“That’s always the challenge isn’t it? We’ve been shooting such long hours all week that I’ve got to get caught up on the trailers so I know what they reveal. I think it’s safe to say there is a human-vampire conflict that’s escalat- ed from what the Authority did last year. And that, of course, causes problems for Pam. So she’s trying to figure out her relationship with her new baby/lover, you know, Rutina Wesley, (who plays Tara Thornton). And she’s just reunit- ed with her Maker, she wasn’t sure if he was alive. And then, on top of it, the humans are fighting back.”
When the show first started taping back in 2008 did she think that her character Pam would be such a huge part of the show?
“I definitely did not. Yeah, that was a really lovely surprise because, when I auditioned, they said that it was a guest starring role, possibly recurring. And first season, once Alex Skarsgård and I started they kept calling us back. But Season 2, there wasn’t as much Pam. So all of a sudden when Season 3 came around and they started adding quite a bit more Pam, that was a lovely surprise because I love the role and I also love the people I’m working with. We have so much fun. They’re very, very fun people. The hours are long so it makes a huge differ- ence.”
Over the years we have gotten to know Pam. At first I’m sure we all thought she was evil but now we are seeing a little bit of the good in her and all of the layers that make Pam…Pam. So is Pam more good than bad?
“I don’t know if it is a bad sign, or if I’m becoming sort of delusional, but I don’t know if she’s good or evil — but she’s definitely…correct. I feel like what she says, we’re all thinking. You know, she only kills bad people. I feel like she’s a little bit of the person we all wish we could be, but we wouldn’t be able to maintain jobs and friends. (laughs). And Pam is lucky enough to have stepped out of, on purpose, all of those concerns. And, you know, to be top of the food chain, she doesn’t have to worry about liking anybody or vice-versa, people liking her especial- ly. I just think it’s really refreshing.”
It seems like the show is able to have a lot of strong powerful female characters. Does Kristin think the same way?
“Yup, I agree with you. These writers, I think are very sensitive to writing strong female characters. And in my ca- reer, that’s just been rare. I haven’t personally gotten to play terribly strong characters before this. I really enjoyed the characters I played, but they were vulnerable, possibly not too bright. You know, using sexuality to try and get by. I think it’s a combination of HBO, and Alan Ball, and our other producers that are sensitive to this. I mean, this week we have a woman DP, which is unusual; we have a lot of women directors. We were sitting around Video Village this week and someone was reading an article about the astoundingly small percentage of females in top positions in Hollywood, and we looked up and realized that there were seven women and only on guy — the director this week, Romeo — in that area. We had a woman producer, a woman DP, a woman script supervi- sor, me, and then just one guy. And I thought ‘Wow, what a lovely world for a woman to be in.’ It’s so unusual.”
After ‘True Blood’ has run it’s course and over with where does Kristin see herself doing?
“A couple of things would be fun for me. One is to go back to comedy, which is where I started. I did a lot of sit- coms. Super fun. I would love to go back to that world, possibly with a live audience. And then, I have a secret hope that I can stay in the world of cable television, HBO. It’s just nice to be in a world without advertising. And I know that, the other networks. Kids today don’t know that the networks are free. You can get a coat hanger and you can watch ABC and CBS and NBC. So, I understand they have to be paid for, but it is a different feel working for HBO where the creative content doesn’t have that control and so, clearly, we get to do things that you cant do when, you know, little kids might be watching and people might be trying to sell soap.”
And last but not least what character does she relate to the most?
“Again, I spent so many years running next to Alex, and having my feelings and Pam’s feelings cross over at times, that I’d relate the most Eric. I’ve worked really hard to perfect that, and for that to be my job. But when I watch the show, I tend to really love the way that Ryan Kwanten plays Jason Stackhouse. I think he’s just a com- ic genius. He’s so different from his character that I find it fascinating to watch such an eloquent, sweet, lovely, evolved Australian play Jason. It’s quite miraculous.”
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Source: Metro.us – “‘True Blood’s’ Kristen Bauer Straten Talks Being Pam, Drinking “organic” blood, shape-shifting and more”
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