True Blood - Interview with Chris Bauer

How did you get involved with the show?
CHRIS BAUER: I had a cup a coffee with Alan Ball, which I so enjoyed. It was an hour and a half of a really great conversation. We talked about theater and writing and, for a few minutes, we talked about his script and critics. I thought, “This guy is so real,” which I always respond to because I like to see myself that way. In my experience, it tends to be a real reflection of someone’s intelligence, confidence and sensitivity when they can just be real. I felt very comfortable with him, and the actor in me always wants to link himself to a leader who’s inspired. At the end of that cup of coffee, he said he’d love for me to do the show and I told him that I would love to do it.

Was there something specific that you had identified with, in regard to the show and the character, or was it gradual, as you got to know who he was?
BAUER: I have gotten to know him gradually, and as I have gotten to know him, that sense of identity has increased. At the same time, I’m not one of those actors who sits around the table and intellectualizing anything, or discusses much of anything. Everything for me is intuitive and instinctive. When I read the pilot script, in the scene that Andy had with Jason (Ryan Kwanten), there was a dynamic present there that I responded to. It’s like a sculptor. There’s an unformed mass, and you just slowly and patiently will it into a certain form. The most gratifying thing about working on True Blood so far is that Andy has taken the form that I hoped he would. That’s exhilarating because I didn’t do this myself. In fact, I probably did the least amount. It’s a staff of several writers, over the course of four seasons, who continue to contribute to the evolution of the character. It’s pretty cool that he has ended up in the place that matches where I always saw him.

Source: Full interview @ Collider