Joe Manganiello‘s rugged appeal is certainly one of the reasons why he has succeeded so well as werewolf Alcide Herveaux on True Blood. It’s impressive just how much he oozes werewolf: from the shaggy hair, scruffy beard, to the long limbs and brooding glare. In an exclusive interview with DA MAN magazine (he also graces the cover), Manganiello opens up about why he got into acting, his love for Alan Ball, and his lack of body hair (seriously!). Check out some of the interview highlights below, as well as photos from the photo shoot.
On what his biggest inspiration was for diving into acting:
“There was a cascade of events that led to my pursuit. My mother took me to see a production of the Hobbit with puppets, as a kid, and I remember being absolutely enthralled but I didn’t want to be an actor until later in life. I remember vividly this sense in my gut that this was what I was supposed to do. I also had a high school theater teacher that saw something in me and kept bugging me to try out for the senior musical, and so I did and I got the part. That gut feeling then led me to try out for one of the toughest drama schools in the world and I ended up getting accepted with a scholarship. The moral: trust your gut.”
On what experiences have made him stronger:
“Quitting drinking and smoking have been the two biggest turning points of my entire life.”
On whether he has read / reads any of the books in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Mysteries:
“I read each coinciding book before each season in an effort to get inside the writers’ heads. I wear the books like a loose jacket.”
On whether he has any rituals for prepping for his role on True Blood:
“I get in the gym and bust my ass. I don’t really have any body hair to groom … if that’s what you’re asking.”
On his feelings for Alan Ball:
“Alan is a genius. I trust his judgment implicitly and I give everything I have to my job, which is playing Alcide. Alan and the writers give me the situation and what I’m going to say and then I put my stink on it.”
To read the interview in its entirety, please click here.
Source: DA MAN magazine – Exclusive: Joe Manganiello of “True Blood”
Photo credit: Mitchell Nguyen McCormack
