Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, especially if that woman is a 200-year-old vampire with an axe to grind. On this season of HBO’s True Blood, Mariana Klaveno returns as her antecedent, Lorena, to do God knows what to Bill Compton for breaking her heart.In the mean time, we got a chance to talk to Mariana to find out what it takes for an innocent farm girl from Washington to become an evil, cold-hearted vampire.

How did you land the role as Lorena?

It was a normal audition, but I knew it was an amazing part, so I was nervous. I actually went in and read for it twice.

Do you go to the readings in full costume or just bum it in jeans and a T-shirt?

It’s hard when most of the scenes you’re reading are flashbacks to the 1860s. You don’t want to be the only one who shows up in a full-on corset and look silly, but at the same time, it doesn’t really sell the part if you just show up in jeans and a T-shirt. So, I wore a long skirt, a peasant kind of skirt, and a lacy top. I made the choice to dress as innocent as possible, whereas a lot of the other girls went the other way and dressed very dramatically in black and red lipstick.

From what I’ve read, you’re a very nice person. How did you prepare for the role of an absolutely evil person like Lorena?

I have fun playing my shadow and I think a lot of actors are like that. I think actors either play people who are really close to themselves or they play ones who are really far from themselves. I think the part of me that doesn’t get to live that out in real life just has fun doing it on screen.

Lorena is a few hundred years old. How old are you?

Let’s just say I’m older than 25 but younger than 35.

Do you ever catch yourself having Lorena’s attitude off the set?

I try not to throw crew members around or use people. There is definitely a transformation that goes on because she’s a very glamorous character. Once I have all my makeup and hair and stilettos and the costume, my walk changes. There’s a little more of a sashay in my step and I feel more powerful than when I take it all off.

Do you think people have the wrong impression of you because you play such a dominating, evil character?

Possibly. It seems like the people who recognize me and come up to me are so excited about the show in general that it trumps whatever hesitancy they might have about talking to me.

Although you grew up in Washington on a farm, you don’t speak with Lorena’s southern accent. Was it hard to learn to speak southern?

No, not really. I think southern is really fun. I did some research and found a couple of examples of native speakers from northern Louisiana, which is very different from New Orleans and other parts of the south. I wanted to keep it sounding old and more refined but still be accurate enough that it didn’t turn into a Tennessee Williams play.

Read more...