Billith
Stephen Moyer concluded his chat with TVLine’s Michael Ausiello, although this time around, he didn’t have to remain spoiler free. Part one of the interview was posted last week.
Now that True Blood has aired its (quite literally) explosive season finale, Stephen Moyer can speak a whole lot more freely than he could in Part 1 of our two-part Q&A. For instance, not only can he get into the technical challenges of transforming Bill into, shall we say, Billith but also the psychological underpinnings of the scene. Plus, he can share his thoughts on whether Bill is even Bill anymore and if his upcoming reign of terror will mean the end of his on-again/off-again relationship with Sookie (and maybe even the end of Sookie herself?!).
TVLINE | As billed, the finale featured a lot of blood.
We didn’t skimp on the death. [Laughs] During the table read for the episode, we were all going, “Oh my f—ing God!” It was like every five seconds somebody exploded. And I know what that means to shoot an episode that has that many deaths in it. Every single time you have to replace the body with a bag of blood, which we call a ‘Goo Drop.’ The ‘Good Drop’ is something like 20 to 30 gallons of blood being smashed down on the floor. And they came up with an even better way of doing it where they jettison 15 gallons of blood into the air as 16 gallons of blood falls down onto that blood, so you get this splatter effect that goes out wide. But that takes the best part of two or three hours per hit. So when we all read that episode, we were going, “Okay, three hours, six hours, nine hours… that’s a day, that’s another day.”
TVLINE | How long did it take to shoot the episode?
It was three very intense weeks. We’re very lucky on our show because we get to shoot like 20, 25-day episodes, which I don’t think anybody else on television gets to do.
TVLINE | Let’s talk about the final scene — what was the makeup process like?
It’s a long process, but ultimately not something we haven’t done before. Sitting in a chair having your body painted is something I’ve done quite a few times on the show. You spend three or four hours in the chair and then you come out looking like somebody else. One of the most interesting parts of the shot was actually during the transformation before the final moment. There’s a lot of tiny little tubes that you have all over your body and then they pump blood through the tubes, and that’s the cross moment where Bill as we know him [turns] into what he becomes. And that was amazing.
TVLINE | What does he become? And is Bill really dead?
I don’t think so. Certainly, when I read it I went through a moment of, “Oh my f—ing God – Jesus!” And certainly a couple of people — Alex [Skarsgard] being one of them — called me going, “Have you read it yet?!” It’s pretty out there… One of the things I wanted to do was show fear in Bill’s eyes. Show that he’s absolutely clear that what he’s doing is the right thing until it starts to happen, and then we see the vulnerability in him of, “F–k, what have I done?” And that was something I hope comes across. We [wanted] to freakin’ terrify the audience.
TVLINE | This obviously sets Bill up to be an even bigger villain next season.
I think you’re right. I haven’t seen anything for next season so I have no idea, but yes. [Laughs] I think it would be safe to assume that what we thought was Bill is no longer Bill.
TVLINE | So it’s within the realm of possibility that he could do to Sookie what he did to Jessica — only worse. How do you feel about that?
If that’s dramatically compelling and fun and great to watch, then so be it. That’s awesome.
TVLINE | With that cliffhanger, Alan Ball is setting up a killer Season 6 for you — but now he’s leaving the show. Any concern there?
We had some inkling [he was planning to leave] around Season 4. We weren’t even sure he was going to do Season 5, so we were very excited to have him for another season. But we did know this was coming. He’s just extraordinary. He’s this wonderful, complex, funny puppet master; we all adore him. Do we want to see him go? No way. But Mark Hudis, who is taking over, is an excellent writer. He came in during Season 4. He understands the characters, he has great wit. I had the great pleasure of directing his episode this season — Episode 8 — so I worked very closely with him. He has a fantastic take on what our show is. And Alan would’ve never given his baby over to someone he didn’t trust.
At least he points out that Bill isn’t really dead, which counts for something… and although thinks this sets up Bill to be the villain (which he could start that way and become something else, just like this season) he does also admit that he doesn’t know where the writers are going…
At this point, I’ll take any shred of hope I can get
Thanks for posting!
Comment by shelhill — August 27, 2012 @ 4:14 pm
If they’d only give Billith the same camera angles and full frontal time span that they did with Lilith, I could definitely wrap that around my mind as a shred of hope! *sigh*
If only, eh?!
Comment by wickedlywonderful — August 27, 2012 @ 5:29 pm
One of the things I wanted to do was show fear in Bill’s eyes. Show that he’s absolutely clear that what he’s doing is the right thing until it starts to happen, and then we see the vulnerability in him of, “F–k, what have I done?” And that was something I hope comes across. We [wanted] to freakin’ terrify the audience.
******
It came across for me. Another thing that struck me and gave me goosebumps was when he said “what the Fu*k do you know” to Sookie, and also right when he cuts her off and tells her “I told you the night we meet,etc” I am telling you I’ve watched it several times and each time I get the willies.
Wonderful acting, can’t get enough.
I am a bit concerned with “it’s safe to assume what we thought was Bill is no longer”, does that mean the physical being that is Bill or the emotional part of Bill.
Comment by purpleprince — August 27, 2012 @ 5:37 pm
If only WW, if only. If we have to endure bloody Billith it’d be nice to get some real nudity :0
Comment by purpleprince — August 27, 2012 @ 5:42 pm
Since you mentioned ‘full frontal” ww, I have to admit in the middle of me freaking out while watching Bill’s transformation there was definitely a part of my brain that was thinking…and hoping… will he????
Confessions of a dirty mind. lol
Comment by Mirela — August 27, 2012 @ 5:44 pm
Oddly enough, Alan Ball’s interview with Ausiello gives me more hope than this interview. Although that hope is a very, very dim glimmer at this point.
Comment by SenseofDoubt — August 27, 2012 @ 5:51 pm
If Steve is enjoying it, I will enjoy it too. I will go wherever the story takes me.
Comment by lizzie1701 — August 28, 2012 @ 6:18 am
I do NOT want to see Billith be the savage murdering beast!!! I do not know how I am going to get through Season 6!!!! When Bill drank the blood and then “melted” I think my heart skipped a beat!! Well no matter what Stephen Moyer does on True Blood or anything else in the future, I will be watching!! A truly Wonderful actor and I must admit I will always LOVE the original Bill Compton and the first time he walked into Merlottes!! I am a “True” fan!!!
Comment by angela bonfiglio — August 29, 2012 @ 12:50 am
Hey Angela, come on over to the BWW, I think you’ll love talking to all of devout Bill fans.
http://billswikidwomen.wetpaint.com/forum
Comment by aemac — August 29, 2012 @ 7:36 am
Disappointed! I guess the last episode came full circle – I told you when I first met you that vampires can turn on the one they love (or something to that extent) however, I do not like the way the “Bill” character is going – what drew me to True Blood in the first place was that very first meeting of Sookie/Bill outside Merlottes – since then the stories have driven them apart – I dont think this series had to go that way and now Bill is out of his mind and does not have the personality that I loved and he really I guess never again be with Sookie – would have been better to stick with a three people vying for her i.e. Bill Eric and Alcide – instead the series is way out there and notice no Emmy nods! too bad
Comment by dolores cocuzzo — August 29, 2012 @ 10:46 am
There is a part of me that says that Stephen wanted this to happen to Bill. He may have asked the writers and/or Alan Ball to take Bill in a new direction. In effect this is the counterpoint to Eric’s ‘amnesia.’ Just as Eric wasn’t himself in Season 4, Bill is certainly hot himself in Season 5. One would hope that Bill will find his way back in season 6.
Citizenerased pointed out in an earlier post that it would be very hard for Bill to come back from this given the havoc and murder that he has perpetrated both directly and indirectly. Up until the very end, I hoped there would be a fantastical deus ex machina that would save Bill. Alas, it was not to be and I agree with CE that it will be very hard for Bill to ‘come back’ from that which he and his fanaticism have wrought.
In my view, he will NEVER be the Bill that so many of us loved. What he will become is up to the writers who may, freed from the bizarre machinations of Alan Ball, give us a Bill that we can love again.
Was I disappointed in the end of this season? Yes. Will I abandon the show? No. I disagree with CE that the show and writers have bowed to the wishes of ASKARS rabid fans. I think instead, they are trying create a show where no character is ‘safe’ and no plot is predictable. It can be aggravating, but it keeps me intrigued.
Comment by tabby1249 — August 29, 2012 @ 6:41 pm