Alexander Skarsgard is mostly known for shedding his clothes and showing his fangs on HBO’s “True Blood,” but get ready to see him in an even scarier role in the upcoming “Straw Dogs.”
The actor recently chatted with BlackBook magazine about how’s becoming pigeonholed in not-always-so-nice roles and his past relationship with co-star Kate Bosworth.
“In most of the projects I’m recognized for, I’ve played leaders,” he tells BlackBook. “And so, of course, that’s how people want to pigeonhole me. You’d be shocked by the number of offers I get to play Eric Northman under a different name.”
Northman, of course, is Skarsgard’s “True Blood” alter ego, the love-to-hate-him vampire who is, more often than not, causing problems in HBO’s fictional Bon Temps, La.
Like him or not, his role on “True Blood” skyrocketed him to official movie star status, and he has several movies lined up for release in the next year.
First up: “Straw Dogs,” which hits theaters September 16, in which Skarsgard plays a violent and troubled small-town man who unleashes his rage against his former high school sweetheart, played by Bosworth. Though they endured some rough scences together, the two actors dated in real life for the past two years before splitting in July.
“Kate is such a great actress, and she’s so much more than a good-looking Hollywood starlet. We were just really good friends at the time,” says Skarsgard, weeks before news of their split was made public. “But we shared a really special experience on that film.”
He added that he prefers not to talk about his private relationships, saying, “I so desperately try to keep my private life out of the tabloids because becoming a celebrity rather than an actor can really get in the way of a good performance.”
Skarsgard is currently in New York City filming “What Maisie Knew” with Julianne Moore, and has been spotted strolling around the city and working on his fitness in order to stay buff for all of the shirtless scenes we’ve come to know and love him for.
For more on Skarsgard's role in "Straw Dogs," life before "True Blood" and why he won't actually bite any fans, click over to BlackBook magazine.
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