True Blood’s Adina Porter, is best known for her intense portrayal of Lettie Mae Thornton, the manipulative, sanctimonious, emotionally abusive mother of Tara (Rutina Wesley) on True Blood, but Porter is now also happily dedicated to her new role of supporting character, Kendra James on HBO’s “The Newsroom.”
In a recent interview, Adina spoke not just about her new role, but she also talked a bit about True Blood. Below are the two excerpts about True Blood from that interview.
When asked about watching herself on TV, Adina replied that with two kids, she rarely watches her television work and has trouble keeping track of which shows she’s on. “I have no time! I didn’t watch last season of True Blood. I didn’t watch my scene — I’m sorry!” She agrees that “work is hard, but being a mom is harder,” as Porter says. “If you get out in time to have dinner with your kids or put your kids to bed — as soon as you walk in the door and you drop your bags, you don’t even have time to take off your makeup. You’re on!”
Next up for Adina is a return to the supernatural backwaters of Bon Temps, where Porter will once again sink into the spiteful fury of True Blood’s Lettie Mae and exorcize the stress that her dual life as mom and working professional inevitably brings. “Last season,” she grins, “I was enjoying myself on Newsroom and I remember calling up my manager and going, ‘I feel like chewing up some scenery. Come on, let’s see if True Blood needs me!’
Adina Porter has landed a guest-starring role on the upcoming season of Grey’s Anatomy.
Tara’s mama, Lettie Mae has been really busy this year as she has also been appearing in HBO’s Newsroom and now will appear in the second episode of Grey’s Anatomy, which features a flashback to how the doctors were rescued from the mountains after the plane crash. Adina will play Dr. Ramsey, the Boise Hospital doctor that treats the survivors after the crash. Exclusive: A Different World vet heads to Grey’s Anatomy
The ninth season picks up two to three months after the Stranded Six Five (RIP Lexie!) were rescued following the plane crash. The second episode will jump back in time to show how they were rescued, while the Debbie Allen-directed third episode will jump back to the present timeline, which will find some doctors outside of Seattle Grace with new jobs.
To learn more about Adina Porter, check out our exclusive and informative interview with her here.
Kristin Bauer and husband Abri van Straten and Adina Porter attended the premiere of HBO’s New Series ‘Newsroom’ Los Angeles Premiere at ArcLight Cinemas Cinerama Dome on June 20, 2012 in Hollywood.
In ‘Newsroom’ Adina plays the part of Kendra, on True Blood we know her of course as Lettie Mae Thornton. The show premiere this Sunday June 24.
Recently, I had the great pleasure of meeting Adina Porter at an party in Hollywood. I remember seeing her first as her character “Lettie Mae” in True Blood and since have seen photos online of her, but I was amazed, when I met her, at how she transforms herself from the exquisitely beautiful woman she is into the drunken, self-obsessed and crazy Lettie Mae Thornton on True Blood. After talking together for a while, I asked her if she would be willing to grant an interview with The Vault and she said, “Yes.”
When investigating her career in preparation for this interview, I was amazed by the amount of work she has done. Not only is she an experienced actress in Hollywood, but she also won an Obie Award (Off-Broadway Theater Award) in New York for her performance of Venus Hottentot in Suzan Lori Park’s play, “Venus.”
We will see her again in Season 5 of True Blood, but her newest project is HBO’s “The Newsroom“ which looks like it’s going to be a really good and interesting show. It premieres in June and there is more about it and a video of the trailer at the end of this interview.
Adina as Lettie Mae and as herself.
She started her acting lessons at an early age and even had Butterfly McQueen as a teacher when she was in grade school. I’m sure most of our readers will remember Butterfly as “Prissy” in Gone With the Wind. Adina told me that she didn’t know her then, she said,
“ I had no idea about Gone with the Wind, all I knew was that she was a church member who had a really high squeaky voice. I’m talking about elementary school. It wasn’t really formal, it was more like dance class, acting class and cotillions; just activities. I didn’t know who she was until quite later and after church were those classes, that was it.“
She is originally from New York, and after a teacher in Junior high school, Mrs. Simmons, suggested she apply to the famous High School of Performing Arts, she got in. I asked her if she was one of those “FAME” People, referring to the film by the same name, and she replied with a very proud, “YES, I’m one of those fame people.”
After High School she attended SUNY Purchase and told me how she moved on from there to do acting parts in New York:
I was already in New York and SUNY Purchase like Julliard, like NYU, are called league of professional schools and there are auditions where you audition for different agencies to get an agent. So, I auditioned and Alan Willick & Associates decided to sign me and, while their name has changed many times over the years, I’m still basically with the same agents; lucky, lucky me. They would call you up and tell you to be here at certain times and here’s the material you need to prepare. I can’t even remember how I got the material, but in those days you prepared a monologue, one classical and one contemporary and you auditioned. I would audition for Manhatten Theater Club, Playwrights Horizon and The Public and do stage readings and basically you worked for free, but you were getting known and [receiving] experience, working on your craft and that’s what I did.
I was in NY, Hartford stage in Connecticut, a SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild) job in Texas working with Bill Irwin for American Masters. I also got a chance to work with Arthur Miller doing “The Ride Down Mt. Morgan” at Williamstown. And Williamstown is a theater camp and I got to work there with people like Patty Clarkson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. You’re up there in the woods reading plays and doing stage readings at night. You might have gotten a stipend and free food and board, but who cares, you’re working with someone like Arthur Miller and every once in a while he would say something like “Then Marilyn [Monroe] said…” and there was a hush in the room.
Here’s my Q&A with Adina:
How did you come to Hollywood? I was up there doing a piece there and by chance I happened to be in my dorm room when I got a call from my agent who said, we think it’s time for you to go out to LA and start audition for TV and Film.
What year was this?
This was 1996. I think it’s very interesting or it was a sign or something that I happened to be in my dorm room when the call came through. I was married at the time any my husband was in Senegal following his career choice because he was a journalist and I remember emailing him about it asking him what he thought. He said I’m doing good work and I have another year here in Senegal and so you go off to LA and then after a year we’ll be back in Brooklyn. I was supposed to be out here in Los Angeles for a year, but I’m still here.
So it worked out then? I was bi-coastal for the first four years going back and forth to NY and Senegal and then in 1999, we broke up and I became full time in 2000.
It’s pretty amazing how many roles you’ve done and how many different TV series you’ve been in. Do you enjoy playing character roles, or would you prefer to find a starring role on TV or in film? Most of your work has been done on TV vs. film. Do you prefer TV?
I think TV is easier to get. I like working. I just auditioned yesterday for an independent film that Forrest Whittaker is producing and I did The Social Network with Aaron Sorkin and I think that there can be so many interesting independent films, but I think they are kind of like theater. You need to make your name somewhere else for someone to come out and seek you out or, do the rounds of these little films made up with interesting people and then you can find a gem of an independent film. I have auditioned for major motion pictures.
I know Lettie Mae and when I saw pictures of you not on True Blood I asked “is that the same person?” You seem to become her. What kind of an actor are you. Are you a method actor?
I guess I would definitely say that I’m “method.” If I’m going out on an audition I have to check what shoes I’m wearing because the shoes have to match the character. If you don’t feel grounded in your shoes, it’s going to mess up your performance.
For every job you get how many auditions do you have to do? Is it second nature now, does it upset you if you don’t get them?
Certain roles upset me if I don’t get them, but the ratio has definitely gotten better over the years. I remember auditioning so many times for a show like NYPD Blue or Law & Order and not getting them and then finally booking so, the ratio has gone from 20:1 to 3:1 to get a job. It’s definitely gotten better.
How difficult is it to deal with the rejection? Or, is it all part of the job?
That’s a really good question. I can definitely see personal growth in that I used to tie my “self worth” with having an acting job and that’s a really dangerous thing to tie your “self worth” to when you have no control over it. I’ve definitely gotten better in that respect and I can definitely go further, but that doesn’t make for a very good spouse and mother, but I work hard on keeping that in check. I have grown to a point where I can say; well if I didn’t get this job, that’s OK because I’m means I was supposed to be available for another job. Just then, Adina’s husband chimes in that if you don’t get a job, it’s not necessarily about you, but about the project. Adina then said, there’s a great line from Hamlet that says, “The play’s the thing.” However, every once in a while I do an audition where, my manager has this expression, “where your throw up on your shoes.” It’s so bad, whoa, where did that come from, I just went back 20 years. [That's when] it’s upsetting because the people in the room put you in a bad place. I just chalk that up to amazing sports athletes, sometimes even Coby Bryant has a bad night. What I like about that is that it means that I’m not a robot, it’s human it happens and sometimes it doesn’t and you just let go.
What was your audition for True Blood like? What do you think you did that got you the part of Lettie Mae?
Sure, I remember about that. [LAUGHS] The casting people are Junie Laurie Johnson and Libby Goldstein who I had auditioned for many, many times and now have hired me for GIA, NYPD Blue, so they were fans. So, whenever you audition for people who like your work, even if you don’t get the job, the goal is to just do above the board work for them so that you stay in their good graces.
For independent films, I’ll look up who the director is because I might get a clue on what he might be looking for by seeing what kind of work he’s done, but I didn’t look up Alan Ball. I don’t remember if I knew his name. It being HBO and Junie Laurie Johnson, I knew that I had to prepare to do my best work no matter what. One of the ways I keep the audition process in check is not Googling who you’re going in to see because you can get intimidated by reading for people who win Oscars. So, I didn’t know that walking into the room. Personally, I was pregnant at the time. My husband and I wanted very much to start a family and other pregnancies at that time were not very healthy. And, I remember saying to myself in the waiting room that getting bad news about a pregnancy is a big deal, this audition is not a big deal. I remember I was the first one up.
How many other people were there auditioning?
I would say there were 8 women in the room, at that time, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t more during the rest of the day.
I try not to count how many are in the room, try not to go into the bathroom and fix my makeup. I try not to look at myself before [the audition]. I do my makeup before I leave the house, I don’t change my look in reference to the other people in the room. I might dance in my head or try to move my body and stay in the character or, my stay with my perception of the character.
[For this audition],I went in and the casting ladies were there, Alan Ball was there and one of the directors was there. It was a scene from Season 1 where Lettie Mae goes to speak at the funeral of Sookie’s grandmother. I did it and I remember being “off book.” [This means that] I try to know the words so I don’t have to break character by looking down at them. One thing I try to do is to learn the words, especially if you are auditioning for the screenwriter because you don’t want to be messing up their words that they’ve slaved over.
Alan gave me the note “could I be more drunk?” Then afterwards, I asked him “did I take the note?” Did I do what you want me to do because if not, let me try to do it again. I’ve learned that because sometimes, it’s a guessing game, and you don’t need to guess if you can get some feedback. He said, “No, that was great.” And I remember making the joke, “Good because I play high a lot more often than I play drunk.” I’m constantly playing a crack addict or a heroin addict and I didn’t play alcoholic that much, then. I laughed and left the room.
What was it that made them pick you?
I don’t know what Alan liked about it.
I can’t believe how different you are from Lettie Mae. You have had a lot of really, really intense scenes with Tara; a lot of physicality. What do you do to get into Lettie Mae’s skin?
I try to stay in the character, but only on the set. I might read a novel likel “The Child Called It,” I remember reading that. It’s a book about a boy who was abused by his father and his stepfather in this horrendous way. They didn’t refer to him with his name, but referred to him as “it.” Reading things like that help me to stay in the realm of an adult who feels really horrible about themselves and children are such an easy target to take out ones frustrations on a kid.
See Adina’s promo reel of True Blood and her other performances here and here.
Is there anyone that you’ve worked with on True Blood that you’ve learned from?
Well, of course Rutina (Wesley). She is also an actress who stays in her realm before going out to work. There are some of us who can talk about the baseball when not filming and then when they say rolling, or still talking about it, and then they say action and they say there line.
On the Newsroom, the Aaron Sorkin project I’m working on now, it’s very conversational, quick wit, and we’re playing ourselves, so, it’s easier to be talking about something else and then go right into the words. And, when you’re also dealing with having to be drunk, having a lot of self hatred and all the ugliness, I’ve learned to try to keep in check. You know we all have our own insecurities and with Lettie Mae I sort of let them run wild. I can’t be chatting about the weather and then go into that. I certainly am functional and polite on set, but I answer questions on the set in my accent and just try to stay quiet and in the realm.
Rutina might have her iPod on and have the music help her that way, I might have a phrase or two that helps me drop into the emotional state for the part, I’ll inhale and exhale a lot and drop it that way. Having Rutina, a series regular, doing that gives me permission to do that, too.
I’ve interviewed quite a few of the cast and I have met most of them and I’ve never heard any of them say anything but positive things about their experience, so I’m not surprised to hear it. The word is “it’s a family.”
Also, the crew and other cast members of True Blood and everyone is so polite, kind, professional, and understanding. I know it sounds like I’m pulling your leg, but everyone, this is not the first job for a lot of people, they know what it’s like to struggle, they know what it’s like to be on a hit show. They know that it is a blessed place to be and they are grateful for it and so they have created this incredibly safe environment where you can get ugly and make big choices, and you might fail, but you feel you are in a safe environment to go for it.
It was fun being with the Reverend getting the daemons out of the house of Arlene and Terry and I so enjoyed working with and watching Dale Raoul in her part as Maxine Fortenberry. I had that scene with her at the grave so, I have been lucky to meet with a few other cast members?
Now that Lettie Mae is married and not drinking, do you think she is happy and can you tell us if she is still with the Reverend?
I’m going to say, I don’t think if Lettie Mae won a lottery, she would be happy. There isn’t a lot about Lettie Mae that is said in the novels, but I think that one thing that is mentioned about her is that Tara’s parents should have never been parents, and I think that’s just so incredibly right.
Do you watch the show yourself?
Oh Yes! I follow along and I don’t read scripts that I’m not in so that I can be surprised like everyone else. I don’t tell my husband any information that I pick up so he can enjoy it, too.
It must be hard.
No, because I have a 5 year old and a 19 month old, so as soon as I walk in the door, the conversation changes and my son is telling me what I’ve missed and my daughter tells me what she needs. With that you’re just exhausted.
What is there about you that you would like the fans to know?
I’m very grateful that they’re watching because I can see how young people can get into and really follow Tara and Jason and their lives, but it blows me away every time a young person says that they really enjoy my work, because I’m surprised that they get it. I don’t know why, I think that you kind of have to have lived a bit to understand the mother/daughter relationship, so I can completely see them siding with the daughter. So I’m completely surprised when people feel for, [Lettie] Tara’s anchor, that is dragging her under.
What do you think of Alan Ball? I love Alan Ball. I so admire, I mean, I loved American Beautyand I treasure being a part of his well crafted world. I’m on cloud 9 that I’ve worked for Alan Ball, that I’ve worked for Aaron Sorkin, that I’ve worked with really amazing writers and I know how great that is because you can look at my resume and I’ve worked for some writers and situations where maybe they weren’t putting as much effort in it as Mr. Ball or Mr. Sorkin put in it. And, I remember a couple of times just being happy to be back on True Blood, where in other situations I have to say the words and it’s just like choking when I have to say them and have them sound real as they come out of my mouth. So I am very respectful of Mr. Ball and I’m so happy that I have him as a fan of mine.
What do you think about him leaving the show?
Yes, he’s a workaholic and I’m not surprised that he’s leaving. I’m also a great fan of Six Feet Under; that was one of those shows where I was counting down the days until the next episode. I have been asking myself what True Blood’s going to be like with a new front runner, and I’m not surprised that Mr. Ball’s leaving because you know their shows [HBO] go maybe five, six years and you always want to leave the show with the audience wanting more. You’ve just got to enjoy it while you can and then it’s gone and you have the memories.
It was party time at the HBO’s Post 2012 Golden Globe Awards Party at Circa 55 Restaurant on January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, attended by Alexander Skarsgard, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Joe Manganiello, Carrie Preston, Chris Bauer, Janina Gavankar, Lauren Bowles, Adina Porter, Michelle Forbes and Todd Lowe.
Below is a photo of Denis O’Hare from his role of Larry in American Horror Story. But Denis is not the only True Blood star to be on the show.
Adina Porter, Tara’s mom from True Blood is also going to be on the show. She will play the part of Sally, a woman whose husband is divorcing her for being boring, and, accordingly, Ben Harmon, played by Dylan McDermott goes into a trance listening to her talk about football. He wakes up with blood all over his hands. Sexy Young Moira is sexily cleaning up some blood, maybe from somebody he killed. His tape recorder is missing, so we’ll probably find out whom he offed later in the episode.
I can just imagine Adina Porter in the role and Denis looks really scary in that photo.
Below are some new True Blood cast videos from the HBO Emmy After Party 2011, which took place Sunday night, September 18, 2011. Below are videos of Jim Parrack, Janina Gavankar, Denis O’Hare and Adina Porter:
Adina Porter, aka Tara’s alcoholic mom, has signed up for a new HBO drama show. The now untitled drama (formerly More As This Story Develops), written by Aaron Sorkin centers on a cable news anchor (Jeff Daniels), his new executive producer (Emily Mortimer), his newsroom staff (Alison Pill, John Gallagher Jr, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski), and their boss (Sam Waterston). Together they set out on a patriotic and quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements.
True Blood’s Adina Porter, is best known for her intense portrayal of Lettie Mae Thornton, the manipulative, sanctimonious, emotionally abusive mother of Tara (Rutina Wesley) on True Blood, but Porter is now also happily dedicated to her new role of supporting character, Kendra James on HBO’s “The Newsroom.”
Adina Porter, aka Tara’s alcoholic mom, has signed up for a new HBO drama show. The now untitled drama (formerly More As This Story Develops), written by Aaron Sorkin centers on a cable news anchor (Jeff Daniels), his new executive producer (Emily Mortimer), his newsroom staff (Alison Pill, John Gallagher Jr, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski), and their boss (Sam Waterston). Together they set out on a patriotic and quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements.
