Joe Manganiello : Examiner

Joe Manganiello took the time to speak with me about a range of topics.  Here he talks True Blood, travel, his first date with his current girlfriend, the downside to his recent fame, and how he wants to attend EyeCon.  For extra fun, I tossed in some "this or that" questions where he was either quick to answer or had to do some debating.  Read on!

Getting cast on True Blood was something that you really wanted.  What is your favorite part about working on the show?

What is my favorite, favorite part about working on the show?  It's being in such good company I think.  I come from classical theater training and when I went to college it was a bunch of kids that were hand-picked from around the world.  I was around such brilliant, young minds and incredible artists with incredible teachers.  Then I came to Hollywood and it was never that good again.  You bounce around Hollywood with a bunch of people who are "actors" who don't speak the same language as you.  Then I wind up on True Bloodthen all of a sudden I'm back with....it's like that Blind Mellon video.  It was like I found my way back to the land of the bumblebees.  Everybody speaks the same language.  They're all classically trained theater people.  Very intelligent, and deep, and well spoken.  So for me, it was like spending ten years wandering around in the woods and finding my way back home.  It really feels like I am back home; like I'm amongst my people again.

How stoked are you about coming back as a regular for the fourth season?

In a lot of ways I'm happy.  I was so glad they brought me on for six episodes and that was it.  So, I didn't know if Alcide was going to come back or not, I honestly didn't know what they were planning.  I'm super excited to get to play this character more, I'm excited to be on my favorite show permanently,  Also, as a bit of a journey man actor, I mean, it's nice to know where I'm going to be.

A steady job!

Yeah!  It's good to have a steady job!  Aside from the fact that it is my favorite show and I'm playing my favorite character I have ever played.  Honestly, every time I see a full moon I think, "That's my moon!"

How are you dealing with the sudden amount of attention now that you're on the show?

Well, that's definitely been an adjustment.  It's weird when you realize that there's somebody ....it's 100 degrees out and there's somebody sitting in a car outside your house waiting for you to walk out.  Or if you just got done with a workout and there's somebody waiting for a picture of you.  So, that kind of stuff has been a bit of an adjustment.  But, the other side of it is that I was at the gym today working out and this girl ran up to me and wanted to tell me that I am her and all of her friends' favorite character on the show.

I think you became a very big favorite for a lot of people!

That's amazing to me!  That's incredible to me!  I mean, you are going to have that feeling that you're being watched a lot more than normal.  But, aside from that you're going to get to share some really cool....fans are going to share some really cool stuff with you.  I'm on a show that people love and I'm playing a character that people love.

Is there an actor or actress that would be your dream co-star any time in the future?

Well, Charlaine was asked who she would like to see on the show and she said that she would like to see David Bowie play Sookie's great-grandfather.  I think that would be unbelievable as a David Bowie fan, but also as a fan of Labyrinth.  I think that would be the best addition to the show ever!  A lot of people have been asking me who I would like to see play Alcide's father.  I have my dream wish list and I think Jeff Bridges would be great as Alcide's dad.  Or Sam Elliott or Sam Shepard; one of those guys would be a dream come true.

Do you have any other talents such as singing, dancing, or playing a musical instrument?  We know you're an athlete, but anything else?

Nice throwing.  I'm serious!  I'm an excellent, excellent, excellent nice thrower!

You have probably done a fair amount of traveling in your time, what's your favorite city to visit besides your hometown?

Besides Pittsburgh, I love Australia.  I love Australia.

I had read recently that you wanted to go to London - you need to get on a plane tonight.  That is a spectacular city.

I am excited to go, but I am going to Greece and Italy for the first time next month.  I'm so excited that it doesn't even seem real.

I have a few questions from fans that were submitted to me.

The first one is from Tommy Shaw and he saw that you were in attendance for the Monday Night Raw the other night and wanted to know if you had a favorite wrestler?

Well growing up my favorite wrestler was Randy "The Macho Man" Savage.

This next one only a Steelers fan or even a football fan would understand and I actually had to do my research, but Paul from Chicago wants to know if you own a Terrible Towel?

Yes I do!  I own several.

Your real-life She-Wolf, Audra, who is absolutely stunning - Jessica from San Diego would like to know if she tunes in every week to watch her man in action?

She does.  Actually on our first date I could not stop talking about this show that I was obsessed with that she hadn't seen, which was True Blood.  I think it was on our third date I brought her the DVD set of season one and she got hooked on it.  So a lot of our first dates were spent talking about True Blood and within two months of us dating I wound up getting cast.

A lot of fans would like to know if you're planning on attending the EyeCon True Blood convention in Orlando in November?

If they contact me, I would love to!  So, tell whoever is running it or the promoter to contact Fifteen Minutes and....yeah, I'd love to!

I know Sam is confirmed and I think Kristin is confirmed, but I'm not sure of who else, but I know they would love to have you.

Great!  Yeah, have them contact me for sure!

To wrap it up and lighten it up, I'm going to ask you some "This or That's" and you say the first answer that pops in your head.

Saturday Night Live or Saturday Night Fever?  Saturday Night......Saturday Night Live like during the 90's with Farley, Hartman, Sandler...that Saturday Night Live.

Superman or Supergirl?  Superman

Day or Night?  Night

Vampires or Werewolves?  Werewolves (laughs) no question!

Action Films or Comedy Films?  Action

New York or LA? (this one was tough for him)  New York

Play in the sand or play in the snow?  Sand

Cats or Dogs?  Dogs

Big city or small town?  Big city