I wanna do bad things with you! True Blood hooked fans in with its dark depiction of vampire life in Bon Temps, Louisiana, in 2008, and its pull is still felt by many of the show’s fans today.
From 2008 to 2014, viewers tuned in to see telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) attempt to bridge the gap between the town’s residents and vampire population. She proved that humans could live with supernatural beings based on her continued friendship with Tara (Rutina Wesley) after she turned — and through her own vampire love triangle.
As Sookie juggled Civil War vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and his longtime foe Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), her police officer brother, Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten), found himself getting into trouble for his “fangbanger” reputation.
His womanizing ways broke up his best friend Hoyt’s (Jim Parrack) relationship with “baby vamp” Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and caused a lot of drama with televangelist Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp).
The series, which lasted seven seasons on HBO, was based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.
Throughout its run, fans met other supernatural creatures including werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello) and medium Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis). While many townspeople were turned into vampires, some humans managed to come out unscathed, like Arlene (Carrie Preston). Her husband Terry, (Todd Lowe), wasn’t as lucky.
No matter what their fate was onscreen, the cast of the drama became tightknit and had a hard time saying goodbye to the show.
“It was unbelievably emotional,” Skarsgard told Us Weekly exclusively in August 2014. “That show has been such a huge part of my life. I’ve met some really good friends on that set, and there is no doubt that they will remain close friends forever.”
He added: “There’s something about going to a location like that and just having these people as your family, and their families as your family. The last scene I filmed, I was just trying to take it all in and I started crying.”
Scroll down to see what the cast of True Blood has been up to since leaving Bon Temps.
After playing the lead on True Blood, Paquin voiced Ramsey in 2015’s The Good Dinosaur before returning to TV in 2017 with a role on Bellevue. The same year she starred on the miniseries Alias Grace. The Canada born actress appeared in Tell It to the Bees, The Parting Glass and The Irishman before once again landing a major TV role with 2019’s The Affair. Beginning the same year, Paquin played Robyn on Flack. Paquin wed her onscreen love Moyer in 2010. They welcomed twins Poppy and Charlie in 2012.
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Moyer quickly jumped from playing vampire Bill Compton to portraying Milus Corbett on The Bastard Executioner. He had roles in Shots Fired, The Gifted and in 2020 starred on Fortunate Son. After directing three episodes of True Blood, the British actor expanded to producer roles on The Parting Glass and Flack, which his wife starred in. He shares two children with the Canada-born actress and has two children from a previous relationship.
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Skarsgard’s Eric Northman is one third of the love triangle throughout the series. He also runs vampire bar Fangtasia while fulfilling his role as vampire sheriff of Area 5. The Swedish actor starred in The Legend of Tarzan and Hold the Dark before returning to TV with Big Little Lies in 2017. Skarsgard won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Perry Wright on the HBO drama. He then appeared on The Stand and starred in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. The actor has been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Alexa Chung since 2015. The pair called it quits in July 2017, before being spotted together again in March 2018.
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Following his role as shapeshifter Sam Merlotte — who goes from bartender to town major — Trammell appeared in a few movies, including I Am Wrath and Say You Will. He returned to TV with a recurring role on The Order and Reckoning in 2019. The New Orleans native then played President Ben Hayes on Homeland before portraying Mark on Generation. Trammel shares two children with his partner Missy Yager.
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Kwanten appeared in movies including Reach Me and Edge after playing Sookie’s brother, Jason Stackhouse, for seven seasons. He then played Superknife on Apollo Gauntlet before starring on The Oath as Steve Hammond and Scared Lies as Peter. In 2021, he portrayed George Bell on Them and Jack in Loveland. He is set to play Jack in Loveland. The Australian actor has been dating Ashley Sisino since 2014.
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Bauer played Renard Parish’s sheriff, Andy Bellefleur, for seven seasons and continued to have success on television with a role on American Crime Story and Survivor’s Remorse. He then played Tim Rutten on Law & Order True Crime, Bobby Dwyer on The Deuce, Deke Slayton on For All Mankind and James McCord on Gaslit. Bauer has been married to Laura Cunningham Bauer since 1997 and is father of two children.
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The Illinois native wowed fans with his portrayal of cook and medium Lafayette Reynolds. After True Blood, Ellis appeared in Little Boxes and Roxanne Roxanne and had a recurring role on Elementary before his death in July 2017. The actor died of heart failure after complications of alcohol withdrawal. He is survived by his son, Breon.
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Preston jumped from her role as waitress-turned-bar owner Arlene Fowler to playing Debbie on Happyish. She continued her TV career with a recurring role on The Good Wife (which earned her an Emmy), Crowded and Person of Interest. The Georgia native then portrayed Polly on TNT’s Claws and appeared on Grace and Frankie. Preston is married to actor Michael Emerson.
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Wesley’s Tara Thornton was Sookie’s BFF, who was turned into a vampire in season 5. Despite being killed in season 7, Tara’s presence was felt until the series’ end. The Las Vegas native continued her TV success with a role on Hannibal before playing Nova Bordelon on Queen Sugar. Wesley added executive producer to her resume with the short Last Looks and again with 2 Dollars. In 2013, Wesley filed for divorce from husband Jacob Fishel after eight years of marriage. Four years later, the actress announced her engagement to girlfriend chef Shonda.
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Woll’s Jessica Hamby was Bill’s (Moyer) vampire progeny, who fell in love with Hoyt (Parrack), but ultimately gave up on being monogamous. The New York native appeared in Silver Lake and Escape Room in between her TV ventures. She played Karen Page on Daredevil and reprised the role on The Punisher. She later wrote an episode for Relics and Rarities, which she also starred on for six episodes. Woll wed E.J. Scott in 2018.
She was announced as a cohost for HBO Max's True Blood rewatch podcast, "Truest Blood," with former costar Kristin Bauer in October 2021.
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Manganiello appeared on the HBO drama from 2010 to 2014 as werewolf Alcide Herveaux. During that time, he played Big Dick Richie in the Magic Mike films. He has since appeared in Rampage, Drunk Parents, Bottom of the 9th and voiced Hefty Smurf in Smurfs: The Lost Village. The stuntman also starred in The Spine of Night and Kaoti. The Pennsylvania native married Sofía Vergara in 2015.
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After playing recurring character, Sarah Newlin, who tried and failed to exterminate the vampire race, from 2009 to 2014, Camp had a recurring role on The Good Wife before starring on Good Girls Revolt and Perfect Harmony. The South Carolina native played Aubrey in the Pitch Perfect franchise and was seen in Café Society, Milkshake, The Lovebirds and Desperados. Camp split from Pitch Perfect costar Skylar Astin in 2019 after three years of marriage. She became Instagram official with musician Michael Johnson in March 2020.
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Parrack’s Hoyt Fortenberry is Jason (Kwanten) best friend and lover of vampire Jessica (Woll). The following his True Blood role, the Texas native appeared in Fury, Wild Horses and The Adderall Diaries. He also starred in Suicide Squad, Lost Child and God Send. Beginning in 2020, Parrack portrayed firefighter Judd Ryder on 9-1-1: Lone Star. The actor is also president of 120 Productions, Inc. and Brooklyn Actors Lab, LLC.
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The Wisconsin native played Fangtasia co-owner and vampire Pam Swynford De Beaufort, who was devoted to Eric (Skarsgard). During her time on True Blood, Bauer was a recurring character on Once Upon a Time. She then starred in Nocturnal Animals and Hollyweed before playing Shannon on Sacred Lies. Bauer has been a longtime animal advocate and wellness warrior. She’s been married to Abri van Straten since 2009.
Bauer was announced as a cohost for HBO Max's True Blood rewatch podcast, "Truest Blood," with former costar Deborah Ann Woll in October 2021. Both admitted it was their first time actually watching the show.
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After portraying former marine and cook Terry Bellefluer, who married Arlene (Preston), Lowe reprised his role of Zack in three of the four installments of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. He was also a recurring character on Cold, Ave 43 and Shooter. The Texas native also produced and starred in Alamo Downs.
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