her. Just look at her! She’s serious!

 

You were in Zoolander, for a bit, and you’re in the video to Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi. Bit gaga, Lady Gaga?

Lady Gaga is pretty wild but she’s very intelligent. She controls her career and knows what she wants. She would make a great vampire. She should give me a call!

 

There’s a funny circle thing over the A in Skarsgård. How do I get one? (8)

I was born and raised in Stockholm. I’m very proud of that little circle! We don’t really have that sound in English. It’s kind of the way you Brits say, “fart”, like “fort”, with more of an “oar” sound.

 

Swedish, eh? When Gordon Ramsay is on Swedish telly, is he dubbed to sound more like the Swedish chef from The Muppet Show? (9)

Not really. The chef from the Muppets speaks in a made-up language. Swedish doesn’t really sound anything like that!

How about The Count from the Muppets? Will he join the cast of True Blood at some point?

Um, it’s a great idea. I’ll have to ask him. Ha! (10)

 

1 It’s a lie! Don’t go there!

2 Buy some now at trubeverage.com

3 Is he hiding under your bed?

4 Like in Batman (1989)

5 Screenwriter of Six Feet Under and American Beauty, not the ginger footballer

6 Pants

7 Also pants

8 Richård Pelley?

9 Hurdy gurdy!

10 Ha ha ha ha!