My Idea for TRUE BLOOD Stars

OK, let's face it.  If Bela Lugosi, the Hollywood actor who became famous for playing Dracula in the 1930s, was alive today and saw episodes of True Blood on HBO, he'd say "What the fang?!?!?  How can they be walking around outside in the sunlight?  And since when do vampires play volleyball in summer clothing that looks like it came from Old Navy?"  He'd say that especially if he saw episodes of Season 6, the one that recently concluded.  The next season will wrap up the True Blood series.  Time to close the casket on the vampire tales.

I admit it -- I'm a fan.  I loved following the story of Sookie Stackhouse and her complicated supernatural Southern gothic relationship with Vampire Bill Compton.

As you probably know, the lead actors on the show are married in real life.

British actor Stephen Moyer, who created a wonderfully complex and original nighttime TV character, is married to Oscar winner Anna Paquin.  At times on the HBO series, Moyer turns in a certain way or gives a certain look and he reminds me of a young Tom Courtenay.

Never heard of acclaimed British actor Tom Courtenay?  Do yourself a favor and rent The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), Billy Liar (1963) and his film with Albert Finney, The Dresser (1983).  Brilliant performances all.  The Dresser put Courtenay and Finney both in the Oscar race for Best Actor.

Come December, Stephen Moyer will be seen in a very famous and heartwarming musical.  He's been cast as widower Captain Von Trapp in the NBC special live production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music.

Stephen Moyer and singer Carrie Underwood will do the roles from this classic Broadway musical that became beloved the world over when played in the box office champion, Oscar-winning film adaptation by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

Anna Paquin made Hollywood history when she was only 11.  Like Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, Charlize Theron for Monster and co-star Holly Hunter for The Piano, Best Supporting Actress winner Anna Paquin is one of the few females who was directed to an Oscar victory by a woman director.

Paquin and Best Actress Oscar winner Holly Hunter were directed in 1993's The Piano by Jane Campion.  She and Holly Hunter played mother and daughter in the film.

True Blood castmember Joe Manganiello plays Alcide the wolfman on the TV series.

At times, the wolfman and the vampire are at odds because they've both fallen for Sookie, the human with very special powers.

Manganiello has paid his dues for quite a few years.  Watch 2002's Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire.  In the first 20 minutes, you will see two actors in bit parts -- Manganiello as a high school cafeteria bully and Octavia Spencer, who went on to win an Oscar for 2011's The Help, as a check-in receptionist at a wrestling match.  Manganiello will play another man with primal urges in the steamy South.  On September 20th, he opens as Stanley Kowalski in the Yale Repertory Theatre production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.  The production runs from September 20th to October 12th.  I think he'll be solid in the role and will find new layers of Stanley to play.  He's a good actor.

My wish list:  I would love to see Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer also do some Tennessee Williams  and play two other characters down South.  They'd be extremely worth watching as Maggie and Brick in a production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Could they perhaps star in a special production of that for HBO?  On HBO, they wouldn't have to tiptoe around the sexuality of Williams' play and the true nature of Brick's relationship with his late buddy, Skipper.  Let the real life husband and wife play the Tennessee Williams husband and wife.  Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin as Brick and Maggie.  That's my idea and I think it's a good one.