What, me worry?
Remember Steve’s interview with TV Line’s Michael Ausiello that came out shortly after the season finale? Ausiello left out an interesting comment that Steve made about the public’s perception of Bill Compton, and the importance of not worrying about what everyone thinks of Bill.
“One has to stop worrying about how one’s character is perceived. I think we all probably had a point in the series where you did worry about the public persona of our character. But I stopped worrying about that in Season 2. That’s not to say I don’t care. What I mean is you’re going to stop playing something authentically if you’re worried about how it’s going to be perceived.”
Very interesting… thanks for sharing. And I would think that it’s definitey true, especially in a show like this with such a polarizing fan base.
His job is to carry out the story the writers have written and make us believe that Bill is Bill, not an actor pretending to be a vampire. (Which I think SM does very well) And although he doesn’t worry about how Bill is percieved by the fans, all of the interviews and commentaries have made it clear that he cares very much that the character is authentic and has motivation behind the actions.
While I don’t necessarily like what happened at the end of S5, I could see the motivation behind it, it was believable to me, that the situation Bill was in at the end would push him to drink the blood. Especially if Bill is going to be evil for awhile next season, to commit to that fully, he can’t worry about how it will be percieved.
Comment by shelhill — September 18, 2012 @ 11:27 pm
Well said Stephen.
It would bother me terribly if I believed Stephen was constantly upset at how his character is perceived. That is not what the job is all about nor how he should live his life which right now is filled with love, family and of course, work.
What I admire about Stephen is that he has never allowed himself to be typecast, instead, he has in his career, taken on a myriad of roles, choosing characters that, in very simplistic terms, are good and bad.
That, a well rounded actor makes.
I remember in a past interview he was discussing his role as Jason in “Men Only”. A very bad boy character (hot and sexy bad
). He mentions being accosted in the streets Of London by an angry woman over the terrible things his character did. If anything it is a testament to his acting abilities that he can transform himself from the sweet fun loving man we all know he is into something completely opposite and so completely convince the audience.
Stephen has made the character of Bill his own, and no matter where his character evolves to, Stephen has and will continue to play it to the max as he always has done, and difficult or not, I will be there to watch every bit of him.
Stephen is the consummate professional and TB ambassador and it shows.
Bravo Stephen.
Comment by BN — September 19, 2012 @ 12:54 am
Oh, and I forgot to mention, HOT DAM thats a sexy dangerous pic of Bill.
Thanks ladies!
Comment by BN — September 19, 2012 @ 12:56 am
What ever it takes for him to be true to himself and do what wonderful voodoo he does is okay with me.
Stephen? I hope you read this…Congrats on your new family! first, second I adore you and Anna and love you on TB. I think you are wonderful in everything you have done. You are so talented and you wifey. You have inspired me and a bunch of us Bill’s Wikid Women to write, start fan pages, charity events, and for me to draw again..I just wanted to say simply..Thank-you
~fbforbill ;`)
Comment by fbforbill — September 19, 2012 @ 1:01 am
correction above i meant new addition to you family. sorry~
Comment by fbforbill — September 19, 2012 @ 1:02 am
Stephen’s portrayal of Bill Compton is the firm foundation that anchors TB for me. He has made this character completely real and true.
Having said that, it’s the writer(s) I have my disagreement with, regarding the finale of S5. I just don’t feel that such a drastic turn in Bill’s character works with his history.
I remember reading (IDK if it was in this inverview) that, after getting the script, AS called Stephen up, asking if he had read it, Stephen said yes, and Alex asked “Are you OK with this?” Stephen replied that he was. So Stephen saw truth in Bill’s turn. If he didn’t he would discuss it with the writer(s), which he’s done before, in order to internalize the motivation, and bring truth to his performance.
As a consummate professional, Stephen will work toward his truth, and bring it to the screen fully formed and uniquely his.
If he hadn’t done that maybe I wouldn’t have been so shocked and dismayed by what happened to Bill. As it is, I’m still sad about Bill turning away from his beliefs and values, and I’m still hoping that someday we see him return to his “true self.”
Comment by iamtrue2bill — September 19, 2012 @ 1:52 am
people’s perception of a caracter is just that: their own. a caracter is made “alive” by the actor and it must evolve. the actor evolves too in some 5 years, he wants challenges to keep the adrenaline going!!!! i actually think that the comming of “billith” could be a very intersting opportunity to go to new territories for both actor and caracter, bringing internal battle for bill who clearly still cares a lot about sookie for one. i think it will make the work even more interesting for the actor, even if he does not agree totally with the script….and after all it is his job and our pleasure!
Comment by clotilde — September 19, 2012 @ 5:23 am
I want to add my “Bravo” to Stephen, and I agree with the comments made by BN….(well said to you too BN!)
Comment by Mirela — September 19, 2012 @ 10:51 am
Everyone has made some astute observations and I find it very interesting.
Being less verbose than you fine ladies, (snorts with laughter) I still have to add my two cents. (What a surprise, eh?)
Stephen is NOT a diva. Often times the actors that clash with writers or directors constantly are the ‘diva’s’ that feel they know their character best, or they refuse to stop worrying about what their character does and if people will like it. (Hmm… where did I just read something like that?)
Yes, we know there have been times when Stephen has talked to writers but I don’t think it was as much to question their writing as much as it was him trying to learn more of why Bill was going to do this, so he could play it right.
Stephen is too cool to be a diva, because he’s just a damn good actor. And you’ve got to hand it to him… there’s a lot of actors out there that would have said, “Fuck this, I’m not playing Billith and pissing people off over it! It’ll ruin my career! Change it or I walk!”
Nope, no diva here, thank god. (Even if I’m still slightly confused and a little put off by what comes next) with luck maybe Billith will walk around naked as much (if not more hint-hint) than Lilith. I could handle that! LOL!
But you know what else I thought of when I read that quote? Stephen and Anna versus Bill and Sookie.
B & S… By that I mean, they freely give us insight into their characters, etc. etc. relating to their work. They readily give interviews, events etc. They’ll tell us just about anything unless it’s under a gag order because the new season hasn’t started or isn’t finished.
Stephen and Anna? What’s theirs is theirs and it’s no one else’s business. Personally, I wish I knew what the twins names are etc. and hope and pray they are getting stronger and ready to head home soon everyday.
But it also goes to show, these two incredible people can be amazingly generous by supporting wonderful charities, signing autographs, letting people take pictures with them… but they don’t have to tell us anything about what is a very personal and therefore understandably off limits parts of their lives to the general public.
I know some consider this selfish (I actually read that someplace! That person was SUCH and ass!) the papz think they can hound them unmercifully and because of that we get to see what we do here.
As I’ve said before, I often times feel guilty about it, especially when you can see the annoyance or frustration in their faces.
But they do a wonderful job of keeping what’s really important OUT of the public eye. I can’t help but think that we are going to be seeing a very different couple where the twins are concerned.
I don’t think the papz are going to be as successful at getting pictures as they have before.
There’s a reason we’ve never seen Anna and Stephen’s wedding pictures… we’re not family or friends of the couple. Likewise, we’ll likely never see very many pics of the twins either.
And quite frankly? That’s how it should be.
In my own little, not-very-verbose Humble opinion. So there! LOL!
Comment by wickedlywonderful — September 19, 2012 @ 12:10 pm
I like your take on things, wicked! Well said, and oh so true. I also doubt that we will see photos of the babies anytime soon, but I am just fine with that. Let Anna and Steve have a private life that stays private. They well deserve that.
Interesting that Ausiello did not include this tidbit before. Was it because he is a tool, as I have opined before? He wears his preferences on his sleeve and they are very obvious.
Thanks for sharing this info, always most appreciated.
Comment by Crazy4Bill — September 19, 2012 @ 12:37 pm
Just had to add that I think Ausiello is a tool for sure.( Maybe not the correct forum for this comment but I do feel the same way!)
Comment by Mirela — September 19, 2012 @ 2:02 pm
LOVE what Stephen had to say! And you ladies have expressed some very savvy thoughts. We has fans of Stephen and lovers of Bill will stand steadfast. Watching season 6. And waiting for any sign of our beautiful, beautiful vampire Bill
I have every faith that with Stephen’s marvelous. acting abilities….we will be able to find our Bill still there….fighting to struggle through.
Comment by RL — September 19, 2012 @ 4:09 pm
I don’t know if my comments will be welcomed or reviled, but I’ve thought about this little snippet of interview for quite a while now. Three bits of ‘evidence’ came together for me to lead me to the conclusion that I have drawn.
The many interviews that I have read concerning Steve’s and Anna’s courtship painted a picture of two consummate professionals who understood the potential impact of their actions. More than once they said that they understood that the livelihood of hundreds of people hinged on the success or failure of the show. As the two leads they had a personal, professional and perhaps moral obligation to not let their personal lives screw that up.
So, what does that have to do with this situation? In my mind, it is very similar. Steve has been in the business for many years and has developed what appears to be an admirable and exemplary professional ethic. He understands that his comments and actions as an individual can have either a positive or negative impact on the whole cast and crew and ultimately the success of the show. I believe that this comment is a reflection of that. What good would it do to go around moaning about the direction that his character had taken? Alan Ball was (an I believe still will be)firmly in charge of that show and any dissension among the actors, especially the lead actor would do much more harm than good. So…I believe that Steve sucked it up and went on to do a bang of job of the portraying Bill’s descent into madness. Did he like the direction that his character took…well now that’s the question isn’t it?
Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but Steve’s revelation that cast members called him to get his reaction to the dramatic change in his character is indication that they were as shocked as we all were. Both Steve and Alex have been very open about their friendship and that leads me to believe that they know each other pretty well. If Alex didn’t think that Steve would be disconcerted about this huge shift in his character, I doubt that he would have called him to ask if he was ‘okay’ with it.
So, has Steve quit worrying about people’s perceptions of Bill? I won’t call him a liar, but if he has then I think it is only because his worry has shifted. Maybe now his worry is more about the survival of the show after season 6.
Comment by tabby1249 — September 19, 2012 @ 6:02 pm
I’m also thinking that SM and the rest of the cast… like AP and AS really aren’t as invested in the romance “who should end up with Sookie” part of the story as we are. Their focus is to bring their characters to life in a way thats believable to the audience and that makes sense with who they think their character is…
Because of that, it is kind of pointless to worry about how a character is percieved by the public… as much as some fans want it to be a “who is better” contest, that’s not what the show is about, and I would expect definitely not something that the actors worry about. I’m sure it crosses their minds from time to time, given how much they are asked about it, but the love triangle isn’t the whole story.
While the ending was shocking, and I’m sure not what the cast was expecting… especially because it’s a cliffhanger of not knowing really what Bill has become, I can’t see SM having much problem with it… knowing that he still has a job and a main role in the series, and now the opportunity to really play things differently while still playing the same character. As an actor, I would imagine it sounded like a pretty fun idea once the initial- oh crap I die in the finale- shock wore off.
Obviously that is all opinion/observation from what I’ve read in other interviews and things, and would expect from a professional… but I wouldn’t find it too far fetched if that’s how he felt, hence not worrying about how his character is percieved…
Comment by shelhill — September 19, 2012 @ 7:33 pm
Very interesting thoughts Tabby!
I also wondered about AS calling SM about the shift. I guess that maybe it was because they all knew something big was coming, but didn’t have the full scope of how total Bill’s transition was going to be until they actually got the script?
I think you hit the nail on the head with one thing you said about the shift in focus. I think that Stephen, Anna, Alex etc. must all be worrying about the survival of the show much more than their individual characters.
For those of us that watch the show because of Bill (and Sookie) well, Bill is dead. So next season is going to either kill the show for good or ramp it up enough that we won’t be able to get enough of it. I’m hoping against hope it is the latter, but must admit… I’m expecting the other.
Comment by wickedlywonderful — September 19, 2012 @ 7:35 pm
Some day I’ll figure out how to get my e’s and i’s in the right order
Forgive my typos!
Comment by shelhill — September 19, 2012 @ 7:35 pm
I would love to leave congratulations to Stephen and Anna on the birth of their new babies! What a wonderful and exciting time this must be for them, they have worked so hard for five years for US to give us this supremely popular television show, it’s only right and normal for them to take this time for privacy and love of their babies.
This is truly a miracle for them! I send them wishes for health and happiness and many “nannies” to help with two new little angels!
Forget the show for a while, only think of CONGRATULATIONS! and BEST WISHES! as nothing else matters right now! Their whole world has just changed and True Blood and it’s characters have nothing at all to do with that.
I wish them joy. Much joy!
Comment by boobear — September 19, 2012 @ 7:48 pm
This comment leaves me scratching my head for many reasons….
So I’ve decided I am not going to dissect what he said because it makes my head hurt
But I do know I will be there to watch Stephen do with Bill what he has done for the past 5 seasons and that is draw me in. However I do hope he will raise the question of “WTF” if need be.
Comment by purpleprince — September 19, 2012 @ 8:01 pm
I agree with everything you’ve said, Tabby. Steve saying that Alex called him after reading the script reveals what prolly the entire cast felt about Bill’s demise and how it might effect Steve … SHOCK on everyone’s part. Steve’s always been the ultimate professional, so it wouldn’t surprise me in the least, that even if he was totally shocked and disappointed by Bill’s story line, he wouldn’t put a smile on his face, support the writers choice, continue doing positive interviews and give AB a standing ovation.
With Steve being the face of True Blood and promoting it more than any of the show’s others actors, it’ll be very disappointing if the writers don’t do something awesome with Bill in the future. It’ll be a hell of a Thank You if they don’t.
Ausiello IS a Tool!
Comment by aemac — September 19, 2012 @ 9:03 pm
I have read all the above comments with interest. Not much to add. I also thing that Ausiello is a tool – have always thought that. Appreciate Steve and Anna’s need for privacy, but would have hoped that would have at least told us the sex of the twins. I find that a bit odd. Annyway, glad that Steve has a meaty role in TB and Ithink he is happy with it.
Comment by lizzie1701 — September 19, 2012 @ 9:40 pm
Lizzie, for some reason, I think they will eventually share a little more info about the babies, but perhaps not until they are home safe and sound is my guess…
I think if the paps hadn’t caught that picture of Anna, they might have kept the fact that they were born to themselves for just a bit longer, since it’s a very stressful thing if the babies are in the NICU.
Comment by shelhill — September 19, 2012 @ 10:11 pm
Tabby, I agree with what you said.
Love Steve and yes Ausiello is a tool!
Comment by Roswellover — September 19, 2012 @ 10:33 pm
Sorry for my bad spelling and punctuation in previous post – wrote in haste!!!
Yes, I know they have their reasons and look forward to future news. I also think they got caught out with that pic with the handbag.
Again – Ausiello is a tool!
Comment by lizzie1701 — September 20, 2012 @ 12:28 am
Who the heck is Ausiello and why is he a tool????
Comment by Wanda — September 22, 2012 @ 1:33 pm
Ok…now I know who Ausiello is, but confussed as to why he is a tool? I read the article but didn’t see anything nasty in it, just questions…..with SM answering beautifully…sooo???
Comment by Wanda — September 22, 2012 @ 4:17 pm
We have had a long association with Ausiello. Let’s say, he was never a fan of Bill and was a huge Eric/Sookie lover. SM/Bill never got his fair share of publicity – it was always Eric or AS. Let’s say there was plenty of past history.
Comment by Lizzie1701 — September 23, 2012 @ 2:54 am
ok thanks for clearing that up…he must be a true bookie fan, I love the books too, but cheer for Bill in both the series and the books, and especially now that SM reps Bill!!!
Comment by Wanda — September 23, 2012 @ 1:25 pm