Michael McMillian Has Signed on for 4 More Years of True Blood

Posted on the 27 July 2012 by Thevault @The_Vault

That doesn’t mean of course that there will be another 4 seasons…. only Lilith (and HBO) know how long this ride will last.

In recent interviews with Wallstreet Journal Michael McMillian gave his view on Steve Newlin.

Steve Newlin is charming everyone this season as a spokesperson for the Authority. How did you approach his character this time around?

The question of whether Steve would be a self-loathing vampire was at the forefront of my mind. If he were to come back as a vampire, it would be more interesting to play him as an empowered one. I’m glad the show is going that way. Steve has always been attracted to power and is a complete narcissist. As much as his personal life is falling apart, I think he’s really good at his job. He’s really good at getting people to listen and follow.

How come Steve can be privately gay as a vampire, but not publicly, and how come he couldn’t be privately gay as a human?

The vampires act as metaphors for outcasts in society. A lot of people have drawn the connection that the show uses vampires as allegory for homosexuals. But the show is more interesting than just that. I think the show is saying to its audience that things aren’t black and white. People are ultimately really complex animals. Sure, Steve will come out to Jason and have a heartfelt scene but there’s something about him that’s afraid to come completely out.

It’s hard enough coming out as a vampire for Steve. Coming out as gay would be even harder.  He’s more afraid of that than being a vampire, ironically. He obviously has a massive support system as a vampire; vampires are very liberal at the end of the day. It’s a really good glimpse because he does have a public persona and a private one and they are very different people. I don’t know if the show is making a broad statement about life in public but juggling a personal and private face is very difficult. It’s no accident that he’s a figure that’s full of hypocrisy.

I don’t know if Steve really knew he was gay until he was turned. Becoming a supernatural creature unlocked things for him. A lot of that stuff that was repressed came pouring out. He was attracted to Jason and I think he just felt that Jason was the greatest thing ever. That’s a brand new feeling for him. I don’t think he equated it to love or to attraction. He was probably too scared to go down that road. He was a married man. His love for Jason will be in the forefront of his story line in the entire season.

How much longer do you think “True Blood” will be around?

I have been shocked to see where the season goes.  I think what the writers are doing is a big game changer. They’re setting up for the final act of the series — whether it’s one more season, or two more seasons or three more seasons..i think after viewers finish this year we’ll be heading in a bold new direction. I’m signed on for four more seasons.

Read the complete interview at the source.