PaleyFest 2011: True blood… What Happened Live at the Event + Poster
PaleyFest 2011 is in full swing in Beverly Hills, California right now and the cast (Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgard, Joe Manganiello, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Deborah Ann Woll, Ryan Kwanten, Marshall Allman, Chris Bauer, Kristen Bauer Van Straten, Carrie Preston, Jim Parrack, Nelsan Ellis, Kevin Alejandro) and Alan Ball were in attendance.
Editor in Chief Debra Birnbaum moderated the panel:
Alan Ball takes the podium: “It’s really gratifying to see how many fans there are, and how passionate you are about the show.”
When tonight’s moderator asked the crowd if they were Team Bill, Eric or Alcide… Eric and Alcide won by a landslide.
A scene from Season 4 reveals that Pam, Jessica and Hoyt are going to team up against some rowdy vamp haters.
If you could work with anyone you haven’t worked with yet? “Lafayette and Jessica would have a lot to talk about.” – Deborah
Rutina: “I’d love to see some Tara and Pam action.” Alan: “You will.”
Is Alcide still hung up on Debbie? “She’s still alive and at large so you never know,” Manganiello says.
“Show of hands, who hasn’t gotten naked yet on True blood.” Only 3.5 hands go up.
Will we ever see flashbacks of Pam and Eric? “Well, I’d love to see what Audrey Fischer would do with the clothing.” – Kristin
Can Lafayette trust Jesus? “You can never trust anyone too much…” Kevin Alejandro says.
How’s it going with Jessica & Hoyt? “The fairytale can’t go on forever, but maybe reality is better than a fairytale.” – Deborah
Hoyt’s mom remains “awful”
What’s up with the baby? “The last we left it, her baby was on board. And that problem grows, er, exponentially.”
Rene and Arlene’s baby is, in fact, “evil” but not a vampire, says Preston
Will Andy be on V? “A lot of V came into the station toward the end of last season. And you know, that’s where he works!” – Chris
What happens with Jason? “He should not be looking after an entire village of meth addicts,” says Kwanten
Any chance of Sam finding love this season? “Slim, looking at the record. But I got another shot. I’m at bat again.” – Sam. But with WHO?
Will Tara find some happiness? “Maybe.” Where does she go at the end of the season? “Away. You will find out early on.” – Rutina
Ball says: Characters can only be happy for one episode then it gets boring!
And Eric? “Things are definitely unstable for Eric. He doesn’t know who he is. Thousands of years of human resentment, gone.” – Alexander
How did Eric lose his memory? “He messed with the wrong people.” – Alex “Aliens came from space.” – Alan
Where did Tara go? Who knows? But “we’ll see a new Tara… A lot more stable… She may find some happiness” Wesley says
With vampires you can go back in time, or appear in dreams or even cloned. – Ball
Who in the cast does the best imitation of Bill saying “Sookeh?” Apparently, it’s Alan Ball.
At Paley True Blood panel Alex Skargard asks Alan Ball for some Pam/Eric flashbacks. There will be Bill/Eric flashbacks in new season.
When Eric returns, he’s a lost man. Literally. He loses his memory because “he messed with the wrong people” Alex says.
Why isn’t Sophie-Anne on the panel? What of the Bill vs. Queen battle? “It’s not just Bill involved in the fight.”
How does the bite-off between Bill and Sophie Anne end? No one’s saying. “It’s not just the two of them involved,” Alan Ball says
Look for a major struggle between Bill and Sophie-Anne this season… And someone else as well.
“Eric doesn’t know who he is anymore…The powerful character he was is just gone…” A.S. says. The change “has been a blast.”
Would Stephen Moyer ever direct an episode? “It’s something that I’m very interested in. It’s a dream of mine.”
Joe Manganiello says he would love to direct an episode one day.
Where is Sookie? “She comes back. But things are different.” – Anna
Will Sookie learn how to control her microwave fingers? “No. But she’s new at this faerie stuff.” – Anna
Will Sookie act on attraction for Alcide? “Well, he doesn’t turn into a ball of charred fire during the daytime. But he comes with baggage.”
Will Sookie act on any attraction for Eric? “You’re just going to have to watch.” – Anna “I’m drunk the whole time.” – Alan HA!
Skarsgard talks about a flashback early in the season with Moyer “Just watch it!”
So Sookie joined Claudine… Can she control her microwave fingers now? “No, but she’s new to this fairy stuff,” Paquin says
Gary Cole and Fiona Shaw will guest star this season. Shaw will play “a witch, among other things” Alan Ball says. Plus more animals in season 4.
The clincher for the night! While Paquin was being coy on whether Sookie will act on her attraction to Eric, Skarsgard mouths “it happens”… YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Theme for Season 4? Duality of existence? Man vs nature? The terrors of intimacy? But a simple theme that makes the crowd bonkers!
“Eh, it’s just True Blood. It’s for the fans. An escapist, emotional, terrifying journey is all that matters.” – Alan
And what of Russell? “There are definitely plans to bring him back. And he is gonna be PISSED.” – Alan
Regarding Sookie and bill, “It’s hard not to think of them as soul mates when they’re soul mates in real life.” -Alan
Are Bill and Sookie toast? That betrayal is so deep I don’t think there is anyway back from that,hopefully we’ll have 17 more seasons – Alan
The cast talked about the bizarre things fans have requested of them:
Alex got offered $$ to fly to Ohio and marry the woman’s daughter. ‘I did it, of course,’ he jokes.
True Blood called Vampire Porn by Marshall Allman’s grandmother! LOL!
Niall will make an appearance, but NOT this season. Ack! I really wanted to see him. I’m surprised no one asked about Quinn.
Fan questions:
“Will True Blood accurately portray Wicca?” “The way into the witchcraft story is through a circle of wiccans…”
“…but there is a more evil force. We’ve tried to preserve the traditions of Wicca as much as we can.” – Alan
Joe Manganiello thinks Alcide is like Eeyore, so Anna and Steve bought him a stuffed Eeyore “that sits on my bed.”
Will Lafayette & Eric ever get together? ‘Sookie & Bill aren’t the only soulmates…’ -Alan
Favorite Lines? “Everything Pam ever says ever.” – Anna
Favorite lines? “I can smell the sunlight on your skin.” – Nelsan
And the night is done!
I enjoyed it, did you?
~M.
P.S. Here is the second scene that aired:
Video from Dread Central
Btw, you just gotta love Hoyt!
Finally, after tonight’s panel… are you Team Eric or Team Bill?
(Pic from TVWatchTower)
Night everyone!
Tags: Alan Ball, Alexander Skarsgard, hbo, PaleyFest, Season 4, Spoilers, True Blood
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Sorry, but Stephen Moyer also got a loud applause! I should know as I was there!
Plus, this tweet is wrong – “Are Bill and Sookie toast? That betrayal is so deep I don’t think there is anyway back from that,hopefully we’ll have 17 more seasons – Alan”
as Alan said the SOOKIE’S PERCEIVED BETRAYAL BY BILL and that it will be a long road for these two, then jokes that TB will need 17 seasons. You know, joking, like when Alex mouthed that he and Sookie gets together.
My opinion? Eric sucks and is a jerk and I hope nothing goes like the book because the majority of book fans and Eric fans do not deserve anything they want because of all the nastiness you have spread all over the net!