What Happened To The Cast Of True Blood After It Ended?
Back in the early 2000s, it seemed like the public couldn't get enough of vampire stories. From books to television to movies, everyone was indulging in tales of blood-sucking, undead hunks with hearts of gold — even if those hearts were occasionally a bit tarnished. The HBO series "True Blood," which is based on "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" novels by Charlaine Harris, is a perfect example of this vampirically-inclined era. "True Blood" takes place in a world where vampires have finally been able to reveal themselves to human society and attempt integration within it, thanks to the invention of a synthetic blood product. The series centers around the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress who also happens to be a human-faerie hybrid, who finds herself tangled up in the world of vampires of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
This suspenseful Southern Gothic tale proved to be captivating: "True Blood" ran for seven seasons and garnered a very devoted fanbase along the way. When the series finally wrapped up in 2014, it was clear that the cast was headed for more exciting roles in the future. From directing to producing to starring in other addictive series, here's what your favorite vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves have ended up doing since the finale of "True Blood."
Anna Paquin stepped into production
Before starring as Sookie Stackhouse on "True Blood," Anna Paquin was already an accomplished actress with an Academy Award under her belt for playing Flora McGrath in 1993's "The Piano." Naturally, she had plenty of interesting projects lined up once her time as Sookie was over. After playing this otherworldly cocktail waitress from Bon Temps, Louisiana, Paquin moved on to a very different role: Voicing Ramsey in Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur." She also had recurring roles as Nancy Montgomery, a housekeeper whose murder lurks at the heart of "Alias Grace," Joanie Lockhart on "The Affair," and a small supporting role as Peggy Sheeran in the celebrated Scorsese film "The Irishman."
Since starring on "True Blood," Paquin has also begun producing and acting in her own shows. She produced and starred in the drama series "Bellevue," in which she played the police officer Annie Ryder, who investigates the disappearance of a transgender teenager. Paquin also served as a producer and protagonist on "Flack," playing a publicist trying to manage her clients' images while her own life falls apart behind the scenes.
Paquin moved into film production in 2018 with the drama "The Parting Glass," and, more recently, 2022's "A Bit of Light," which she also starred in. She starred opposite Zachary Levi and Dennis Quad in the 2021 football drama "American Underdog" and then returned to TV in 2022 for the chilling, based-on-a-true-story limited Peacock series "A Friend of the Family." In 2023 she featured in Netflix's "True Spirit," another project based on a true story. This time, the story is a little more inspiring, centering on a teen girl who aims to be the youngest person to sail around the world alone.
Stephen Moyer started directing
After filming the series finale of "True Blood," Stephen Moyer appeared as his character Bill Compton in a couple of episodes of the spin-off series "True Blood: Jessica's Blog." His next big role was playing Dr. Ron Hamilton in the sports drama "Concussion." Moyer went on to land roles on multiple TV series, including a starring role as Reed Strucker, a lawyer and father of two mutants, in "The Gifted." You also might have caught him on "Shots Fired," "Safe House," "Fortunate Son," or the miniseries "The Bastard Executioner."
With his wife of over 10 years Anna Paquin, Moyer has also been working in TV and film production. The couple served as co-producers on the series "Flack," which also saw Moyer get behind the camera as a director. They also co-produced the film "The Parting Glass," which Moyer directed also. In 2022, Moyer and Paquin again overlapped their talents in "A Bit of Light," which they both produced and Moyer helmed.
Although he seems to have found his calling behind the camera, Moyer continues to appear in front of it, too. He starred in the 2021 film "Last Survivors" opposite Alicia Silverstone, and he popped up in one episode of his wife's limited series "A Friend of the Family" in 2022. Another recent film is 2022's "Confession," a real-time thriller about a desperate man (Moyer) who takes a priest hostage in a church. Moyer has plenty of upcoming projects on his slate, and he has even revealed to Entertainment Tonight that he and Paquin would be down for a "True Blood" reboot.
Sam Trammell transitioned into film
Merlotte's, the restaurant where Sookie works, is at the center of all the supernatural action on "True Blood." It's run by Sam Merlotte, who also happens to be a shapeshifter — his preferred "shift" is a collie dog. Merlotte was played by Sam Trammell, who went on to appear in several other series and films after "True Blood" ended. He worked alongside Daniel Radcliffe on the crime drama "Imperium," and also had supporting roles in the movies "Say You Will" and "I See You." Trammell also had a recurring role as Ben on the popular series "This Is Us," as well as roles on "Homeland," "Reckoning," "The Order," and HBO's "Generation." To say he's been busy with TV is a major understatement.
The last couple of years have seen Trammell transition into film work — his early career was dominated by TV work. He has starred in films like "Unsilenced" and "The Tiger Rising," and he has a number of both finished and in-production films yet to be released. He stars opposite Molly Ringwald in the upcoming film "Pursued," and he is set to appear with Cam Gigandet in the action thriller "72 Hours." For "True Blood" fans that are missing their vampire and shifter fix, he recently participated in the podcast "Truest Blood," which is a nostalgic look-back on the series and its stars.
Ryan Kwanten has kept it creepy
Sookie's brother, Jason Stackhouse, is a sheriff's deputy with the Bon Temps Police. At one point, he is also a member of the anti-vampire organization Fellowship of the Sun, which is regarded as an extremist group that engages in terrorism against vampires.
Ryan Kwanten, who played Jason, continued lending his voice to the character Brewster on the animated children's series "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" after "True Blood" ended. He also voiced Superknife on the animated show "Apollo Gauntlet." From 2018 through 2019, Kwanten starred in the thriller series "The Oath" as Steve Hammond. The series explores the seedy underworld of secret societies that are practically impossible to join — but once you're in, you're not getting out. He also had a supporting role on "Sacred Lies," a horror series that delves into the inner workings of a cult.
Kwanten has consistently kept it pretty creepy, lending his talents to the sci-fi, thriller, and horror genres. In 2021 he not only had a large role in "Them," but he was also in an episode of the rebooted anthology series "Creepshow." He had a number of roles in 2022, most notably Thomas Weylin in the Hulu limited series "Kindred." As for where you can see Kwanten next, he has three genre films in the works: "The Portrait," "Head Count," and the horror-thriller "Devil Inside." He will act opposite "Smile" star Caitlin Stasey in the latter picture.
Chris Bauer has been working overtime
As the sheriff of Renard Parish, Andy Bellefleur, played by Chris Bauer, is often hostile towards Jason Stackhouse, whom he has to work with. His stubborn streak is typically on full display: He never feels like he gets the respect he deserves, and whenever he has a hunch, he sticks to it, even when the evidence looks shaky.
Once his time on "True Blood" was over, Chris Bauer continued working in television. Shortly after "True Blood" wrapped, he landed a recurring role on the drama series "Survivor's Remorse." He also began playing Detective Tom Lange on the anthology series "American Crime Story." Later, he secured a role as Tim Rutten on the mini-series "Law & Order True Crime." Bauer also acted alongside big names like James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the series "The Deuce," played Deke Slayton on the alternate history series "For All Mankind," and acted opposite Jared Leto and Denzel Washington in "The Little Things."
Chris Bauer's more recent TV career has involved recurring roles on the series "Gaslit" and the freevee show "Sprung." As for his current and upcoming project, Bauer is set to appear in the delayed second season of the wrestling drama "Heels," which is due to drop in the "first or second quarter of 2023," star Stephen Amell confirmed on Michael Rosenbaum's podcast "Inside of You" (via TV Line). He's also playing the lead role in the upcoming film "Doug Out." Since his time on "True Blood," Bauer has plied his trade in both well and lesser-known TV series and films, and it doesn't appear as though he is slowing down anytime soon.
Nelsan Ellis is gone but never forgotten
Nelsan Ellis played Lafayette on "True Blood," a cook at Merlotte's who is also a medium. His side business isn't exactly legal, but despite his risky dealings, he's a caring and charismatic man at heart who truly loves his friends.
After the "True Blood" finale, it seemed like Ellis was destined for great things. He appeared in the historical drama "The Stanford Prison Experiment" and the comedy "Little Boxes." Ellis also had a supporting role in the musical drama "Roxanne Roxanne." His next television role was playing Shinwell Johnson on the series "Elementary."
Sadly, Ellis passed away in 2017, leaving his family, friends, and fans mourning. Ellis had struggled with addiction for years, and when he attempted to quit drinking alcohol without medical supervision, he died from heart failure, his family confirmed (via The Hollywood Reporter). He was definitely a fan favorite on "True Blood," and his loss was a tragedy. His final role was Tyrik in the film True to the Game.
Carrie Preston has been working in theater
Carrie Preston portrayed Sookie's friend and co-worker Arlene Fowler on "True Blood." Arlene is a tough woman who has basically seen it all. As a result, she's rough around the edges and occasionally says the wrong thing at the wrong time, but she is enormously protective of those she cares about.
For a while, Preston balanced shooting "True Blood" with playing Elsbeth Tascioni on "The Good Wife," which earned her an Emmy for outstanding guest actress in a drama series in 2013. She continued playing Elsbeth after "True Blood" ended and scored another nomination for this award in 2016. She also portrayed this character in the series "The Good Fight." In addition, Preston returned to the role of Grace Hendricks on "Person of Interest." Later, she joined the casts of "Crowded" as Martina Moore and "Claws" as Polly.
Preston has also worked in film and theater since leaving "True Blood." She directed the play "Buzz" at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2019. In addition to the play, she has more recently directed episodes of some shows, like "Claws" and "The Good Fight," both of which she also acted in. Although she does not have a role in the Bryan Cranston-led Showtime series "Your Honor," she did direct two episodes in its second season. Preston's most notable movie role of late came opposite Kevin Bacon in the 2022 slasher "They/Them."
Rutina Wesley is fighting zombies instead of vampires
Tara Thornton, who was played by Rutina Wesley, is one of Sookie's closest friends. She eventually becomes a vampire, and while it is difficult for her to accept this fate, she eventually embraces her new identity. Sadly, she meets her untimely death later in the series. In the final season, she only appears in flashbacks.
Wesley has landed several exciting roles since her time on "True Blood." She played Reba McClane on the suspenseful crime drama "Hannibal," and in 2016, she began starring as Nova Bordelon on the family drama "Queen Sugar," which ended after seven seasons in 2022. She also appeared on "Arrow" as Liza Warner and the sci-fi thriller "Outsiders."
She appeared in one episode of "The Walking Dead" in 2019, and it appears as though Wesley is now trading her vampire aversion for a zombie one more fully. It has been confirmed (via Entertainment Weekly) that Wesley will play Maria, Tommy's wife and the leader of the community in Wyoming, in HBO's newest hit series "The Last of Us."
Alexander Skarsgård keeps landing huge roles
On "True Blood," Alexander Skarsgård played the vampire Eric Northman, who was born in the age of the Vikings and is over 1,000 years old. He can be quite cold and calculating, but he is loyal to those who have proven trustworthy. Since his time on the HBO series, Skarsgård has seen continuous success.
Shortly after the series ended, he landed a major film role as Tarzan in "The Legend of Tarzan." In addition to appearing on series like "The Little Drummer Girl" and "On Becoming a God in Central Florida," he played Perry Wright, the mysteriously murdered husband at the center of the critically acclaimed HBO series "Big Little Lies." His masterful performance as the abusive, secretive Perry, who maintains his image of perfect fatherhood even as he assaults the women who cross his path, earned Skarsgård both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He went on to play Randall Flagg on the TV adaptation of Stephen King's novel "The Stand" as well as the lead in the films "The Northman" and "Godzilla vs. Kong."
Skarsgård strengthened his successful relationship with HBO with a small recurring role in "Succession." More recently, he starred opposite Mia Goth in Brandon Cronenberg's visceral sci-fi horror "Infinity Pool," which dropped to rave reviews in 2023. Skarsgård has plenty of films still in the works, including "Lee," opposite Kate Winslet, and "The Pack," opposite Florence Pugh.
Deborah Ann Woll is a Dungeon Master
Young vampire Jessica Hamby was played by Deborah Ann Woll. Jessica isn't a huge fan of synthetic blood, preferring to feed on good old-fashioned human beings. Becoming a vampire represents an escape from her strict Christian upbringing, which involved homeschooling, physical abuse, and complete restriction from contemporary popular culture. Unsurprisingly, she finds a certain freedom in her new condition.
In the years following "True Blood," Woll began playing Karen Page on the Marvel miniseries "The Defenders," a role which she returned to for the series "Daredevil." She continued playing Page on the subsequent series "The Punisher." Woll also portrayed the Dungeon Master on "Relics and Rarities," a series centered around the game "Dungeons and Dragons." In addition, Woll has appeared in several films, including "Silver Lake," "Escape Room," and "Ida Red." More recently, she returned to the role of Dungeon Master on the D&D-inspired livestream series "Children of Éarte," which she also spearheaded. She's known to be a big "Dungeons & Dragons" fan.
In 2023, Woll appeared on NBC's "Quantum Leap" reboot as Carly Farmer. Her charity work and passion for finding a cure for her husband's medical condition (he has choroideremia, which causes blindness) have not kept her away from acting and creative ventures. In addition to the massive amount of roles she has landed, she also co-hosts the "True Blood" podcast "Truest Blood" alongside her former fellow vampire Kristin Bauer van Straten. They look back at episodes and talk to other stars of the beloved HBO series.
Kristin Bauer van Straten has worked on podcasts
Kristin Bauer van Straten played Pam Swynford de Beaufort, the co-owner of the aptly named vampire nightclub Fangtasia. As a vampire, she feels that she's superior to human beings, and is not a particularly compassionate character. She's often sarcastic, and definitely cunning, a trait that she possessed even as a human. Her sinister wit defines her, yet so too does her loyalty to Eric Northman, whose bite transformed her from a turn-of-the-century brothel madam into a bloodsucker.
After her time on "True Blood" was up, Bauer van Straten returned to her recurring role as the fairy tale villain Maleficent on "Once Upon a Time." In 2016, she played Samantha Van Helsing in the film "Nocturnal Animals," appearing alongside Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. She also reunited with her fellow "True Blood" alum Ryan Kwanten on the set of the series "Sacred Lies." More recently, Bauer van Straten was in the thriller "Paradise Cove," which tells the story of a couple attempting to flip a beach house as they are terrorized by the homeless woman who lives beneath the property. She has also given her voice to the Misha Collins-led podcast series "Bridgewater."
In addition to acting, Bauer van Straten has always been passionate about animal welfare, and has continued her advocacy on behalf of animals. Her website is evidence of her deep love of all animals and she is currently a celebrity ambassador for the Best Friends Animal Society — somehow, we can't picture Pam sharing this particular brand of compassion. She hasn't forgotten her time as Pam on "True Blood," though, and she teamed up with co-star Deborah Ann Woll in 2022 for the reflective podcast "Truest Blood."
Todd Lowe splits his time between acting and music
Terry Bellefleur, a veteran who takes a job as a cook at Merlotte's, struggles to deal with the trauma he experienced while serving in Iraq, from which he suffers from PTSD. Eventually, Terry feels like he can no longer live with his demons. In a scene that remains just as heartbreaking to watch today as the day it premiered, Terry commits suicide with the assistance of a fellow Marine. He eventually returns as a ghost in the series' final season.
After portraying Terry, actor Todd Lowe went on to play Thomas in the crime series "Cold," which explores a string of murders of First Nation women in a remote mining town. Next up was his reprising, recurring role as Zack Van Gerbig in the highly anticipated miniseries "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." In addition to these new projects, Lowe also returned to his role as Randy on "Ave 43," which he had balanced with his work on "True Blood." In 2017, he landed a supporting role as Colin Dobbs on the action-packed drama series "Shooter."
His most recently released film is the 2021 thriller "Hide and Bleed," which tells the story of a retired cycling champion who ends up fighting for his life after getting entangled with the wrong crowd. He is also set to star in the upcoming film "Healed," but he doesn't have a lot of acting projects on the horizon. His lack of film and TV work in recent years is probably due to the fact that he has been making music and performing with his band Teelo. He had shows in Nashville and in Los Angeles in 2022, and all evidence points to him continuing his music career.