Joe Manganiello Debuted on ‘True Blood’ 15 Years Ago: A Tribute to Alcide

Similar to how the supernatural stories of the 2000s, such as Twilight and The Vampire Diaries, introduced vampires but later added werewolves, True Blood followed suit. On June 27, 2010, Joe Manganiello made his first appearance as the sensitive (and incredibly muscular) werewolf Alcide Herveaux, a character that left fans yearning for Sookie Stackhouse to leave Stephen Moyer’s vampire Bill Compton behind and pursue a relationship with Alcide instead. Fans were so enamored with the actor that they felt Sookie should do the same!

Who Was Involved

48-year-old Manganiello began his acting career during college and gained prominence in season 3 of “True Blood” with his portrayal of a flannel-wearing construction worker, which catapulted him to stardom and stirred up turmoil in the fictional town of Bon Temps. Sookie had been involved romantically with Bill, but when he vanished, Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård) enlisted Alcide’s help to locate her vampire beau. Instantly, there was a spark between them. As Manganiello stated last year, “Alcide’s inner character was an excellent – albeit peculiar – fit for Sookie’s, and, not to mention, I can go out during the day!

Why We Remember It

On Stackveaux, the chemistry was extraordinarily intense – a bold claim given that the show was known for its characters’ constant, unabashed ogling of one another. Despite True Blood’s consistently steamy cast, Alexander Skarsgard’s physique stood out as particularly mesmerizing. As he himself admitted, “I was at the gym, working out twice a day, six days a week, with a trainer.

Key Details

Initially, Manganiello wasn’t expected to continue on the successful HBO series beyond his first season; however, due to the immense popularity of his character, the writers chose to retain him. Notably, author Charlaine Harris, who penned the novels that inspired the show, also supported his role. As Manganiello humorously put it once, “She was like, ‘Oh, the werewolf. Yeah, honey,'” indicating her approval. It seems she was as enthusiastic about his character as well.

The Aftermath

After Alcide didn’t wind up with Sookie or survive, Joe Manganiello’s career soared following the end of True Blood in 2014. The year after, he shone brightly as the golden-hearted male stripper Big Dick Richie in Magic Mike XXL, and he continued to appear in diverse roles such as action films like Justice League (2017) and Rampage (2018). He also acted in Terrence Malick’s 2016 film Knight of Cups. In his personal life, he tied the knot with Sofía Vergara in 2015, making them one of Hollywood’s most popular couples for almost a decade (they separated in 2023).

A New Perspective

Critics often mock “True Blood” for its blend of unusual amounts of intense violence and equally explicit sexual content, but Manganiello remains proud of its history. He once referred to the popular show as a “really wild, eccentric, intelligent” series that “influenced the culture significantly” at the time it was airing – and pointed out that many of its cast members were winners of both Oscar and Tony awards. In 2024, he jokingly remarked that everyone involved in the show was incredibly talented for the roles they played.

Where Is He Now?

Actor Eric Manganiello, who’s now in a relationship with actress Caitlin O’Connor, has been seen lately in Netflix comedy “Nonnas” alongside Vince Vaughn and Lorraine Bracco. He’s also been hosting the reality competition “Deal or No Deal Island” since 2024. Since his character Alcide was less featured in the final episodes of “True Blood”, he’s keen on finding a strong werewolf script. As he humorously mentioned to Andy Cohen last year, “I still have some business left with the werewolf world.

2025-06-27 21:23