Joe Manganiello: I remember thinking, 'oh my god, that’s Sookie Stackhouse!'

Joining the cast of TV's buzziest drama is a fairly awesome prospect -- but when the show in question already sits atop your Tivo season pass list, that "you're hired" phonecall reaches unprecedented levels of jubilation.
Such was the case when Joe Manganiello learned he'd been cast as Alcide, Sookie's werewolf bodyguard and potential bedmate in "True Blood's" third season. But the celebration was short-lived since Joe now had to made his body live up to author Charlaine Harris' novel image of Alcide. "Arms the size of boulders" is a daunting description.
With his biggest episode to date airing this Sunday, I caught up with Joe to find out what it felt like to go from "True Blood" fan to featured actor, why he felt such a personal connection with Alcide and what lies ahead in the Bill-Sookie-Alcide-Debbie-Coot love quadrangle.

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