True Blood co-star Alexander
Skarsgard has applauded the supernatural drama's gay inclusiveness.
In a cover interview for gay glossy
Out,
Skarsgard and fellow Swede Jonas Akerlund contrast their homeland's
liberal sexual attitudes with American culture.
Skarsgard says True Blood is
“very tame, by Swedish standards.”
“Parents in the States freak out if
their kids see a nipple or a butt cheek, but, at the same time,
they're OK with their kids watching people bash each other's heads in
with baseball bats,” he said.
Akerlund, who has directed music videos
for Maddona's Ray of Light and Jump, Lady Gaga's
Paparazzi and Telephone, and, most recently, Maroon
5-Christina Aguilera's Moves like Jagger, added: One thing I
notice when I've been in Los Angeles and then come back to Sweden is
that when I put on the TV and see a naked person, I go, 'Whoa.' It
takes me a little bit of time to convert every time I come back.
It's just two different cultures.”
Skarsgard, who plays vampire Eric
Northman on True Blood, also applauded creator Alan Ball for
challenging American mores: “What's interesting is when you have a
character like Lafayette, who's black and gay, if you can find
someone – some guy who doesn't know any gay people or black people,
who may have all these prejudices – if that guy watches the show
and thinks, 'I really like this character,' then you've done
something pretty good.”
Skarsgard can be seen in next month's
apocalyptic film Melancholia.