True Blood' hunk on landing Alcide

Now that you’ve had time to adjust to the idea of Joe Manganiello in the role of Alcide on True Blood, it’s time to get to know the man behind the monster. In Part 1 of an exclusive two-part Q&A, the One Tree Hill hunk opens up about the phone call that changed his life, the childhood incident that foreshadowed his casting, and the punishing “werewolf workout” that will turn him into a half-human heartthrob.

How did you find out that you won the role?
JOE MANGANIELLO: I had three meetings with Alan Ball. [After the last one], I got a call from my agent and manager. And whenever you get a call from your agent and manager, you have a pretty good idea that something good is about to happen.

What was your reaction when they told you?
MANGANIELLO: I’m not afraid to admit that I started crying. I was just so excited. It’s a dream come true. When I was a little kid, the nun at my elementary school said if you pray for something hard enough, it’ll happen. And I would pray every day with all of my heart that God would turn me into a werewolf. And when it didn’t happen, I kind of thought, “You know what? Maybe this stuff doesn’t work. Maybe I’m getting gypped.” So here it is 25 years later and my prayers got answered and I’m going to be a werewolf.

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