She might play a vampire on HBO’s True Blood, but does Kristin Bauer van Straten (Pamela Swynford de Beaufort) actually believe vampires exist? Improper Bostonian writer Jonathan Soroff posed this question and more to the actress including who her on-set crush is, who she’d bite as a vampire, and what Kristin likes more—art or acting?
When asked whether she believed vampires existed, Kristin replied that there may be energy vampires out there in some form or another but as for the traditional bloodsuckers such as the one she plays on TV, perhaps not.
As an actor, Kristin has gotten to play some pretty cool parts throughout her acting career including Pam, “Man Hands” on Seinfeld, and most recently Maleficent on Once Upon a Time. But she is also a very talent artist. (Her portraits can be seen here). So which medium does she prefer and would she rather be remembered for her art or her acting?
“Well, one puts food on the table, and I’m very practical. The other one kinda helps me repair the chaos inflicted by the other. But of course, I’d have to pick eating and a roof over my head for the moment… Painting was sort of my secret. Nobody knew that I did it, and it was sort of my secret sanctuary. I finally decided to tell people that I did this other thing, and I built my website. I still have a foot and a half in the acting world, so I’ll still say acting. But my painting is all me. “
Bauer actually attended several art schools around the United States including Museum School in Boston and when asked whether she would come back to visit, she says she’d have to make a confession about the one time her paintings weren’t actually hers:
“I’m not sure, but when I do I should probably confess to my teacher that I brought in my boyfriend’s paintings as my final exam. “
However, when given the choice of being known as “Man Hands” or as a great painter Kristin says she’d choose the former. As the interview moved more into True Blood, she was asked who she thought was the sexist man on the show and while it was difficult to choose, her final choice was for a very sweet reason:
“It’s almost impossible for me to say at this point, because I’m so close to all these people. We’re in year five of our relationships. But I do have to say that one of the set crushes for a lot of the girls is Chris Bauer [who plays Andy Bellefleur]. This is the sexiest cast. Whatever your type, he’s there. But Chris Bauer is sort of the on-set heartthrob. Cute, sweet, cool. He’s the guy you’d marry.”
When asked about the vampire phenomena and whether it will eventually run its course, Kristin said that she thought it has with Anne Rice but that vampires keep coming back because it is a classic story line and archetype that appeals to people. And while Kristin might play a vampire extremely well, would she actually become one given the choice? If she did, who would she bite?:
“I’ve thought about that. It’s a bit like that game “Would You Rather…” I tell myself that I’d be spiritually evolved enough to have faith in the system as it is—bodies are supposed to die. You’re a spiritual being. You’re not this vessel you’re in. But… would I be able to turn down perpetual youth? And they’re always wealthy and they always dress well. If you caught me on the wrong day, I’d say, “Oh, yeah.” …Boy, that would be fun, because you could feed off of people you hate. You could feed off of people you thought were hot. You could feed a little too much off of some politicians or celebrities you’re sick of. So, feeding off of Sarah Palin? That would be kind of awesome. “
Becoming a vampire for True Blood isn’t quite as cool as actually being one when it comes to creating shows for air. Kristin describes the shooting schedule as “intense” and frequently requiring her to shoot in the cold and dark of night as Pam. But having Fangtasia, a bar that really exists in Long Beach, rebuilt on set helps. And she admits that while two nights of work may be tough, Kristin says that due to the large cast, she’ll have time off because there are other plot lines to cover.
So when she’s not working what is Kristin’s idea of a perfect Sunday? She says it’s a big Sunday breakfast at home in her PJs and slippers with no makeup. As for what will come after True Blood, Kristin has already gotten to play a wide variety of roles through her career so she says that having fun roles will continue to be a part of her career post-True Blood. She also adds that she likes to tell stories and that she’s currently working on a book.
The interview closed with questions about her worst audition and the biggest lie on her acting resume. Her worst audition story involved having to sing a Donnie Osmond song for the Hugh Jackman show Viva Las Vegas (and she can’t sing!) As for her biggest lie on her acting resume:
“Well, most of them have been removed at this point, because when I started out, I didn’t have an acting resume and so I made one up. I was in some audition, and the casting director goes, “This character’s a lot like Terry.” I said, “Who?” She said, “From Bus Stop. On your resume.” I tried to cover by saying, “Oh! I thought you said Sherry!”
To read this interview in its entirety click here.
Source: Improper Bostonian.com- “Soroff On: Kristin Bauer van Straten”
Image Credits: John P. Johnson, HBO Inc., HBO, Inc. and Cheyenne Ellis
