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This week, Joe Manganiello’s film, Magic Mike comes out on video and Warner Brothers was nice enough to send us a copy to review.  Guest writer, “Babs by the Beach,” has watched the film and gives her review below.

Magic Mike “is a window into a world that you have never seen.” Over hot dogs, yes, hot dogs, Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh agreed to make MM about Tatum’s 19 year-old experience as a stripper and apparently never looked back. I’m actually glad they didn’t because there are many stories buried in Tatum’s ”world”that need to be told.

Tatum’s life as a stripper is truly amazing, because a guy that is 6’1”, literally defies gravity as he makes his body move in ways that, well ladies, you’ll just have to buy the DVD to believe. Sure he moves and grooves in “Step Up,” but frankly, the boy had his clothes on; and you just can’t truly appreciate Tatum covered up with all that baggy fabric. The same goes for all the boys in MM. Matthew McConaughey’s Dallas is not only the carnival barker, MC, ring master, and almost-pimp, but he’s got some serious moves as well, so much so that the ladies in the audience (mind you these are women being paid to be the audience) take method acting to a new level when they liberated Mr. McConaughey of his rather skimpy thong. (Sigh)

Focus, focus, ladies, there are more tales to be told.

As we learn that Mike attempts to diversify his employment portfolio, you can only strip for so long, he’s also a good soul who tries to help along a down-and-out failed college football stud, Alex Pettyfer, Adam “The Kid.” And thank goodness he does, because, while it’s not quite Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, it is a buddy film that shows how the fast life can also make for a faster fall. Mike and Adam begin running together in South Miami the only way two young and overly attractive men can: booze, drugs and sex, and more booze, drugs and sex.

There is the attempt at a love connection between Mike (Tatum) and Alex’s sister Brooke (played by Cody Horn), that somewhat gives the story line depth, but it also somewhat gets in the way of the real fun, the real emotions, the real deal crux-of-this-whale-tale: male bonding. It’s not that women should not be in the film, but as Joe Manganiello says in the DVD Backstage on Magic Mike, “it’s the dance scenes that steal the movie.” It’s the way the guys move on stage as a team that makes it more than eye candy, you can tell they are having fun. There is so much acting potential wasted as just eye candy. These boys have their acting chops: Big Dick Richie (Manganiello–True Blood), Ken (Matt Bomer–White Collar), Tito (Adam Rodriguez–CSI: Miami), and Tarzan (Kevin Nash–The Punisher), but in most scenes they have only a few lines and fill in the background. The energy that Dallas (McConaughey) stirs up, and the guys feed off of, electrifies the movie. But all of this gets shut down as Mike chase Brooke.

This is why, in MM II, IMHO, I hope that not only the dance scenes take center stage, but Fireman Big Dick Richie lights my fire (which is why we need more Joe), Ken pops out of his box more, Tarzan swings into our hearts and Tito makes those legs spin faster than a top. Manganiello nails it again, when he says, “there’s a real sense of camaraderie and I think the dance moves are what brought that all together.” That’s what I want to see more camaraderie (and of course, more dancing).

The articles of our guest writers represent only the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the owners of TrueBlood-Online.com. We find it important to give space to the different points of view of the great variety of True Blood fans and the editorials of the guest writers are the perfect tool for that. We safeguard that the articles are in agreement with our policy.

Sean Harry’s Starfury events have been running for many years now and the third annual Vampire Ball was hosting True Blood’s regular guests Allan Hyde who plays Godric and Mariana Klaveno who plays Lorena. Mariana had cancelled two years previously and I was on honeymoon the previous year so was looking forward to meeting her for the first time as well as Allan who was very funny at the first Vampire Ball.

The venue this year was the Renaissance hotel next to Heathrow airport which makes it easier to get to for con goers outside of the UK. I arrived late evening on the Friday night and bought regular tickets on the door. After checking into my hotel room it was straight down for the opening ceremony in the main hall. Sean Harry opened the con and introduced the guests. His banter with the crowd was great and he joked about the lack of Twilight guests at his cons. Juliet Landau and James Masters were the big names to keep the legions of Buffy fans happy this year.

Mariana Klaveno was the first True Blood guest introduced and she joked that she had kicked Allan Hyde in his privates backstage. Allan came out minutes later doubled up pretending that actually happened. Allan was sporting a beard which I had not seen before so looked a bit older than the last time I had seen him. Mariana had her hair dyed blond.

 
After the opening ceremony there was a meet and greet for gold ticket holders that I would be missing out on this time. Following this there was a party themed on Sunningdale from Buffy. I went dressed in my Captain Hammer T-shirt with black gauntlets. I met up with Truebie friends I had made at previous cons and we sat at a table together. The party went on late into the night. There were a few people in Merlotte waitress costumes including a bloke in drag as Sookie which was hilarious. 

After breakfast the next morning my first True Blood related activity was the photo shoot at midday with Allan and Mariana. I dressed in my Andy Bellefleur sherif costume for this and Allan and Mariana aprreciated the effort I had made with the costume. A little while later in the afternoon they gave the first of their two guest talks together. The talk started a little late as Allan is a big Chelsea fan and had been watching them beat Arsenal on the TV!

 
Allan and Mariana joked about Godric’s Obi-Wan style comeback as figure in shining white light. When asked what other True Blood character they would like to play, Allan said Lorena and Mariana said Lafayette. Their favourite True Blood episodes were Godric’s death scene and Lorena torturing Bill. Allan talked about how he played someone much older by studying videos of old people and doing less which made him look more wise. If they could appear in other shows, Allan said he would like to be in the Walking Dead and Marianna said she would like to be in Game of Thrones. Allan said he would like to be a chef if he wasn’t an actor. He recounted a funny story of making Bolognese sauce all day for a friend and his friends flatmate making one out of a jar that his flat mates thought was better! Mariana spoke about the infamous head twist scene when she was making love to Bill and how they had to take a dummy life cast of her torso. They would leave it on set naked and she asked them to cover it up so they put a bra on it!

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Past weekend was the very last True Blood Bitten event in Northampton, UK. Jason Smith aka Andy Bellefleur was there again with his lovely wife Katie and he reports how Truebies party in the UK.
 

This was the third True Blood convention organised by Massive Events. The big name guest this year was Nelsan Ellis who plays Lafayette. Denis O’Hare who plays Russell Edgington had to be replaced due to being in a play on Broadway which clashed with the convention. Nelsan was to be joined by Lauren Bowles who plays Holly, Lindsay Pulsipher who plays Crystal and Tara Buck who plays Ginger. I was a little sad going into this con as it was announced the week before that this would be the last True Blood Bitten convention that Massive Events would host. I resolved that I would make the most of the weekend and have a great time. Was looking forward to meeting the Bitten crew and cosplaying a variety of True Blood characters over the course of the weekend.

I decided to take the Friday off work this year so I could arrive early and not be so rushed as in previous years. After meeting up with Truebie friends for lunch, checking in to the hotel and registering for the con, I changed into my Sheriff Bellefleur costume that I would be wearing for the party that night and made my way to the convention hall. Everyone was excited that the Bitten con was going to start again. The first shock announcement was that Nelsan had missed his flight from the USA as he had been filming overnight and it had overrun. Massive Events promised he would be there the following morning for photos and autographs and even said they would do a second meet and greet wine reception the following night for gold ticket holders as Nelsan would miss the one that was taking place straight after the opening ceremony. Then we got to meet Tara, Lindsay and Lauren for the first time which got the crowd going. The ladies said they had been enjoying the sights of Northampton and had found a shoe museum to look round!

After the brief introduction at the opening ceremony it was on to the first of two wine receptions with the guests. Lauren (who plays Andy Bellfleur’s girlfriend) said she was very taken with my costume! It was her second convention, the first being a horror convention in Baltimore. Lindsay was wearing some amazing blue high hell shoes that the Truebie ladies in my group loved. She had been to an autograph signing with Joe Manganiello, so it was her first proper con too! Tara looked lovely too.

After the wine reception was the first of the parties, this one being themed round the Halloween party at Merlotte’s in Season 3. Everyone had made great efforts on costumes this year. At 10pm almost everyone made their way outside to the front of the hotel for the first of three group shots of all the convention goers. The party went on quite late and Sheriff Andy was very popular for photos.

I made it to breakfast this next morning dressed as Andy Bellefleur for the first photoshoot starting at 10am. Nelsan had arrived at the hotel shortly beforehand and everyone was excited about that. I also took my Talbot crystal jar down for the photo shoots. First photo shoot was with Lauren followed by Nelsan (who pulled Talbot’s lid off to look inside!) and then Lindsay and then Tara. The queues for autographs were not too bad so it wasn’t long before I had all four signatures added to my Andy Bellefleur arm cast. There was a short break during which I got changed into regular con cloths for the group photo with all four guests and my wife Katie.

The first group talk was a solo one from Lindsay. She was asked what it was like kissing and biting Ryan and about the infamous rape scene which she said was the most awkward scene she had to film. She said biting him was very chocolatey as that’s what they use in the fake blood! She said the funniest thing was the reverse camera shot on Ryan from her point of view when Ryan was tied to the bed which had one of the cameraman bouncing up and on him for a long time and filming his reaction. She would like to come back on the show and try and beat the crap out of Jessica!

The next solo talk was from Tara. She was asked about her trade mark scream and said “It just came out”, which made the audience laugh. She said the best/funniest Ginger moment was riding the coffin. She would love to appear on Game of Thrones and would dress up to go to a convention about it.

The last talk of the afternoon was from Lauren and Nelsan. When asked what his favourite word was he said “cooker”, which was a pun on everyone expecting him to say “hookah”. Lauren said her favourite quote was “bitch can burn”. When asked if he ever took any of Lafayette’s costumes, Nelsan said he took his earrings and shoes on occasion, “but not the other stuff”. Nelsan also said that in real life he sucks at cooking! When asked how long the show could run for Nelsan said he thought it was time to let Lafayette go as he felt he was getting typecast. In later talk he said he would play Lafayette for as long as his character was wanted in the show. Nelsan was also a big Game Of Thrones fan and would love to work on the show. Then in one of the funniest moments of the whole weekend, Nelsan spoilered the character Tara in season 5. We had been told to be careful about mentioning season 5 and the biggest gaff had come from Nelsan. Hilarious!

Following the talk was the auction for True Blood memorabilia signed by the guests. As this was the last Bitten they auctioned off all the previous memorabilia from the first two Bitten conventions as well. My friend won the Chinese meal with all 4 guests that evening so I was well excited for her! Then there was the second wine reception for gold ticket members where we got to meet Nelsan as well as the other ladies from the previous wine reception.

The evening party was Fangtasia as it had been in previous years. This was when the Truebie ladies got to wear sexy vampire costumes and they really went for it! I cosplayed Vampire Eddie which I did at the first Bitten and then took Talbot round in his crystal jar. His fan base was bigger than mine! There was another group shot in the lobby at 10pm followed by a band playing in the main party room. Everyone had a great time and the party went one quite late. Some of the guests came down and mingled with fans in the lobby outside the main hall which was great. Nelsan was doing shots with some of his fans which went down well, except for the following morning!

I had a lie in on the last morning as I already had all my photo shoots and autographs. Nelsan was late down due to jet lag and the shots from the night before. I don’t think anyone minded! The first afternoon talk was from Lindsay and Tara. When asked who the best looking True Blood actor was, Tara said Joe Manganiello, “No makeup required, no clothes required!”. Lauren did a solo talk next and then it was onto the quiz.

The quiz involved all four guests and two volunteer fans in questions, dictionary and acting scenes about True Blood. Fan Melissa was teamed with Lindsay and Tara in a team called “bitches”. Fan Roxanne was teamed with Lauren and Nelsan in a team called “hookahs”. The “bitches” eventually won by a point in another very funny quiz!

Following the quiz was Nelsan’s solo talk. His Aunty had called his cousin “hookah” so he had used it when improvising lines and it had stuck. He played trumpet and tuba at high school and would love to play Richard III if he got the chance. The funniest scene he was in was when a 300lb naked dude was running round a meat tree and he fell over. Nobody could stop laughing after that! He also said that a body double was used for the demon make up as it took 6 hours to put on and 3 hours to take off.

Last up was the final guest talk featuring all four guests followed by the closing ceremony. This was the funniest talk of the weekend. Lauren’s comments were hilarious. The whole talk had very adult material discussed in it which I can’t mention here. You just had to be there! Following the talk was the closing ceremony where we were told about the possibility of Massive Events running some kind of vampire themed country ball in the summer of 2013. There were no details as it was just an idea at the drawing board.

The last party was a slumber party themed round fellowship of the sun in the lobby outside of the main hall. I went as Steve Newlin in his trademark brown sweater and took Talbot along so we could all eat the vodka jelly that was inside.
There was a final group shot of all the party attendees. Later the guests came down again and joined fans in the main hotel bar after the party had finished.

It was another great weekend con organised by Massive Events. Will be interesting to see what they come up with next or if anyone else can fill the large True Blood shaped hole in the UK convention scene!

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Shadaliza

Founder and co-owner at The Vault - TrueBlood-Online.com & AllStephenMoyer.com

Shadaliza loves the Internet, film and TV shows, writing, running websites and charity fundraising; she has found the perfect combo in the fansites to express her creativity and passion. Shadaliza is Dutch, but has lived in Italy for many years and works as Marketing Executive for an Internet hosting company.

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Latest posts by Shadaliza (see all)

• True Blood auctions for Tornado victims of Oklahoma - May 21, 2013
• Stephen Moyer auctions off True Blood set tour for CLARE Foundation - May 16, 2013
• Tweet with Deborah Ann Woll during True Blood Premiere - May 15, 2013
• Meeting the new True Blood Season 6 cast members - May 14, 2013
• Tara Buck shows support of NOH8 with duct tape photo - May 14, 2013

Season 5 Episode 2 (“The Authority Always Wins”.)
Roman, the founder of The Authority places a drop of his blood on the tongues of each vampire on the council while reciting a prayer that the show translates as: “The blood of Lilith. The first, the last, the Eternal. We are born of Lilith, who was created in God’s image. The first, the last, the Eternal. We swear fealty to the blood and to the Progenitor. The first, the last, the Eternal. Lord and Lilith, Father and Mother, protect as was we protect you. From this day until the hour of the true death. And in the Lord and Lilith’s name we say: Vampyr.” The prayer talks of Lilith who is believed to be mother of all vampires.

Lilith (1892) by John Collier

The legend of Lilith began when rabbis first noticed there were 2 accounts of the creation of woman in the book of Genesis that contradict each other.  Genesis 1 says God created man and woman at the same time, whereas Genesis 2 says he created woman from man. Although she is not mentioned directly in the bible Lilith is referenced as a screech owl, a night creature. However, she is talked about in some Jewish text and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Jewish mythology states that Lilith was Adam’s first wife. She was created at the same time and from the same earth as Adam. This caused problems in their relationship. Lilith refused to take a subservient position to Adam, since she came from the same place he did. She left Adam and did not return to the Garden of Eden.  God sent three angles to retrieve her but she refused to go back. God then created Eve who was subservient to Adam.  As stated in Genesis 2:21-22 Eve was made of Adam’s rib. “So the Lord God caused man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to man.”

Angered by her mistreatment, Lilith vowed to weaken and kill all little children, babies and newborns. She was believed to have powers that can only be warded off by the mystical means of an amulet. Over the centuries Lilith has become known as a succubus demon. She was said to have sex with men while they slept, stealing their semen and giving birth to demon offspring. Rabbis warned men never to sleep alone so they won’t fall victim to Lilith. Some interpretations of Lilith say that she flies around at night howling her hatred of mankind and vowing vengeance.

It’s not a far stretch to see how this story can be interpreted as Lilith being the first vampire. She has essentially been called a flying demon that kills the innocent and has it out for all mankind. A woman so powerful, she could only be warded off with an amulet. These amulets would be made of gold or silver. Could this be the link between silver and its ability to keep humans safe from vampires?

“When Cain was cast out by God, it is thought that he encountered Lilith among the wastelands where she had made her home. In their coupling, she taught him the power of consuming blood. This myth certainly indicates that Lilith and Cain had traits of what are thought to be vampires. Since Lilith did not consume of the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Life, as Eve did, many believe she isn’t subject to death. Legends of the first vampires and their blood lust with the possibility of immortality could have come from these early myths.

I was excited to learn that we will be meeting Lilith this season on True Blood. It is rumored that this is the casting call for Lilith

[LIL] Female, early to late 20s, Caucasian. She’s supermodel beautiful. Strong and ethereal. No lines in the first episode. Recurring. FULL FRONTAL NUDITY REQUIRED. For episode 5.07.

In an interview by TVguide.com Valentina Cervi was asked about Lilith’s appearance on True Blood and if she was everything her character Salome imagined she’d be. “She is the mother of everybody and people will see that in a different way. Vampires will perceive her in a different way. When Lilith appears, she’s everything that we all think she is. She’s this beautiful, seducing, motherly goddess, and then a lot of things are going to happen. I can’t reveal too much, but it’s not what it seems, and even we will be very surprised. You believe in something and then suddenly things change, then you find yourself in a crisis, but it’s great fun.” Vampires believe she is a goddess and mother of their kind. The Authority trusts, follows and believes what is written in the Vampire bible. Will she be everything they believe her to be? I can’t wait to see how her character will affect the show.

True Blood isn’t Lilith’s first appearance in pop culture. She has been a character on TV shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural. Lilith appeared in a well know film “30 Days of Night: Dark Days” as the leading antagonist. She can also be found in comic books and music. Probably the most notable appearance of Lilith is a music festival that bears her name. Founded by Sarah McLachlan in 1997, Lilith Fair featured some of the largest women in music during it’s time.

Kelly Valentine discovered True Blood during S4, but quickly caught up on seasons 1-3 and her favorite sups are the vampires. She works with special needs children in an elementary school in Maryland. Her passions are photography and writing.

Sources:

http://judaism.about.com/od/jewishculture/a/Lilith-In-The-Torah-Talmud-And-Midrash.htm

http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/blogpost/23

http://judaism.about.com/b/2012/06/18/was-lilith-a-vampire-jewish-mythology-on-hbos-true-blood.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith

http://www.trueghosttales.com/who-was-lilith.php

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1513/whats-the-story-on-lilith-adams-first-wife

http://www.tvguide.com/News/True-Blood-Valentina-Cervi-1049079.aspx

http://adamssecret.wordpress.com/lilith-in-pop-culture/

Five Fangtastic Favorites for season Five…with Five being the lowest and One being the highest Favorite.

The following fashion choices are based on the comments that have been posted by fans on Twitter and Facebook.  So it’s an overall judgement from social medias out there as well as a personal view too.

What were you favorite outfits on the season premiere? Post about it in the comments.

#5  ‘Love me’ Rev Steve Newlin

How good-looking was Steve in his slacks, plaid shirt and sweater? He looked like butter wouldn’t melt until he revealed those fangs! Great work Rev Newlin we definitely love having you back!

#4 ‘Cherry Bomb’ Jessica

This dress is so stunning on Jessica and according to True Blood costume designer Audrey Fisher she states in a recent tweet that the dress is Betsey Johnson. The fit is amazing, Jessica looks amazing and she is definitely coming out of her shell.

#3 ‘Red Riding Hood’ Jessica

Adorned in the most gorgeous red silk cape Jessica glides in towards Jason like Red Riding Hood, vamp style. Under the robe a dazzling one piece strapless Teddy is revealed leaving her prey spellbound by her beauty.  Jessica suits these lovely lace numbers and it is great to see her be adventurous and confident in her skin.

#2 Ravishing Rikki

With the Wolf pack on the hunt for their missing pack master new cast member Kelly Overton steps on screen in her debut performance as Rikki wearing nothing but her birthday suit.  Impressively composed with long luscious brunette locks and a strong muscular physic representative of a wolf, Overton is set to thrill us all in future episodes.  Awwoooool!

#1 ‘Walmart’ Pam

Known for nothing but impeccable taste in fashion Vampire Pam wants all the help she can get from Sookie to rectify her relationship with her maker Eric.  Pam is reduced to doing the unthinkable and wears the most hideous ‘Walmart’ sweat suit.  This is the one scene that brought a smile to every Truebie out there! Great job Audrey Fisher, Fangtastical!

Christopher Meloni is known for his strapping good looks, blue eyes, cocky tough guy exterior and immense amounts of charisma. Sounds like the perfect man to play a blood thirsty, stone cold vampire.

Born on April 2, 1961 in Washington DC Chris played football for his high school but developed an interest in acting at an early age. Chris attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where he majored in acting but ended up graduating with a degree in history.  His dream of becoming an actor soon won out and Chris moved to New York City where he studied with Sanford Meisner. Chris worked as a construction worker, bouncer and a personal trainer to make ends meet while perusing his dream.

Chris started his career as many young actors, at the bottom, doing commercials. Finally in 1989 he broke into to TV by landing a part in an established show called “1st & Ten: The Championship”, which happened to be HBO’s very first comedy back in 1984. As soon as that show ended Chris got a part in another sitcom “The Fanelli Boys”, where he played a member of a stereotypical Italian family. In the early 90’s he lent his voice to a character in an animated prehistoric series called “Dinosaurs.” He has also made his mark by co-starring in many made for TV movies. Chris has also made an occasional appearance on stage in such plays as “The Rainmaker”, “Arthur Miller” and “A View from the Bridge.”

Although never getting the starring role in a movie, his minor roles have made a big impact. The small screen has been where he has found the most fame. His stunning portrayal in the cable series “Oz” in (1997) Chris drew immediate notice and critical applause for his part as a sexually arresting, sociopathic killer. “Unflinching in its blood-soaked presentation of life behind bars, Chris’ raw animal magnetism was unparalleled on the show and his steamy, erotic couplings with another male prisoner on screen promoted him swiftly to gay icon status.” 

The 51 year old actor has made his mark by playing both sides of the law. He is most well known for his role as Detective Stabler in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” His ability to convey his character’s serious flaws and amazing chemistry with Mariska Hargitay earned him an Emmy nomination.

This married father of 2 has more to offer than just his acting ability, he uses his celebrity to help others. Chris has made many public announcements in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. “In 2006 Meloni was given the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Award, along with actor Jake Gyllenhaal and director Ang Lee, for his work on behalf of GLBT issues.” He joined the “HRC’s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality” campaign in 2011. Some of his charity works includes Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown, and Celebrity Jeopardy.

Most recently, Chris has found his way back to where it all started, HBO. Unlike his first series for the cable station, True Blood is no comedy.  Chris is a very talented actor who will have no problem fitting in with the cast. His character Roman is the leader of the Authority Chancellors. Roman is a vampire you don’t want as an enemy. Spoilers and previews have alluded that Chris’s character is out to kill Bill and Eric. I have a feeling most True Blood viewers will not be a fan of Roman’s. I am anxiously awaiting the beginning of season 5 and looking forward to seeing what drama Christopher Meloni’s character will bring to True Blood.

Kelly Valentine discovered True Blood during S4, but quickly caught up on seasons 1-3 and her favorite sups are the vampires. She works with special needs children in an elementary school in Maryland. Her passions are photography and writing.

The articles of our guest writers represent only the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the owners of TrueBlood-Online.com. We find it important to give space to the different points of view of the great variety of True Blood fans and the editorials of the guest writers are the perfect tool for that. We safeguard that the articles are in agreement with our policy.

source: imdb.com
source: wikipedia.org

Rutina Wesley will be back for season 5. The capacity of Tara’s involvement this season has yet to be determined. Season 4 left us all wondering what would become of her. During her September interview with Tvline.com Rutina shares that even she doesn’t know what will happen to Tara.

TVLINE | When did you first find out Tara was getting shot in the head?
[Series creator] Alan Ball himself pulled me aside early on and told me that this was happening. And I was like, ‘OK, that’s cool.’ I know I’m coming back in some capacity, I just don’t know how I’m coming back. It’s scary as an actor to be in that position. Whatever they do, I think it’s the Golden Hour for Tara. But I don’t know how they’re going to revive me or if I’m dead. And that’s the big question: Can she be saved?

I don’t think the writers of True Blood would create such a suspenseful storyline only to have the conclusion be something predictable. Tara being rushed to a hospital where she is saved doesn’t fit the style of the show’s writers. It would also be the most uninteresting way to save her. True Blood is anything but lackluster.

TVLINE | If she is brought back to life, it seems unlikely she’ll just be the same old Tara.
I like playing a human on the show. I like not having any powers. I like being the voice of reason. But it wouldn’t be a drama if we didn’t have a shift in things. Everything’s up in the air because half of my head is missing. [Laughs] I know Alan has big plans for me next season. But has he shared those plans with me? Not really.

Vampire blood would be one of the most obvious ways to save Tara. We’ve seen V heal minor wounds but would it be strong enough to save her? Part of your head being blown off is a serious injury. Is vampire blood powerful enough to regenerate a part of the body?

Maybe Sookie will be the one to save Tara. Could she have an undiscovered power? In my opinion fairy magic saving Tara would be an interesting way to go. It would also give us more insight into the world of fairies. We know they will be back this season. Sookie joining forces with the fairies to save Tara could be how the writers bring Claude and Claudette into the storyline.

I think it would be ironic if Bill or Eric saved Tara by making her a vampire. How would she deal with one of them becoming her maker? Russell’s free from his cement grave and he’s gonna need some allies to exact revenge against his enemies. What better ally than your own vampire child? Pam’s not really fond of Tara or anyone for that matter, but she may find turning her to be beneficial. Pam’s strained relationship with Eric could ignite the desire to become a maker. Tara has expressed her hatred of vampires. Would she be able to handle becoming something she loathes?

TVLINE | Have you entertained the idea that she might become a vampire?
Not really. Some of my fans actually talked about that a couple of years ago. They were like, “Wouldn’t it be great if Tara became a badass vampire? Wouldn’t that be amazing?” But as I said, I like being human. [Laughs] We don’t have that many on the show. And then I’d have to figure out how to talk with the fangs and all that crazy stuff. But with that kind of injury, even if I got the vampire blood could that really save me? I don’t know.

If Tara gets turned into a vampire will the writers use this transformation as a way to bring a Bubba like character to Bon Temps? Bubba appears in the first Sookie Stackhouse novel. It is eluded that he was Elvis and on the brink of death when he was turned. Something strange happens during his transformation. As a result his personality has changed and he prefers animal blood instead human. In the book Bubba appears briefly and is hired by Bill to protect Sookie from the person killing women in Bon Temps. Portraying Tara as a dark, creepy and somewhat slow vampire would be an interesting twist on her character.

Maybe Tara is destined to roam Bon Temps as a tortured spirit. Allowing her character to evolve would be a good way to have her involved in the show. Lafayette, who has become a medium, would be able to see Tara and stay in contact her. She would also be able to keep watch over Sookie.

The most disappointing way the writers could involve Tara is have her appear only in flashbacks. She brings a lot of spunk to the show that would be missed. Let’s face it Sookie doesn’t have a lot of friends and loosing Tara would be devastating to her. She is Sookie’s confidant, shoulder to cry on, and a huge support to her. Every girl needs a girl friend and with all the drama going on in Sookie’s life she’s no exception.

If the plot stays true to form Tara’s involvement in the upcoming season will be anything but what fans will expect. True Blood writers are always adding unexpected twists to keep us guessing.

I don’t know about you, but I am counting down the days until season 5 begins. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the residents of Bon Temps!

Why not take the poll and let us know what you think will happen to Tara.

Kelly Valentine discovered True Blood during S4, but quickly caught up on seasons 1-3 and her favorite sups are the vampires. She works with special needs children in an elementary school in Maryland. Her passions are photography and writing.

The articles of our guest writers represent only the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the owners of TrueBlood-Online.com. We find it important to give space to the different points of view of the great variety of True Blood fans and the editorials of the guest writers are the perfect tool for that. We safeguard that the articles are in agreement with our policy.

Source: tvline.com

When True Blood graced our screens, in 2008, we were captivated by the montage of peculiar southern twanged Americans that resided in Bon Temps, Louisiana. It was clear that one character, unique in his own right, would break through his stereotypical image and become more than the boy who wore women’s clothes. Lafayette Reynolds, entrepreneur in every sense, has evolved over four seasons into a must see character for season five. The intensity of the supernatural storylines mixed in with Lafayette’s comic relief excels the adapted show to another level. Lafayette is beloved and valued amongst ‘Truebies’ for his spunky transgender style and heart felt connection towards those he loves. Lafayette is protective like a brother, reliable like a sister, will scold you like a Grandmother, a shoulder to lean on like a cousin and flirty fun like a best friend. However, in season four Lafayette’s newly ordained abilities may require you to take a second look to make sure it is the real Lafayette you are talking to and not a vengeful spirit possessing his body. The man behind Lafayette, actor Nelsan Ellis, has embraced this role with outstanding aptitude which in my opinion is only destined to get better.

Book Lafayette vs on- screen Lafayette

Author of the Sookie Stackhouse Novels, Charlaine Harris, described Lafayette in her first novel, Dead before Dark, as being,

‘Cheerful, entertainingly, mischievous, clever, flamboyant, make-up-and-long-fingernails gay and known for his ‘burgers Lafayette’.

On screen Lafayette first appears in his du rag, makeup and accessories, gyrating behind a fry cooker at Merlottes bar and grill. Lafayette is complimenting Sookie on her appearance that escalates into talking about women’s anatomy,

“I know every man, whether straight, gay or George mother-fucking Bush is terrified of the pussy.” – Lafayette – season one

The scene reflected exactly what Charlaine had described and had fans laughing and aching for more of that ‘Lafayette Lingo’. Alan Ball, creator of True blood the show, expressed his need for more African American characters on the show,

‘This is small town rural Louisiana and I really needed some African American characters…and so I went with my instincts” Paley Fest 2009

“I’m an entrepreneur.” – Lafayette Reynolds – Season one

In season one of True Blood Lafayette is seen behind a fry cook at Merlottes, digging holes on the side of the road, dancing and stripping for his own web site, selling illegal drugs to the locals and prostituting himself to anyone that was willing. Being focused on making money, by any means necessary, came with moments of public disapproval or being made guilty by association for example; three men enter Merlottes refusing to eat their order claiming the burger had aids,

“Excuse me. Who ordered the hamburger, with AIDS? … Bitch, you come in my house you’re gonna eat my food the way I fucking make it! Do you understand me?” – Lafayette season one.

Another example is in season two, we see Lafayette fight for survival as he is chained in a basement suspected, by vampire Sheriff Eric Northman, of knowing the whereabouts of missing vampire Eddie Gauthier. Lafayette had an arrangement with Gauthier but did not cause him harm therefore his demise was by association and Lafayette tried his best to strike a deal with Northman,

“Oh, don’t get it twisted honey cone. I’m a survivor first, capitalist second and a whole bunch of shit after that. But a hooker dead last! So if I’ve got even a Jew at an Al Qaida pep rallies shot at getting my black ass up out of this motherfucker I’m taking it!”

When Lafayette is set free he attempts to live and work as normal, even though he is continually haunted by being chained. The desperate need to have nothing more to do with vampires or their blood he is re-appointed at fang point by Sheriff Northman. A particular scene whereby Pam, Northman’s second gives a large amount of V to Lafayette and orders him to sell it in 24 hours exposes the pressure he is put under,

Lafayette – “…no hookah look I can’t sell all this shit by tomorrow I got a cousin in trouble she need me…”

(Pam pushes Lafayette over the counter and speaks calmly in his ear)

Pam – “I don’t know what it is about me that makes people want to tell me their problems maybe I smile too much maybe I wear too much pink but please remember I can rip your throat out if I need to and also know that I’m not a hookah that was a long long time ago… you picking up what I’m putting down?”

Lafayette – “I is”

The stress to sell the blood rides heavy on Lafayette’s shoulders and the continuous fear of being chained in the Northman’s basement again deteriorates his flamboyant nature to one filled with caution and restraint.

Relationships

Lafayette’s background is gradually revealed throughout the series however one relationship remains strong is the one he shares with his cousin Tara Thorton. The connection they share is strengthened when they come in contact with paranormal beings such as a Maenad in season two and the Coven of Witches in season four. Tara was raised in a dysfunctional home with an alcoholic, bible bashing mother and relied on Lafayette for much more than a place to crash when times got tough. Lafayette took on the role of a surrogate mother protecting her from her own arrogance when she would quarrel with Sookie Stackhouse,

“Tara, stop, get off her. What the Fuck is wrong with you? That’s Sookie your best friend in this whole fucken world” Lafayette – season three

Lafayette would tease her like an older brother when matters of the heart were concerned,

“Look at you…you still got a thing for that boy…That boy is sex on a stick. I don’t give a god damn how stuck-up he is.”- Season one episode one

Or tell it to her straight when she was trying to make money,

“Shit, Sam must have lost his damn mind, because you should not be allowed to work in no situation where you actually got to interact with people” – season one episode one

In season three Lafayette scolded her like a protective Grandmother,

“Life ain’t not having problems, Tara! It’s about being able to deal with the ones you got…if I gotta drag your narrow ass through this world kicking and screaming. Buddha wasn’t lying when he said life is suffering, but that doesn’t mean you get to check out early and leave me here”

Lafayette also confides in Tara, in season three, the reason for working more than one job. He takes her to see his mother, Ruby-Jean, in an Elder care facility.

“…There’s some darkness in this family Tara…but hookah if you ever try to pull that shit like you pulled last night again I swear fore God you’re ass goin get a room right next to Ruby-Jean…”Lafayette – season three

Toward the end of season three Tara leaves Bon Temps in an attempt to bury the past and start fresh, Lafayette is also beginning a new life with love interest Jesus, an elder care nurse whom he met while visiting his mother. The relationship has a flirtatious beginning and a skeptical Lafayette approaches the courtship with restraint but releases his inhibitions for a chance at something real,

“I’m feeling something all kinda intense with you but I don’t know if I should trust it…” Lafayette season three

 

Lafayette’s ability

Jesus has a significant role in season four as the new relationship unearths paranormal components. Jesus discloses he is a Brujo (shaman) and that Lafayette has the same abilities if not stronger. A Brujo (Bruja for a woman) is a folk magician or a witch that may or may not practice black magic. Just when things are starting to settle Lafayette is thrown into the depths of seeing the dead walk and talk, one of these spirits walks into Merlottes it is a woman wearing clothes from the past and is singing an eerie lullaby. Lafayette sees the spirit reaching for Arlene’s baby Mikey. This same spirit would later invade Lafayette’s body and kidnap Mikey. Jesus is able to defuse the situation whereby Lafayette regains his body and the woman is healed from losing her own baby and moves on toward the light. Although Lafayette struggles with his new found abilities Jesus consoles him with support and confidence as they venture further into the supernatural realm of witchcraft.

Season five prediction

As we count down to season five of True Blood with the remnants of season four behind us we recall the last scene of our beloved Lafayette. I would be lying if I were to say that watching Lafayette on the bed did not bring me to tears or prompt me to leap through the screen and take him in my arms and cradle his sorrow. When certain characters would move on in the show losing them did not affect me as much as loosing Jesus. It appears that suffering and pain go hand and hand with joy and pleasure in Bon Temps and if I were to predict season five for Lafayette I would say he will have the ability to go either way, vengeful or righteous, based on how we last saw him. I hope with all sincerity that he rises above his pain knowing that his ability is not a curse but a means to overcome the evil that lurks within the town. There are evil forces that are set to encroach and if Lafayette embraces his gift he will be joined with those from the other side for support.

The man behind Lafayette

Actor and extremely gifted chameleon Nelsan Ellis, embraced his role as Lafayette with the feeling of ‘it’s great to have a job’ a comment he made to Chris Harrison in an interview for TV guide. Ellis grew up in Alabama and Illinois, he attended Julliard where he met and be-friended fellow True blood cast member Rutina Wesley who plays Tara Thorton. There is a great connection on screen between them both that is undeniably shared off screen as well. Wesley and Ellis breathe life into such powerful, misunderstood characters and True Blood creator Alan Ball shares his opinion of Lafayette,

“Nelsan’s performance definitely brought him to life in a way that made me realize we could never kill this character the way he dies in the books.” – Philadelphia Inquirer – 2010

Ellis gave credit to the women in his family,

“I drew more from my [four] sisters and my mother. I’ve been mimicking them my whole life. They’re in my bones.” Philadelphia Inquirer – 2010

Nelsan further clarifies how he is able to step into the role of Lafayette,

“I have more makeup on than any of the females in the cast. Once they get me with the fake eyelashes and the eye makeup, I listen to some Rihanna and I’m there.” – Philadelphia Inquirer – 2010

Nelsan has taken other roles outside of True Blood and continues to seek out further acting experiences that strengthen his craft. He appears in the Soloist starring Jamie Fox and Robert Downey Jr and in The Help starring Emma Stone and Viola Davis.

In closing, Lafayette begins as a flamboyant transgender entrepreneur that goes through a traumatic experience that he later overcomes as he sees the demise of his cousin Tara. Lafayette meets Jesus and the instant attraction leads onto a relationship. Jesus encourages Lafayette to explore his supernatural gifts and discloses that Lafayette is in fact a medium, someone who is able to see and speak with the dead. Lafayette is shattered in the final minutes of season four as his heart aches for the one he has lost as well as coping with the burden of being a psychic. This is an amazing character evolution that can only suggest the encompassing brilliance of actor Nelsan Ellis and the edgy, well thought writing of the True Blood creators. Although, I tend to favor the books heavily over the series it goes without saying that True Blood’s Lafayette is my most favored character I feel personally allied to. The strength he has to overcome, his willingness to protect and look after his family despite their judgments, his ability to give and receive love and the flirtatious wit that leaves you speechless that he just said something so scandalous. I adore Lafayette for all of these character traits and through all my years of reading fiction and watching shows and movies I have yet to embrace a fictional character of Lafayette’s caliber. There is a saying amongst some African American actors that any movie with a black character will be the token to write off. Thankfully, True Blood creators were able to breathe life into Lafayette for longer than one season because in the books he perished before the second publication. Alan Ball saw more than a token character he saw the je ne sais quoi of Nelsan Ellis behind Lafayette and that these two combined would raise the bar of the show to a whole new level. I can’t wait to see where the writers will take this profoundly superb character in season five.

Vive la Lafayette!

Lisa Eden is a mother of four from the beautiful country New Zealand. She is a big fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris and her favorite sups are the werewolves. Lisa is currently working on her first paranormal urban romance novel.

The articles of our guest writers represent only the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the owners of TrueBlood-Online.com. We find it important to give space to the different points of view of the great variety of True Blood fans and the editorials of the guest writers are the perfect tool for that. We safeguard that the articles are in agreement with our policy.