T. Lowe: TB News

CL – How did you get involved with tonight’s event?

TL – Kristin asked me. This is the second True Blood associated event that we’ve played; my first we played…Gary Calamar (music director, True Blood) had a show at the Echoplex called “Out For Blood” and we opened for Jace Everett and John Doe. That was with another band I play with called “Pillbilly Knights” (currently on hiatus) and we have a record out; one of our songs is getting a little bit of radio play on some of the satellite stations. Since two of the guys have had babies and the show has taken up a lot of time so the tour we had planned has gone on the backburner and we’ll get back to it. The bass player from PK is playing with us tonight.

CL – Now that your storyline with Arlene is growing, it seems like we’re seeing a lot more of Terry emotionally lately.

TL – Well, Terry has found some normalcy in his life, which is what he wants more than anything. Everything that he saw in the war; the tumultuous tempest that goes on in his head with his PTSD. Now that he has a focus on a good life with a good woman (Terry sees her NO other way) and a family that he’s moved into; this is the best blessing that could ever be for him. He lives a domestic life; he is a caretaker and a bit of a breadwinner. Now, he’s got a good job (well, a solid job) and who knows if he might not have some stuff going on on the side to make a little bit more money.

It’s been great as an actor to grow into that and see “Oh, they’re giving me a little bit more, there’s some stuff I can play other than just enigmatic and damaged; I can be supporting and loving and protective.” It’s been nice and I hope it keeps going!

 

CL – Okay, I GOTTA ask about the nudity and especially the orgy scenes from Season 2…how the hell did you get through those with a straight face?

TL – Well, there’s no eroticism to them at all – especially on that orgy stuff. It was 38 degrees in a canyon in Calabasas and if anything, we were “humping” together to keep warm. Hahaha!

CL – A lot of my girl and gay friends find Terry so endearing because no matter what Arlene does or says, he still loves her. Even when cousin Andy’s mean to Terry, he accepts and loves Andy all the same. So…how many marriage proposals do you get from season to season?

TL – Not as much as I’d like, haha! That’s good information to hear and hopefully if I do get into shape there’ll be a reveal…but the fan response is always nice! It’s always flattering when someone comes up to you and tells you they enjoy your work and I take the time to talk to people for a second. I feel blessed to be in this.

CL – Who did you talk to when researching effects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)?

TL – I’ve talked to a few soldiers and I have some relatives that I’ve drawn off of. The interesting thing about Terry is that in the books he’s written as a Vietnam veteran and in our show, we made him from the Iraqi War. With the Vietnam veterans, there was a draft; so there was a little bit more pathos that comes with somebody who was drafted and had to go over there against their will, whereas people in the Iraqi War were enlisted men and CHOSE to enlist (enlisted men and women). I’m not saying it’s a tougher experience either way but I think Charlaine Harris wrote him as almost this sad vet, “will work for food” kind of guy, and the writing staff and me have made him a little stronger than that; he’s empowered.

CL – Speaking of Miss Charlaine, how has she reacted to your interpretation of Terry?

TL – The first time I met her, we were shooting season 1 on location outside of Shreveport (Louisiana)…it was the scene where Andy and I were on a boat and a naked Sam runs by and I’ve said “I’ve done that before”. She was in a make-up chair next to me and was getting ready to do this interview, and I said “Hi, I’m Todd. I bet you don’t know who I’m playing.” and she said “Oh, no, dear. Help me out.” I said “Well, I’m about 25-30 years younger than what you wrote, but I’m playing Terry Bellefleur” and she hadn’t known that and she said “Oh, okay” – I didn’t know how she felt about it but since then she’s come up to me and grabbed my hands and said “We all love you and you’re doing a wonderful job with the character!” and it’s nice to get that kind of blessing from the writer of the source material.

CL – Some directors will sometimes do a ‘Freaky Friday’ type of rehearsal where they’ll say “switch roles”…if that happened in an episode; who would you want to play?

TL – Well, Jason Stackhouse seems like a pretty fun role to play and Lafayette would be a lot of fun; he gets to do so much! I couldn’t do it NEAR as well as he (Nelsan Ellis) does and I don’t even want to infringe on the job that everyone else does but the funnest parts I think would be Jason or Lafayette.

CL – Why the hell does Terry let Mikey (the kid) play with that nasty old doll?

TL – (laughs) Well, it’s sturdy and that was my line – “Well, he can’t tear this thing up” and he kinda looks past those kind of things. And y’know, boys will be boys; yeah the thing looks dirty and it’s old and charming…but I think mostly because it’s sturdy and he can’t really tear the head off it.