Over the past five years of True Blood we have fell in love with Sam Trammell’s character Sam Merlotte. His character has been able to remain the same as this nice guy who was able to change into reptiles, birds and other animals. Details was able to catch up with Sam Trammell to talk about staying in shape for the nude scenes and what are the chances that vampires and shifters will be getting it on?
In the episode “Somebody That I Used To Know” Luna (Janina Gavankar) was able to shifted into you. How were you able to play a woman trapped in a man’s body?
“It was really challenging. I didn’t want to do a cliché and do a totally effeminate thing. I wanted to do Luna. I did Tommy [Marshall Allman] last year, and he had more of a hook, more of an accent. Janina was tough. There’s nothing really extreme about her, about how she does Luna. It was difficult, but she was great. She helped me out. I watched her, she read the scenes with me, and I went for it. It’s funny, because you always think you’re doing something extremely large, but when you see it on TV, it plays less big than you think it is.”
Sam seems to be taking the law into his own hands this season. Why do you think that is?
“Well, his two friends who were shape-shifters got shot. Then he got shot. Then Luna got shot. You get mad when you get shot. I say they shot us because of who we are, a hate crime, pretty much—at least to Sam. You can see the good ol’ boys that were doing it, that it wasn’t random, that it was specifically because of who I am.”
This season seems to be trying to go for acceptance, whether it is the vampires or shifters or even the politics of just being different.
“I guess you could compare it to the original valid archetype? The non-mainstreaming vampires would say it’s them. The humans are saying that about the shifters—it’s not racist, but it’s an “ist.””
So the show seems to be coping real life examples people hating on other people, shooting people with guns and all of that stuff.
“Yeah, you know what it is? It’s fear. The good ol’ boys afraid of what’s different, and one vampire group afraid of the different philosophies of another vampire group, and what way of life is better. If you’re not scared, if you’re not threatened, it’s not an issue. But if you are, you start shooting and killing.”
Since you spent your teen year in West Virginia you must of have some chance to have some moonshine and pickup trucks with the good ol’ boys.
“[Laughs] Yeah, I spent my teen years in West Virginia, and when I was a kid, in Louisiana. I definitely have that exposure to two different sorts of rural: the South and Appalachia. A lot of West Virginia is untouched. It doesn’t have as many strip malls, it has these old towns that feel like it used to be how it looked. Charleston has this river that runs through it, and it’s really beautiful. I enjoyed it. My father’s a surgeon, and he moved up there and started a practice there.”
Everyone else in Bon Temps seems to have a hard time keeping a steady job. How is it that Merlotte’s bar has been able to stay ahead of the game all of this time?
“Oh my God. It’s funny, you know, Lafayette [Nelsan Ellis] the cook has been off everywhere. Terry [Todd Lowe] was making some jailhouse chili, but he’s off cooking now. Sookie [Anna Paquin] is not that committed. But I guess she doesn’t really have a mortgage to pay because she has her grandmother’s house. I lost Tara [Rutina Wesley]. Daphne got killed. Holly [Lauren Bowles] and Arlene [Carrie Preston] are off on witchcraft. I feel like we have some vending machines that have some cinnamon rolls and beer.”
In past season Sam and Tara had a very brief relationship going on. Now that she is a vampire do you see them getting back together, and do Vampires get it on with shifters?
“You know, it would be great. I really loved getting to do stuff with Rutina. I thought Sam and Tara made a really interesting match. I thought there was a lot there. She’s a vampire now, so I think it’s less likely. But who knows?”
Since the show has a lot of sex scenes do you have to watch what you eat? And do you do any butt exercises?
“Oh my God. I’m going to have an eating disorder by the time this series is over. You’re not 20 anymore, and we all know: Think about having 10 pounds added. It takes a lot of effort in eating and exercising just to look passable on camera without your shirt on. Then you have people like Ryan [Kwanten] (Jason Stackhouse) and Joe [Manganiello] (Alcide), who are super-human and they’re very, very cut. The bar is pretty high on True Blood.”
To read the rest of the interview you go read it here. It was very interesting to see what Sam had to say about the new season and see his thoughts on his character. What are your thoughts about Sam’s character and what he had to say? Tell us below.
Source: Details.com – “’True Blood’ Actor Sam Trammell Talks Vamps, Shifters, and Nude Scenes”
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
