Exclusive Interview: Mariana Klaveno Talks True Blood, Drops Season 3 Hints & No God, No Master

The hit HBO vampire drama True Blood doesn’t return with new episodes until June 13th, but fans can rest assured that the filming of Season 3 is already well underway, and the upcoming season will feature a number of new faces, as well as expanded roles for some of the previous seasons’ familiar faces.

One such familiar face is Mariana Klaveno, who plays Lorena, the vampire responsible for turning Sookie Stackhouse’s (Anna Paquin) vampire boyfriend Bill (Stephen Moyer), during the Civil War. Although she can’t give anything away, the actress did reveal that viewers will get to see more sides to Lorena and they’ll be seeing Bill in a whole new light.

In this exclusive interview with IESB, Mariana Klaveno talked about how grateful she is to be working with such an amazing cast and crew, and how much fun it is to play such a wicked, but still very well-dressed, vampire.

IESB: How did you get into acting? Was it just something you had always wanted to do?

Mariana: It was something that I just always wanted to do, as a really small child. I can’t pinpoint any specific experience or inspiration that initiated it, but for as long as I can remember, I just always wanted to. It’s a little odd, considering where I come from. No one in my family is even remotely related to the entertainment industry, at all. But, I used to think up screenplays in my head, even as a 6-year-old, and I would go off on my own and play out little scenes. It seems sort of previous and silly now, but I really did.

IESB: How did you go from the dream to the reality?

Mariana: I graduated from high school and went to college at the University of Washington in Seattle, which I knew had a really great drama program, even though I was really hesitant to commit to that. I went in with an undecided major, but immediately started taking drama classes. I made the deal with myself that, if it kept going well, I would keep going ‘cause it was terrifying to me, as it probably is to everyone who tries to have a career in the arts.

But, I started taking classes and started auditioning for plays, and started getting into them. It was amazing. I was like a kid in a candy shop because I was finally able to actually study acting and do it, instead of just being on my own with my imaginary friends. So, I went to college, had a great experience and did a lot of theater there. And then, when I graduated, I decided to bite the bullet and move to L.A. and start from scratch.

IESB: Was there a specific moment where you realized that you could actually make a career out of acting?

Mariana: I would have to say that True Blood was the one that made me feel like, “Okay, this is really starting to happen.” I have yet to feel like I’ve made it and had that, “Hooray!,” moment where I never have to worry again. No. I don’t know that many actors actually feel that way. I think we’re constantly worried that our current job will be our last. For sure, there were a couple guest spots and TV movies that were mild triumphs and certainly great learning experiences and a little bit of money, but True Blood was certainly the one where I felt like, “Okay, I can quit my restaurant job. I can actually consider myself a working actor.” I had been, but it was a much bigger victory for me.

IESB: How did you originally become a part of True Blood?

Mariana: It was just a regular audition. At the time, it was just that one scene in Season 1, where you see how Bill gets made into a vampire. When I read for it, I think they said it was possibly recurring. After I auditioned, I found out about the books and read them and realized, “Oh, if I get this part, it will be cool because there’s a good chance that I’ll be coming back in Season 3.” So then, when it turned into an even bigger thing in Season 2, I was elated. It was incredible. But, yes, it was just a normal audition. I read for it twice, and that was it.

IESB: For those who might not be familiar with the series, can you talk about how your character fits into the overall story?

Mariana: My character is the vampire who makes Bill a vampire, and Bill is the main character in the show, back in 1863 or something, during the Civil War. He stumbles upon a cabin and my character is there, waiting for him, and she makes him a vampire. They have a history, which we showed a little bit of, for several decades. I think it’s about 70 years, or something. And then, we spend some time apart, and are brought back together in the modern day age and some mayhem ensues.

IESB: How much did they tell you about Lorena, or were they initially pretty secretive about what you’d be doing?

Mariana: They are very secretive. It’s great because I feel that they’ve really let us create our own characters. There’s a real sense of trust, and they want to see what we bring in and what our ideas are. If they need to be fine-tuned a little bit, then they’ll step in and help us out, but for the most part, it’s a really wonderful, collaborative feel on set. It was really a blank slate when I came around for Season 2. I was like, “Okay, you’re seeing her in modern day now, and we’re seeing more flashbacks. Do you have an idea of where you want me to take her, or can I just show up and have fun?” And, that’s what happened.

IESB: How do you see Lorena? When you play a character that is a bit evil, do you consider her bad, or is she just more about serving her own interests?

Mariana: That’s an interesting question, and I think that you nailed it. You can’t really judge your characters, as you’re playing them. Certainly, if you take a step back, she is quite evil. But, the way that I see her is that she is motivated by love, as sick as that may sound. Her intentions are really all about Bill and her insatiable need for him. It’s really sad and tragic, and I really love playing that conflict.

I look at her as a vampire who is very far removed from her humanity. That’s one of the things that they really explore in the show, that I love. They look at how vampires are different from humans and how they’re the same, and what parts of humanity they’ve retained and what parts they lose. Somebody like Bill is obviously fighting very hard to retain his humanity. Someone like Lorena is far, far removed from it. From our vantage point, it does seem quite evil, but to her, it’s like swatting flies. I think it would be different if she was torturing another vampire, but to torture humans is like, “Eh.” They’re lesser than vampires, and it’s something that’s so distant from her that, to her, it’s not as evil as it may seem to us. She is serving her own needs and her own entertainment purposes. Really, in the end, it’s all for Bill. That’s how I justify playing those hard scenes.

IESB: When you’re playing a vampire who has been around for so long, how do you find ways to identify with the character? Do you try to focus more on the human aspects that are there?

Mariana: I do try to focus on the human side. In my own thoughts about how Lorena is, even though she is far removed from humanity, in terms of compassion, I think she really likes style. She really does seem to fit into each period better than Bill does. There’s something a little bit more wooden and awkward about how he relates in the modern world, and Lorena is better at that. She’s much more fluid, in that way. She moves through each decade and adopts the styles, the body language, the etiquette and all of it, which is wildly fun to play. But, I think she’s also much more of a survivor, in that way. She can adapt easily.

IESB: Are there any hints you can give about what viewers can expect from Season 3?

Mariana: It’s so hard because they don’t want us saying much, but I think viewers will get to see a whole different side to Bill and Lorena, especially with Bill. You get to see him in a much different light this season. There are a few scenes with Lorena where people will expect her to be far more sinister than she actually is, which will add some layers and dimensions to people’s view of her. Even though she is a monster in her own right, she’s not as monstrous as you think. She even has pity in some scenes that I’m hoping are very surprising to people. And, vampire Bill is in a whole new light in Season 3.

IESB: Are you going to be working with more of the actors in Season 3, or are your scenes still mostly with Bill?

Mariana: I’ve worked with some new characters, but obviously a lot of this season, Lorena is with Bill. As far as working with the Bon Temps community, alas I do not. It’s always been a fantasy of mine that Lorena shows up at Merlotte’s and picks up a shift, or goes shopping with Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), or something fun like that, but no. So far, it’s mostly in the vampire world.

IESB: What’s it been like to work with Stephen Moyer? How is he as an actor?

Mariana: He is absolutely wonderful. He’s so funny and so smart. He is the most technically superior actor I’ve ever worked with. He knows more about camera angles, lighting and lenses, and he knows how to block a scene better than anyone. I just try to get out of his way and let him do his thing, and then learn as much as I can, whenever I work with him. He’s also so generous and considerate, and he’s always worried about the other person, in terms of our scenes, which involve a lot of stunts and crazy stuff. His first concern is always if I’m okay and if there’s anything he can do to make it easier for me. He’s just a wonderful, giving, funny guy and he’s great.

IESB: How has it been to work with Anna Paquin, since you’ve had some scenes with her?

Mariana: Anna is very similar, in that she’s wickedly funny and adorable. They’re great people and a great couple.

IESB: Having worked on this show and with actors like the ones in this cast, do you think there are things you’ve learned about yourself, as an actor, that you can carry with you for whatever future work you do?

Mariana: I certainly hope so. I just try to steal as much as I can. Steal from the best. I think that’s good advice. Working on a show, in a collaborative way, I’ve learned so much and I’m excited to take that with me to the next projects, absolutely.

IESB: How are the fangs to wear? Was it difficult to learn how to talk normally with them?

Mariana: It was. I actually just shot a scene where I had my fangs in and a big speech that had about 25 S’s, and I made it out okay, but they take some getting used to, for sure. The S’s are the most challenging consonant. My speech was this evil, angsty speech full of S’s and one mistake makes it ridiculous. You sound like a 6-year-old with a speech impediment. It’s silly. You have to get a lot of practice in, so sometimes we wear our fangs around set, before a scene, just to get used to them and practice speaking with them.

IESB: Had you been a fan of the vampire genre, prior to doing this show?

Mariana: I wouldn’t say that I was a huge vampire fanatic, but I was a big Buffy fan. I loved Buffy. And, I’ve always been a fan of Bram Stoker’s original Dracula. I don’t think vampires are going away, anytime soon. Since they first showed up on the scene, centuries ago, they’ve been wildly popular, but it does seem to be in cycles. I don’t know why they’re so popular right now, but it really is a fascinating phenomenon. I don’t know if it’s because, right now, people are really looking for an escape into fantasy.

I really do understand the appeal of vampires. They’re dangerous, they’re dark and they’re sexy, but to me, they’re so fascinating as a supernatural creature because, even though they have these great powers, they’re able to retain their intelligence, their memories and their humor. That is what makes them so much sexier than a werewolf or a zombie. They have their minds, and very sharply so. That’s my theory.

IESB: What’s been the most enjoyable thing about working on the show, and what’s been the most challenging aspect of it?

Mariana: The most enjoyable thing is the people that I’m working with. I’m just so happy, every day that I go to set. It’s incredible, and they make it all worthwhile. A close second to that would be my wardrobe. I get to wear the best clothes. And, my hair and make-up is great. This character is a dream to play.

The most challenging thing is to keep it a secret from people. Everybody wants to know the secrets, and it’s really hard to keep it in. But, it’s fun to have that surprise. I hate it when people ruin the surprise for me.

IESB: What sort of fan reaction do you get, playing this type of character? Do you find that people are ever afraid to talk to you?

Mariana: I don’t know if they’re afraid to talk to me. I guess I wouldn’t know. I do have people come up to me and everyone has been extremely lovely, but I do have the experience of, when people talk to me or spend a little time with me, they always make the comment, about five minutes in, “Wow, you’re so nice. You’re nothing like your character.” It’s funny, but it does worry me a bit that people don’t realize that I’m an actress and I’m really not that evil. But, it’s fun. Everybody who’s come up to me has been really lovely. They love the show, and it’s amazing to be a part of something that so many people are excited by.

IESB: What’s it like to go from having this dream of being an actor to being able to get all glamorous and attend the SAG Awards? Was that a surreal experience for you?

Mariana: It was completely surreal and so much fun. I took my brother with me and we had a ball. I was pinching myself the whole time. I really just tried to be as present as I could and enjoy it, and not get too caught up in it. In this business, there are so many ups and downs. Even though I got to quit my restaurant job and I’m working on a great show, you never know what’s around the corner. I’m trying to be very grateful and just enjoy everything.

IESB: What is No God, No Master about?

Mariana: That is an independent film I did over the break, and it’s based on true events that took place in New York in 1919. It’s about a group of anarchists who set off a bunch of bombs, strategically placed around the city. These events started the Red Scare that then followed for decades. The main character, played by David Strathairn, is a government agent assigned to investigate this group of anarchists and arrest them and bring them in. In his investigation, he discovers a whole government conspiracy going on. It’s a really fascinating story and it’s all true. I had no idea of any of these events.

IESB: Who do you play in that?

Mariana: My character is a serious woman who is somehow associated with the anarchists, but you don’t know to what extent. You don’t really know where her loyalties lie. It was one of those really fun characters to play, where you know everything, but you’re not talking. It’s kind of Deep Throat-ish. It was great, and I just love being in period costumes. David Strathairn was just an absolute dream to work with.

IESB: If the attention that you receive for being a part of True Blood leads to more film or television work for you, have you given any thought as to what you’d like to do?

Mariana: I would love to do comedy somewhere. I seem to only get cast in heavier dramas, which I’m not complaining about. I’m more than happy to do those, and I’m more than happy to play the villain, but it might be nice to play the other side too, so that people don’t always think I’m horrible. I love to switch things up and play the complete opposite. So, if in my next project, I’m playing a wounded, vulnerable and completely un-glamorous character, I would love that. I would love to be the anti-thesis of a sexy, powerful vampire. It’s good to keep yourself professionally challenged.

TRUE BLOOD returns to HBO for Season 3 on June 13th