Sookie Stackhouses tough-as-nails BFF, Tara Thornton, has spent the past four seasons of True Blood suffering the abuses of an alcoholic mother, a possessive maenad, a sociopathic vampire and a power-hungry witch. At the start of the shows fifth season, Tara was saved from death (courtesy of a gunshot wound to the head) by being turned, in the words of Rutina Wesley and in the soapy supernatural dramas brilliant, twisted fashion into the thing she hates the most, a vampire. With Tara still adjusting to her new, nocturnal existence, and reuniting with her estranged mother in the most recent episode, Rolling Stonechecked in with Wesley to get her take on her characters evolution.
Tara has had such a rough go of it in the first few seasons, but now it seems that becoming a vampire is the best thing thats ever happened to her. Do you think thats accurate?
I dont know if its the best thing thats ever happened to her, but I think its going to end up being that because when you have to face something that you actually hate and learn to love it, its a complete transformation. So, yes, its the best and worst thing. To her, it would probably be like, This sucks! no pun intended but, I think when she finally embraces who she is, like in the last couple of episodes when shes like, OK, Im a vampire. Ive got to feed and Ive got to deal, I think shell start to understand [her situation] more, and I think thats important for her own personal growth.
Most of the characters have stayed the same throughout the seasons, but youve had to alter your character from human to vampire, and with that come changes in carriage and demeanor. I think the only other person whos had to do something like that is Alexander Skarsgrd, with Amnesiac Eric last season. Did you find that fun or challenging?
Its been a little bit of both. Its definitely been a challenge because its something new like its basically creating a new character, but also making sure you dont completely change so you dont lose the essence of what youve already started. But the most fun I had was tearing up [Sookies] kitchen. I got to run around and be a wild, angry possum and make strange noises. All the acting exercises I did in school we would just makes noises in a big room and now I can use all that. This has been the most fun Ive had this season.
So you must be having a ball with the sexy-vampire makeup and clothes, especially that spangly purple corset. Are they easy to move in?
Oh, no. Its so funny because I wanted to be in a corset so badly. I was like, Can I be in a corset? Can it be purple? And I got in that corset, and after that 12thhour youre like, Well, yeah. Maybe I should have thought . . .
Maybe I shouldve asked for a flowy dress.
Because you just cant breathe and forget about eating lunch. But I would always eat because I was hungry and Id go back to my trailer and be like, I cant move!
How has it been adjusting to the fangs?
I practiced a lot in my trailer, and also Anna [Paquin] said to me, If you can say Sookie Stackhouse, then youre good. So I practiced saying Sookie Stackhouse a lot. The best advice we were given is to act like theyre not there. But the minute you go, I have two big teeth in my mouth, then youll sound like a vampire with a lisp.
I love the Pam-Tara relationship this season. Pam is not warm and fuzzy, and shes a pretty cruel taskmaster. But I think shes a better parent to Tara than Lettie Mae.
Oh, definitely. I think its been important for Tara to see the tough love from Pam, because she hasnt seen much other than, Pam wants to kill me. But now shes seeing Pam go, I kind of care about you. But not too much. Dont let it go to your head.
This past Sundays episode had Lettie Mae coming face-to-face with her now-vampire daughter.
Its a very unique dynamic, me and my mother. Adina Porter is amazing. Getting to work with her again has been great. And Tara stands up to her mom: You know what? Cool. If you want to go, go. But stop torturing me, because youre gonna see me again. Its my favorite episode because I got to do a very sensual, sexy dance on a pole, and its awesome! [Laughs] Dancing is my first love.
Did you work with a choreographer on that? Or, because you have dance training, did you just go for it?
I worked with a choreographer for about 45 minutes right before we shot the scene. There were a good 50 people actors in that scene, and I had to disrobe and go for it. I was so nervous! I was like, Oh, my God, like, all of my body is out right now! [Laughs]
Do you think there will come a time when Tara will hit a teenage rebellion stage and wont want to just bartend at Fangtasia? If she had her druthers, what do you think shed do?
Thats an interesting question. Because Taras never been able to hold down a job, Ive never thought about what her dreams and goals are, and what she actually wants to do. And shes a pretty shitty bartender! [Laughs] I think she enjoys being around people, getting a rise out of them. So it would be something that involves being around people. Shes so interesting, and its like what do you want to do, Tara? Do you want to work at the Super Save-A-Bunch for the rest of your life? Cause its Bon Temps, theres not really much to do! [Laughs]
Like you said, Bon Temps is a small town. So its inevitable that Tara and Sookie, who are currently on the outs, are going to see each other again, yes?
I can definitely say that they will see each other again, and there will be a figuring out of their relationship. Whether they actually talk about it may not happen, but I will be involved with her again, sometime later on.
Stephen Moyer directed the July 29th episode of True Blood how did he do?
He did amazing! Hes so lovely. It was nice to work with somebody that you know so closely and see that person live out another part of their dream, and see him do it so well. He was such a sweetheart to me and he was just open and made us feel very safe. It was just like family.
So you went to Comic-Con again this year. How did that go?
Comic-Cons great! Its where we see our die-hard fans. Theyre the reason why we have a job. And so people come from miles and miles, and they dress up like us, and theyre shaking when they meet us. Its so humbling to me. Thats why I do what I do. I love to be a vessel through which characters can come through. And if I can move an audience with my work, then Ive done my job. So when you actually meet someone face-to-face whos like, I love your character. I get her. And shes a lot like my sister. Or, Shes a lot like me. Or I get people who meet me and completely are thrown off by the fact that Im not like Tara. That Im smiling when they meet me. And theyre like, Oh, my God, youre so nice! Youre so pretty! On TV you look so different! Its cool because I must be doing something right if I look completely different when you see me.
Are people asking you to bite them now?
No, but there was a fan a couple of years ago who wanted to bite me and Sam [Trammell]. She literally put in fake fangs and pretended to bite my neck. It was hilarious. I was like, Yeah, you can bite me! Thats cool! It was so funny! I was like, What am I doing!? [Laughs]
Next season is going to be the first one without Alan Ball as showrunner. How do you think it will affect the show?
I think Alan set up a really good network of writers and we have a good foundation. Who knows, everyone has different ideas, so things may change, but I think we would always be moving forward in the spirit as if Alan was still there. Hell be around, but its just more sad that his presence is gone. Were gonna miss him, because his writing is amazing and he is amazing and I feel like I owe my career to him. He gave me this opportunity and I start to cry it means a lot to me. I told him that if I hadnt gotten this job, I wouldnt be where I am now.
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