Anna Paquin Goes Blonde

Readingeagle.com reports that X-Men star and Oscar winner Anna Paquin couldn't be happier about her new role playing Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse for HBO's new series, True Blood.

She describes in a telephone interview that all she needs is, "A little spray tan, a leap of faith by Alan Ball and a lot of bleach," to get into her role as Sookie whose ability to read minds leads her to fall in love with a vampire.

Paquin is even enjoying the new look and says that people are nicer to blondes who have tans.

Paquin says of her character, "Sookie is tough, strong, sweet, a hopeless romantic and really out spoken when she thinks that she's in the right." Paquin also says of her character, "She's a good person and completely fearless. I get to do so many crazy, cool, and wacky things because of the supernatural element to our show."

When asked about writer Ball's opinion that the show is, "a metaphor for gays, for people of color in previous times in America, for anybody who is misunderstood and feared and hated for being different," Paquin agrees, but says it's also about more.

"Depending on your interest or sensitivity," she says, "you can see whatever parallel fits into your life. We talk about vampires 'coming out of the coffin.' I like shows or films or books that have messages but don't beat people over the head with them. 'True Blood' is about the drama, the relationship, the sex, the violence and the vampires."

There's only one hard part to doing this role, according to Paquin, and that's pulling off the waitressing job Sookie has.

"I'm probably one of the only actresses who has no waitressing experience," she says. "It looks like hard work and not a lot of fun. A few people on the set showed me how to carry a tray, not have all the heavy things on one side. I've never had a non-acting job, because I've pretty much acted full time since I was 9."