True Blood’s Sam Trammell Talks Shape-Shifting Nude Scenes

People Magazine

As True Blood’s Sam Merlotte, the shape-shifting owner of Bon Temps’s favorite bar, Sam Trammell has seen some pretty shady characters walk through the door. First, there were the vampires. Now, even his regular customers are out of control. Of course, they’re under the power of angry maenad Maryann, who’s out to sacrifice him. With the finale of season 2 of True Blood airing Sunday on HBO, Trammell spoke to PEOPLE about working with Anna Paquin, his frequent nude scenes and what’s in store for the final episode. “There’s somebody that’s in major, big, big trouble,” he says. –Aaron Parsley

What does Maryann have against your character?
She needs Sam [Merlotte] for her own personal spiritual satisfaction. There’s also a resentment that she has towards him and this idea that she actually had me at one point and I got away from her and I stole some stuff from her. I’m an annoyance to her and I’m something she can’t control.

How has life changed since True Blood took off?
Towards the end of the first season, I definitely started getting recognized a little bit here and there … but this season it’s every single day and it’s really cool. People are just really passionate. They’re like, “I love the show,” or “I love your character.” It feels so good.

Were you familiar with the Sookie Stackhouse books?
I was not familiar with them at all … I’d heard about this vampire show and it was set in Louisiana and I just thought that’d be perfect for me because I’m originally from Louisiana. And certainly know that rural world pretty well having lived also in West Virginia.

read on