Video:Nelsan Ellis Interview - True Blood Season 3 and Secretariat

Transcript:Nelsan Ellis Interview - True Blood Season 3 and Secretariat

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con.

Nelsan Ellis - True Blood

Lafayette is one of our favorite characters and we're so glad you didn't get killed off after the first season. How much fun is it to actually be on that set?

Nelsan Ellis: "Oh, it's a lot of fun. We have a cool set. Every moment is fun. I mean when we're not working and we're on set it's fun. It's a good group of people. Alan Ball is the coolest boss. He set a magical tone. We all get along. We're all good friends."

How easy is it to get into that character?

Nelsan Ellis: "When we have a hiatus then it takes me a while to get back into him when I come back after months. But during the season I listen to some Rihanna, they put the eyelashes on, and I'm there."

It's that easy?

Nelsan Ellis: "Yeah."

Is there anything they've asked you to do so far that you thought might be pushing it a little too far?

Nelsan Ellis: "No. I mean, we like that. We like being pushed. We like being uncomfortable. We like being challenged. This is like a wonderland for an actor. I mean you know I have scenes with another man that's a little...but it comes with the territory. It comes with Lafayette."

What we love about it is it's not just vampires and werewolves, these are people we understand and care about. The character development is so strong in it - stronger than non-genre shows. Is that what you like about it?

Nelsan Ellis: "I do. It's a real world of people that just so happen to be in supernatural situations. Because you know supernatural is something that's not playable, you know what I mean? Vampires and werewolves and witches aren't playable; human beings are playable. We have to tap into the humanity in order to find the person who just so happens to be a werewolf or vampire or witch."

I love your scenes with Alexander Skarsgard. What's it like between you two, because you seem to have some really good chemistry going on there?

Nelsan Ellis: "We do. I love Alex. I love Alex and Alex loves me, and it comes out when we play together. We have the same acting style so it's easy to work together. It's like me and Rutina [Wesley] because we're friends and we come from the same school, it's easy to just sort of work together. He and I, it's easy for us to work together and it's fun."

Is that all tightly scripted or do you guys ever throw any of your own stuff in there?

Nelsan Ellis: "Both. It's tightly scripted and we throw our own little something/something in there."

You've also got Secretariat which I'm looking forward to very much.

Nelsan Ellis: "Good movie. Randall Wallace, great director. Diane Lane and John Malkovich, great teachers. I think it's going to be a great project."

"A lot of people know about Secretariat because it's the baddest horse in history but everybody will understand the story."

Also of Interest:

Interview with Sam Trammell

Interview with Ryan Kwanten

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