Marshall Allman : Parade

What's a new season of True Blood without some fresh meat? 

In Sunday's Season 3 premiere, audiences will be introduced to Tommy Mickens, Sam Merlotte's shape-shifting younger brother, played by Marshall Allman (Hostage, Prison Break). Of course, new characters come with new drama. 

Allman took some time away from the set to talk to Parade.com about being "the new kid in school," breathing life into his wildcard character and why fans should keep a close eye on Sookie, Bill and Eric. Special thanks go to fansite True-Blood.net for providing a few excellent questions for True Blood's new kid. 
  
Were you a fan of True Blood before coming on to the show? 
"Yeah, I was. I have a friend who is on the show -- Jim Parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry) -- and I already watched a lot of the first season, and then I just kind of fell off because I'm not that good at following TV shows. But, having said that, I knew what a quality show it was and how great the writing was." 


How did it feel to come into an ensemble cast that had already been established for two seasons, especially one that was so well known? 
"First of all, it was an honor. Having watched the show, I knew how good everybody was. So I was very proud to be considered a part of the cast. I also learned so much. It's kind of like being the new kid in school a little bit, where, you know, you have to come in and take a step back and learn how they do things. I learned so much from how amazingly professional everyone is on the set. It's like a perfectly run set -- no drama, everybody's really cool." 

Many of True Blood's actors drew inspiration for their characters from Charlaine Harris's novels, but your character was created specifically for the show. How did you get to know Tommy? 
"I am the brainchild of Alan Ball. So I went straight to the source and just asked Alan, 'Tell me about Tommy.' He gave me everything they had at the start of the season. As I came in and did the work and did it how I see it, [the writers] start to get to know you. You start to ask, 'Oh, wait. Did they write this because they might have seen this aspect of my personality?' There's this unspoken thing where you're almost creating a character together. And that's been such a joy for me this year. 

"My character is not overtly evil and he's not an angel. He's so human. I was blown away by that." 

Tommy is kind of a wildcard because fans don't have a frame of reference for him. What can you tell us about your character? 
"You know, you said it best. He's definitely a wildcard. From an outsider's perspective, he's that guy who, when you think 'Oh, what if I did this?' because you're angry at somebody, Tommy just does it. He doesn't have many filters. He's very young and impulsive, and very passionate. He feels things deeply. He likes to live life really on the edge. He's definitely a fun one to watch. You never know what's going to happen when Tommy's in the room."


Sam's family history is still a bit hazy. Will some of the mysteries of his past finally catch up with him? 
"Tommy's role in the show will pull out so many different facets of Sam's character. We're going to see a side of Sam we've never seen before. Up to this point, he's been this kind of nice, mysterious guy, who seems to be very even-keeled. He's kind of the guy who keeps it normal, the guy that you root for. We're going to see a different Sam this year, and that has a lot to do with Tommy, which is really exciting -- and really fun to shoot." 

Was there anything that really surprised you about Tommy's journey this season? 
"Yes, the season finale. It's definitely great writing, but I did not expect it. I know the show, every year, does a season finale that pulls everything together. But I did not know how Tommy was going to be involved in that. I had some guesses, but they definitely did what I didn't guess. 

"Also, they told me the arc of the character, and about mid-season I go through something that I thought was genius. This is top notch stuff here, guys. Top notch stuff. I definitely don't want to give it away because it's a big punch of the season." 

Aside from Tommy, who should we be watching more closely this season? 
"Just what happens with the Bill and Erik and Sookie storyline. I think they did a really strong job with that. Reading up to the season finale I was very enthralled, and they constantly were keeping that very fresh. I was really impressed with what they did with that storyline and I think that everyone is going to be on pins and needles come the end of the season." 

Why all the secrecy surrounding True Blood? 
"The whole fun of the show is revealing the secrets. If we go off half-cocked telling everybody the secrets, it kind of takes the punch out of the show. It's like knowing you're going to get an awesome Christmas present, and you're looking at the present sitting under the tree, and it's huge and your mind just races through the possibilities. Half the fun is the ride to the party." 

Has anyone prepared you for True Blood's amazing fans? 
"I had no clue. ...I kind of got a sense for it two days after I [was hired]. This is just when it had been announced, I was at the movie theater, and I was in line getting something, and the guy behind me tapped on my shoulder and said, 'Hey man, congratulations.' And I looked at him like, 'Do I know you? What do you mean congratulations?' He's like, 'On True Blood.' And I kind of looked at him and he was like, "No, you don't know me. I'm a big fan of the show." And I turned around and, if that guy could have seen my face, I was white as a ghost. I was like, 'Oh, my gosh. What am I getting into?' 


Even his family is into True Blood. 
"Some of my family members have come out of the woodwork, and they're like, 'I promised I wouldn't do this, but I'm going back on my promise. Will you please reveal to me what the hell is going to happen on this season? I can not take it anymore.' I couldn't believe it."