Rising Star: Alexander Skarsgard

From Access Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

“Twilight” might rule the big screen when it comes to the vampire world, but every week this summer HBO’s “True Blood” has been delivering gripping edge-of-your seat drama, action – and not to mention, a nice dose of dark comedy – on the small screen. At the center of all the bloody fun is Swedish import, Alexander Skarsgard, as vampire Eric Northman, the undead hunk who might save your life – or suck it right out of you!

AccessHollywood.com caught with the 32-year-old actor – the son of actor Stellan Skarsgard – who said his role on “True Blood” is unlike anything he ever imagined playing.

“A 1,000-year-old flying Viking vampire is quite different from most of my previous roles,” he told Access.

After working for years in his native Sweden, Alexander garnered Hollywood’s attention after appearing in the 2008 HBO miniseries, “Generation Kill,” a project that is still helping the actor now.

“I just tweaked my accent from ‘Generation Kill’ a little and threw in a few Swedish words,” he said of his accent he uses on “True Blood,” which is set in the fictional city of Bon Temps, Louisiana.

Alexander said he was drawn to the role because he gets to walk the line between good and evil – sometimes in the same breath.

”[I love] that he drains people with an innocent smile on his face,” he said.

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