‘True Blood’ Turns 15: Where’s the Cast Now?
September 7, 2008, was a fang-tastic day for fans of vampire fiction: That’s when True Blood, a fantasy-horror drama based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris, debuted on HBO.
Set in a world where the development of synthetic blood allows vampires to “come out of the coffin,” True Blood starred Anna Paquin as a telepathic waitress who falls for vampire Bill Compton (played by Stephen Moyer, now Paquin’s husband), who’s been sucking blood since the 19th century. Their relationship ratchets up tensions between mortals and immortals in the sultry town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
The Emmy-nominated series “glamoured” both critics and viewers: In 2009, it became HBO’s most-watched series since The Sopranos. Now, 15 years later, we’re rounding up updates on a dozen of True Blood’s cast members.
True Blood, Streaming Now, Max
Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse)
Paquin recently played coastal engineer Joanie Lockhart in the final season of Showtime’s The Affair, starred as publicist Robyn in the Prime Video dramedy Flack, and portrayed mother Mary Ann Broberg in the Peacock true crime series A Friend of the Family.
Stephen Moyer will portray Ann’s eldest son Jolyon Senior, head of the family’ stockbroking firm Forsyte & Co.
Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte)
In recent years, Trammell starred as guidance counselor Leo Doyle in the Australian crime thriller series Reckoning, played professor Eric Clarke in Netflix’s supernatural series The Order, and appeared as family man Mark in the Max drama Generation.
Ryan Kwanten (Jason Stackhouse)
Kwanten recently starred as enslaver Thomas Weylin in the FX series Kindred. Earlier, he starred as absentee father Peter in the Facebook Watch drama Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones and milkman George Bell in the Prime Video horror series Them.
Chris Bauer (Andy Bellefleur)
Bauer portrayed real-life Watergate figure James McCord in the Starz historical drama Gaslit and currently stars as former wrestler Wild Bill Hancock on the same network’s drama Heels. Coming up, he’ll play infamous U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy in the Showtime limited series Fellow Travelers.
Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette Reynolds)
Ellis moved on from True Blood with a role as informant Shinwell Johnson in the CBS procedural Elementary. He died of heart failure in 2017 at age 39. In a statement at the time, True Blood EP Alan Ball said, “Nelsan was a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me. Working with him was a privilege.”
Carrie Preston (Arlene Fowler)
Coming up, you’ll see Preston headline her own CBS procedural, Elsbeth, reprising the role of Elsbeth Tascioni, a quirky attorney from The Good Wife and The Good Fight. The actor also appears in Alexander Payne’s latest film, The Holdovers, in theaters this fall.
Rutina Wesley (Tara Thornton)
Last year, Wesley wrapped up a six-year run playing journalist and activist Nova Bordelon on the OWN drama Queen Sugar, a role that earned her six NAACP Image Award nominations. And earlier this year, she guest starred as commune resident Maria Miller on the HBO hit The Last of Us.
Alexander Skarsgård (Eric Northman)
So far in 2023, Skarsgård starred in the film Infinity Pool and continued his role as businessman Lukas Matsson on the HBO drama Succession. Coming up, he’ll make his feature directorial debut with The Pack, a psychological film in which he’ll costar with Florence Pugh.
Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica Hamby)
After True Blood, Woll starred as Karen Page in the Netflix superhero series Daredevil, The Punisher, and The Defenders. She has also dug into the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, serving as dungeon master for the web series Relics and Rarities and Children of Éarte.
Kristin Bauer (Pam De Beaufort)
Bauer costarred with Kwanten in Sacred Lies, playing foster mother Shannon in the series. She also starred in the 2021 film Paradise Cove, playing villainous squatter Bree, and she lent her voice to the horror podcast series Bridgewater that same year.
Jim Parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry)
Since 2020, Parrack has starred as firefighter Judson “Judd” Ryder on the Fox procedural 9-1-1: Lone Star. He also had a small part as stock race driver Kenny Linder in the 2021 blockbuster film F9.
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