“True Blood” returns for its fifth season on Sunday, and Denis O’Hare said to expect a refreshed take on Season 3 favorite, former Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington.
“What everyone is expecting, is that he’s going to come out of the ground, spitting sparks… and what they’ve done is satisfied that, but also given you something else, which I think is really smart,” Denis told Access Hollywood last week at the premiere of HBO’s pulpy vampire drama in Los Angeles. “We get to see a different side of him and a lot more of the humor — without losing the viciousness — which is great.”
Season 5 is being set up as a battle between the vampires who want the bloodsuckers to live in harmony with humans (mainstreamers) and those who don’t – like Russell.
“He’s an anarchist; he doesn’t believe in joining groups; he doesn’t believe in actually obeying rules, so I think it’s really hard for him to be in any sort of framework, so he might play along for a little while,” Denis teased.
WATCH: Denis O’Hare Talks Returning To HBO’s True Blood Season 5
Beyond the return of Russell, there’s plenty of drama in Bon Temps for Sookie, Bill, Eric, Alcide and the rest of the gang. Here’s what the cast hinted about what’s to come in Season 5, premiering Sunday at 9 PM on HBO…
Alan Ball (Creator): “It is really the most epic season,” he told Access. However, star Anna Paquin’s pregnancy won’t affect her character – fairy/human/waitress/butt-kicker Sookie Stackhouse – but it will affect her wardrobe.
“I actually heard from the costume designer midway through the season, she said ‘Sookie can’t wear a Merlotte’s T-shirt anymore.’ And I went, ‘Well, it’s a good thing Sookie really isn’t at Merlotte’s anymore, she’s basically trying to save the world, so we’re put her in loose-fitting, ‘Save the World’ outfits,” he added.
WATCH: Alan Ball Talks True Blood Departure
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Anna Paquin on whether the promos showing Sookie and Alcide dangerously close to kissing means love for the pair: “Is it real? Is it a dream? Who knows? You’ll have to wait and see,” she said.
“There are a lot of really good reasons why Sookie and Alcide would be a great couple. They have the whole daytime thing, the whole warm-blooded thing, the eating food thing. Plus, he turns into a wolf, so maybe they can cuddle up on cold winter nights,” she added.
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Alexander Skarsgard on the bromance brewing between Eric and Bill: “That’s what it is. It’s a bromance… There’s kind of been like four years of us butting heads, fighting over Sookie… I think it’s weird for Eric in the beginning because he doesn’t really like Bill that much.”
And, fans will meet a new vampire this season. “My sister shows up this year,” Alexander added. “She’s not my biological sister, but she’s my vampire sister. She’s also Godric’s child.”
WATCH: True Blood: Alexander Skarsgard’s ‘Fun’ Bromance With Stephen Moyer
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Joe Manganiello on what’s next after Alcide killed pack leader Marcus in Season 4: “Alcide’s pissed, he’s pissed that he had to do that, but he’s in that situation and he’s not taking anybody’s crap any more… It’s really the third act to a three act play… and you are gonna see his transformation into the big bad wolf this year.”
WATCH: True Blood: Joe Manganiello Turns Into The ‘Big Bad Wolf’
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Kristin Bauer van Straten on the reveal of Pam’s backstory: “It explains her personality and her connection to her maker, and her unsympathetic nature, and I also feel like why she takes such effort to dress.”
WATCH: Kristin Bauer Van Straten Talks True Blood Season 5
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Rutina Wesley on what happens to the shot-in-the-Season-4-finale, Tara: “It’s a doozy. It’s gonna be great”
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Nelsan Ellis on Lafayette moving on without Jesus: “He’s a bit dreary… It was a powerful romance and now he loses him, by his own hand… but he comes out of it.”
And on how his character might deal with life-threatening situations in the future: “If Lafayette’s life is in peril, he has acquired some skills where he can thoroughly defend himself.”
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Kevin Alejandro on the potential for a ghostly Jesus cameo: “He might pop up here and there, he might. It’s ‘True Blood,’ he can come back any way you want, with clothes or without clothes. That’s my hint, if that’s even a hint.”
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Sam Trammell on the troubles ahead for Sam Merlotte: “Physically, it’s probably the worst season. I get hurt pretty bad this year. No human being could survive the amount of physical abuse I take this year.”
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Jim Parrack on Hoyt having now found out about Jason and Jessica: “He’s brokenhearted. Really, it’s a two-fer. It was your girl and your best and only friend and it’s just kind of a last straw.”
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Chris Bauer on whether the promise Andy Bellefluer made to the fairy in Season 4 will come back into play: “The fairies are established [and] seemingly [a] permanent part of this world now, so Andy has to have some connection to them. It started in a pretty intense way and I think it only goes up from there.”
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Todd Lowe on Terry Bellefluer’s new, scary storyline: “He’s had the PTSD, but this season we’re gonna see what it might be stemming from… Patrick, [Scott Foley’s character], and I were in combat together, and he was my commanding officer, and he’s not gonna bring good news. I can say that involves a fire.”
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Scott Foley on what Patrick brings to Bon Temps: “I bring with me… some a pretty big supernatural element when I come into town.”
WATCH: What ‘Supernatural Element’ Does Scott Foley Bring To The Show?
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Janina Gavankar on Luna’s life now that her ex, pack leader Marcus, is out: “Marcus is dead and as you saw last year, the wolves are pissed at Sam and I love Sam, so that’s going to be problematic for me as well… This year is the year of Luna not being able to control herself.”
-- Jolie Lash
