Catching Up With Nelsan Ellis
By Michael Martin
Season 3 of HBO's vampire soap, True Blood, was its most extreme yet, dialing up the nudity, bloodlust, and bodily fluids to the point that one of the show’s flashiest characters, the hulking queer fry cook Lafayette, seemed at risk of getting lost. Then he got a boyfriend. For 32-year-old actor Nelsan Ellis, it was transformative: His character, whose butch-queen realness always skirted stereotypes, became the show’s grounding center.
At first, Ellis wasn’t into the relationship thing. He'd established Lafayette as a former hooker, a porn hub proprietor, and a drug dealer who pushed vampire blood. "I had fun playing the prostitute and running the porn website!" says Ellis. "I thought if Lafayette got strapped down that all that fun stuff would go away." But he soon warmed to it. "I like [to portray] the love," he says. "It’s rarely seen on TV: courtship, commitment, and faithfulness. In all the craziness of True Blood, you have these two dudes in a real relationship. Honest and real and straightforward -- all that good stuff."
According to rumors, season 4 is set a year in the future, when Bon Temps, La., is beset by a pack of witches. Ellis says Alfre Woodard will not return as his schizophrenic, homophobic mother but that Lafayette and his nurse boyfriend, Jesus, are still together, "doing well" against the odds: In the last episode of season 3, Lafayette learned that Jesus was a witch. "It challenges the relationship," says Ellis. "Lafayette has been in many circles, but witches ain’t one of them. He’s street smart with vampires, but witches are a bit daunting, especially because he’s sleeping with one."
The emergence of witchcraft on the show (joining werewolves, vampire kings, shapeshifters, and Alexander Skarsgard’s abs) will result in more warring factions, and hopefully more standout moments for Ellis. His favorite scene to date is one of the series’ buzziest YouTube clips: When a trio of rednecks dubs one of the Lafayette’s dishes an "AIDS burger," he menacingly licks a bun before rearranging the bigots’ faces. "People mention it to me a lot," says Ellis. "Most of them were shocked to see a gay guy beat somebody up -- shocked that he can wear makeup and be fashiony and feminine, and also take off his earrings and whip some ass. I like that dichotomy."
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Out of the whole cast Rutina is the most tight-lipped every season, this is all she says from a new interview at TVFanatic
What is in store for Tara on season four?
We will see Tara in a whole new light. She's stronger, fiercer, and has learned how to love herself. She's calmed down a bit and we will find out what she's been up to. But eventually she will be swept back up into the world of vampires and taken on a journey she never even dreamed possible.
We will see Tara in a whole new light. She's stronger, fiercer, and has learned how to love herself. She's calmed down a bit and we will find out what she's been up to. But eventually she will be swept back up into the world of vampires and taken on a journey she never even dreamed possible.
Will Tara ever find true love?
That is the million dollar question. We shall see if she is ready or not.
That is the million dollar question. We shall see if she is ready or not.
One teeny bit from Carrie Prescott/Arlene from Ology.com
When we last left off, Arlene was in a pretty sticky situation. Can you give us any hints as to what’s in store for Arlene, Terry, and the baby?
Arlene seems to always find herself in a sticky situation. Just when she thinks she's finally going to get a chance to take a breath, something else rears it's scary head. She is face to face this season with something that hasn't yet been seen on the show, and it definitely gives everyone involved a fright.
She also talked to Ugo.com, adding more fuel to my Russell finale hopes-
TRUE BLOOD’s return is sooooo close I can taste it! Any scoop to tied me over? — Rachel
The TV Addict: Well, since Michael Ausiello already beat us to the punch with regards to the same-sex shocker, and we sure as heck aren’t about to spoil the identity of Bon Temps newest Real Estate baron, we’ll simply leave fans with two tantalizing words to tide you over until the show’s June 26 return: Think LOST.
Michael Emerson has said since S1 he would love a role on TB, since he has his own series now, I can see him having a small cameo on his wife's (Carrie Preston's) show. I would love this! It's more likely to be Neil Hopkins (Chahhhhleee's bro Liam) as fairy Claude, I guess he won't be our gogo boy bar owner on the show, humbug!
I just saw this screencap on 4 sites, no original source (other than HBO of course) but it's amnesiac Eric in his cornball clothes that Jason brought over (book Jason, who knows who gets them on the show) while he's at Sookie's hiding out.
She also talked to Ugo.com, adding more fuel to my Russell finale hopes-
Have there been any rumblings of True Blood’s fifth season yet?
Carrie Preston: Yes yes, we all sort of talk about it, and certainly the way the season ends...they better do another one! There are going to be some very disappointed fans if they don’t.
A Cliffhanger?
Carrie Preston: Yep!
The return of the king would be my perfect S4 Finale, the cement cracks or a long lost child hears his cries for release, or any way he can. Something I keep my fingers crossed about since last year (they are really cramped at this point but seriously folks), here's one more tease from Denis "The Once and Future King" O'Hare. From Variety-O'Hare says he's lost his "comfortable anonymity," but enjoys his interactions with devoted fans. As for those that hope he'll return?
"I would love that too," he says. "I know that Alan (Ball) and the writers wrote the ending of season three in order to keep their options open and Russell's not dead. That's all I'm saying."
From TV Addict's Ask The Addict-TRUE BLOOD’s return is sooooo close I can taste it! Any scoop to tied me over? — Rachel
The TV Addict: Well, since Michael Ausiello already beat us to the punch with regards to the same-sex shocker, and we sure as heck aren’t about to spoil the identity of Bon Temps newest Real Estate baron, we’ll simply leave fans with two tantalizing words to tide you over until the show’s June 26 return: Think LOST.
Michael Emerson has said since S1 he would love a role on TB, since he has his own series now, I can see him having a small cameo on his wife's (Carrie Preston's) show. I would love this! It's more likely to be Neil Hopkins (Chahhhhleee's bro Liam) as fairy Claude, I guess he won't be our gogo boy bar owner on the show, humbug!
I just saw this screencap on 4 sites, no original source (other than HBO of course) but it's amnesiac Eric in his cornball clothes that Jason brought over (book Jason, who knows who gets them on the show) while he's at Sookie's hiding out.
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