A Bigger Bite
by S. Indra Sathiabalan
from Sun2Surf
Sam Trammel’s role as a shape-shifter in True Blood gets meatier in season 2........
Fans have truly embraced HBO’s Original series True Blood which is immensely popular not only in the US but Asia as well. The second season, which makes its debut tomorrow on Max in Malaysia, will see more issues facing telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).
Sam Trammell, who plays one of the supernatural creatures on the show, known as a shape-shifter also has a sad past while having an unrequited love for Sookie. Although he might not have received as much publicity as his male co-star Stephen Moyer, who recently got engaged to Paquin in real life, his character is a favorite among fans of the series.
During a recent tele-conference interview with S. Indra Sathiabalan of Surf2Sun, the 38-year-old Trammell from Los Angeles, said playing Merlotte was really challenging as the character is deeply-scarred: his parents had abandoned him when they saw him shape-shift as a young boy.
“He is very good at superficial relationships. He knows everything about everybody who comes to his bar but they don’t know much about him. They don’t know where he comes from or how or when he got to town.
“He wants to keep what happened to him as a kid a secret and he only shows others a certain side of him.”
Trammell was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has worked extensively on stage and television. Trammell states, “The other thing is I’m also originally from Louisiana. The fact that the series is set there is really good as it gave me the opportunity to sort of represent where I really came from and the people I grew up with …. I thought it was a really interesting and fun world to inhabit.”
Most would remember him on Aliens vs Predator Requiem. However, it was the role of Merlotte which put him in the spotlight. “It was the combination between Alan Ball (writer and producer of the series) and HBO that compelled me to be part of the series. Their tie-up was very attractive to me,” he said since Ball had written HBO’s popular Emmy Award-winning series Six Feet Under and also won the Academy Award for Best Original screenplay for the movie, American Beauty.
Trammell admits to being a private person. Too bad he cannot shape-shift into a cute doggy! In the series, Merlotte is attracted to Sookie, and looks out for her but has to face the fact that she loves a vampire.
“You know vampires are tall, dark and handsome and they always live in castles, are wealthy and like to bite women. I can see why women like them,” said Trammell in jest.
“I think there is a real sexual thing about vampires,” he added, touching on their nocturnal shenanigans and gothic image.
Trammell hinted that there will be some romance for Merlotte later in Season 2 when he opens his heart to another woman.
Although Paquin and Moyer have taken their on-screen romance one step further by being a couple off-screen and recently announced their engagement, Trammell is not worried about how their relationship will affect the series. “They have been very professional and there has been no drama. They have been doing the same things that they have from the very beginning. Now that they are engaged, I guess it will just draw more attention to the show,” said Trammell.
Sam Trammell, who plays one of the supernatural creatures on the show, known as a shape-shifter also has a sad past while having an unrequited love for Sookie. Although he might not have received as much publicity as his male co-star Stephen Moyer, who recently got engaged to Paquin in real life, his character is a favorite among fans of the series.
During a recent tele-conference interview with S. Indra Sathiabalan of Surf2Sun, the 38-year-old Trammell from Los Angeles, said playing Merlotte was really challenging as the character is deeply-scarred: his parents had abandoned him when they saw him shape-shift as a young boy.
“He is very good at superficial relationships. He knows everything about everybody who comes to his bar but they don’t know much about him. They don’t know where he comes from or how or when he got to town.
“He wants to keep what happened to him as a kid a secret and he only shows others a certain side of him.”
Trammell was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has worked extensively on stage and television. Trammell states, “The other thing is I’m also originally from Louisiana. The fact that the series is set there is really good as it gave me the opportunity to sort of represent where I really came from and the people I grew up with …. I thought it was a really interesting and fun world to inhabit.”
Most would remember him on Aliens vs Predator Requiem. However, it was the role of Merlotte which put him in the spotlight. “It was the combination between Alan Ball (writer and producer of the series) and HBO that compelled me to be part of the series. Their tie-up was very attractive to me,” he said since Ball had written HBO’s popular Emmy Award-winning series Six Feet Under and also won the Academy Award for Best Original screenplay for the movie, American Beauty.
Trammell admits to being a private person. Too bad he cannot shape-shift into a cute doggy! In the series, Merlotte is attracted to Sookie, and looks out for her but has to face the fact that she loves a vampire.
“You know vampires are tall, dark and handsome and they always live in castles, are wealthy and like to bite women. I can see why women like them,” said Trammell in jest.
“I think there is a real sexual thing about vampires,” he added, touching on their nocturnal shenanigans and gothic image.
Trammell hinted that there will be some romance for Merlotte later in Season 2 when he opens his heart to another woman.
Although Paquin and Moyer have taken their on-screen romance one step further by being a couple off-screen and recently announced their engagement, Trammell is not worried about how their relationship will affect the series. “They have been very professional and there has been no drama. They have been doing the same things that they have from the very beginning. Now that they are engaged, I guess it will just draw more attention to the show,” said Trammell.
