The wait is almost over as the third season of "True Blood" premieres on HBO this Sunday night (June 13) at 9:00p.m. ET. Over the past several weeks and months, you've been treated to teaser posters, behind-the-scenes clips and even webisodes to tide you over — but as you'll discover by the end of the first new episode, there's just no substitution for the real thing.
There's no shortage of reasons to watch "True Blood," but sometimes it's difficult to pinpoint exactly why we love the overtly sexy supernatural drama series. To help clarify exactly why it is that "True Blood" rules, Hollywood Crush turned to two of the upcoming season's most important cast members — Joe Manganiello (Alcide) and Mariana Klaveno (Lorena) — to find out what it is they love about "True Blood." Check out what they had to say after the jump!
Joe Manganiello: "I think Alan Ball was quoted as saying once that this show is popcorn for smart people. I love that! The first episode I watched, I kind of sat there in silence afterward. It was really provocative and shocking. I think the level of acting and writing on this show — it's really such a powerful, shocking and provocative show. But I think that's what the big draw is. It's almost too shocking, but you get used to it after a while because the characters are so rich. You love the characters and you kind of get used to how shocking it is.
"Working on this character, on this show, with this cast, with Alan, the writers and the directors has been a dream come true. This has been the most exciting job that I've gotten in my entire life — this has been the job for me. I'd love to keep playing Alcide forever."
Mariana Klaveno: "The thing with working at HBO overall and working with Alan is that they really have trust. They trust their actors. They're really open to what you bring to the character and they want to watch how you'll infuse your own ideas and your own style into the characters. They take that and kind of run with it, which is a wonderful way to work. It's very collaborative and creative and unique, I think, when it comes to television.
"The reason that I was drawn to the series once I got into it is what draws most people into the series — there's just so much going on! There's something there for everyone. There are comedic elements, the horror part, the sex part, the romance part. There's all of it. It appeals to a whole array of different people, and that's what I really love about it."
Tell us why YOU think "True Blood" rules in the comments section!
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