Graham Shiels (we all know him that the scary vampire Liam) has several guest appearances on other shows coming up.
Friday, February 13th “Numbers” on CBS
Wednesday, February 25th “CSI: NY” on CBS
On March 3rd Graham also has an upcoming role in “Nip/Tuck on the season 5 finale.
Graham Shiels on CSI: NY
photo credit Graham Shiels
“True Blood’s” Graham Shiels (Liam) on Vamps, Fangbangers and being the “Scary Boyfriend” in Jim Carrey’s New Movie … on TVLand
Vancouver transplant Graham Shiels has made a cottage industry out of leaving some nasty hickeys that only an industrial-strength base could hope to cover up. As an outlaw vampire who refused to cleave to the delicate détente established between the undead and humans on the hit TV series “True Blood,” Shiels caused quite a bit of menace before he was finally dispatched.
When we talked, the rangy actor said that kind of mayhem is only prelude; he’s just getting started.
TJ: Tell me about your four-episode arc as bloodsucking baddie, “Liam,” on “True Blood.”
GS: I was a vampire who was definitely not into “mainstreaming” (nomenclature on the show for trying to fit into society by living with humans and not feeding on them). Liam and his cohorts (“Malcolm” and “Diane” had absolutely no desire to live by the rules. We were happy killing random people; having sex with men and women alike. It was all about the bloodlust when we home-invaded the old Antebellum mansion where Bill lived. Malcolm was the brains, I was the brawn and Diane was a very fatal femme fatale.
I got a few people in trouble before I got “offed.”
TJ: How do you prep for a role as a vampire on puncture patrol … I mean, c’mon, that’s pretty off the beam!
GS: I met Alan Ball (“True Blood’s” creator) and came in with my choices. He gave me his direction for the role. They called and said they wanted to see me again and gave me new direction over the phone to prepare. And then I went in again and got direction 180-degrees different in tone. By the time I was cast and got to the set, it wasn’t a question of the last directional cue as being the right way. I think all of them were the right way. It was just a chance to go with my instincts. It’s stressful for an actor to get so much different direction, but to Alan’s credit, it also freed me up. It all comes down to playing a guy that doesn’t judge himself and has no qualms about killing people.
Interview with Graham Shields (vampire Liam) on SoapOperaSource by Jennifer Snyder (via TrueBloodNet.com)
Graham Shiels has appeared on film, stage and television with a career in acting spanning the last 8 years. His most recent role as Liam on HBO’s True Blood, has garnered fans from around the world. Graham was classically trained at the Yale School of Drama and significant credits in theater including the highlight of performances with Tony Award winner Brian Bedford, at The Mark Taper Forum in “The Moliere Comedies.” Also Graham is an accomplished improviser and alumni of Improv Olympic West.
Graham is currently on recurring as Cody Paul on ABC’s General Hospital. He debuted as Cody Paul, a drug addicted war veteran who served his country in Iraq and had been dishonorably discharged. Cody came to Port Charles when he followed two of his army buddies, Logan Hayes (Josh Duhon) and Cooper Barrett (Jason Gerhart). After appearing on General Hospital:Night Shift during the summer of 2007, Cody Paul was sent to jail for murdering Dr. Lainey Winters’ father. After a few months off screen, Cody Paul has returned and has kicked the drug habit, and was working on the docks as a forklift operator. Thinking he could help the local mobster Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) by keeping him informed of an activity down on the docks, Cody went to Jason with information regarding Russian mobster Karpov. He has gained the trust of Jason Morgan and is currently working as a bodyguard/informant for Morgan’s organization.
Graham took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with Soap Opera Source about his role on HBO’s True Blood and his recurring role as Cody Paul on ABC’s General Hospital.
True Blood has garnered a lot of attention since its first season began. Why do you think it was a huge hit for HBO? What makes this vampire series stand out above the other original programming on HBO?
As for the success of TB I think it’s just plain different. Alan Ball has impeccable taste and the show mixes in a lot of humor into the world of a blood-thirsty, human-killing vampire. So it’s like no other vampire story ever told. I also think that’s where he differs from the books, by Charlaine Harris, because though there is humor in the books, there’s a LOT more in the TV show. Trying to tell the story by portraying these vampires as having real social conflict and feelings about fitting in is different–not just a horror/gore movie about vampires sucking people’s necks and speaking in bad generic eastern European accents.
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