Dragon Con 2014 marks the fourth year that I have attended the convention and in all that time I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard that I had tears in my eyes. But Sunday’s True Blood panel took me there. Sundays at Dragon Con are usually kind of quiet given that everyone has been out having fun for two or three nights before. This Sunday however, the Truebies were out in full force and it is safe to say that we packed the Westin’s Peachtree Ballroom for the last time.
Michael McMillian (Steve Newlin) danced his way out onstage (some of which is on the videos below) and as he has done for every panel this weekend, Michael tried to help Kristin Bauer van Straten (Pamela Swynford de Beaufort) with her chair ending in a comment from her about the fact that Michael groaned when he pushed it in. The panel also kicked off with Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette Reynolds) trying to find his phone and Kristin pointing out to him that because he called Pam a hooker that it inspired the writers to put in the fact that she’d been a madam in her human life. Michael also added that because he requested that his dying words be, “I love you Jason Stackhouse,” it helped put another layer of story in the scene given that he was looking at his ex Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp) as he said it. There was also good natured ribbing about the fact that Kristin was on her phone a lot on set.
Nelsan was commended for Lafayette’s speech about taking a piece of happiness and James (Nathan Parsons). But he also said something very touching which is that he suspected that Lafayette and James fell in love the night that James told his story about being in love with another man and having to hide it. (It was a pretty spectacular scene) And it wouldn’t be a True Blood panel without discussing Pam’s infamous “Republicunt” line which Kristin said she not only loved reading and filming but also how many politicians she upset with it.
The actors also were asked about how they felt about their character’s endings and each person was satisfied. Kristin revealed that real $100 bills lined the top of her briefcase in her last scene, all of which were counted before it was given to her. Nelsan chimed in that it was a good thing he wasn’t there because he had a penchant for taking Lafayette wardrobe items home.
Thank you to Nelsan, Michael, and Kristin for a wonderful weekend full of laughter. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to True Blood!
Overall it was a most fantastic panel that has moments in it that you just have to watch. Enjoy the videos and photos below!