True Blood - Interview with Courtney Ford

How did you get involved with True Blood? What was your auditioning process like?
COURTNEY FORD: I auditioned for Season 2, for Daphne, the shape-shifter. And then, I auditioned for Season 3, for Debbie Pelt. The feedback was, “Oh, we really like her, but we really want Joe Manganiello and he’s 6’5″. That will be a foot height difference, and that’s just not going to work out.” That was heartbreaking because I was such a huge fan of the show. I never missed an episode. And then, I got an opportunity to audition for Season 4, for Portia Bellefleur, and that was it. I met with them once. I went in and casting was there and Alan Ball was there, and then I went to my car and right when I got home, I got the call that I got the role.

Having auditioned for the show twice in the past, how did you not get discouraged about going back again?
FORD: You can’t. If I let myself get discouraged about anything, I would have stopped a long time ago. I almost did, actually. Talk about being discouraged, after hustling all those years, I almost stopped right before Dexter. I hadn’t seen the show and I thought, “I don’t really want to do this anymore,” but they said, “Oh, it’s a recurring role, you should go out on it.” So, I went over and it was for producers, and Clyde Phillips was there. I went in and did it, and I didn’t think I was going to get it at all, but I ended up getting the role. That was crazy. And then, that changed the trajectory of my career and it changed my plans.

Source: Full Interview @ Collider