'Buffy's James Marsters auditioned for Eric Northman on 'True Blood'
Published May 29 2012, 06:33 BST | By Tara Fowler
James Marsters has revealed that he auditioned to play Eric Northman on True Blood.The actor, who portrayed blonde vampire Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, confessed that he was rejected for the role on the HBO series because he was too short.
© PA Images
© HBO
"I wanted to go to the director and say, 'Uh, Mr. [Alan] Ball, I kind of make my bread and butter by fighting tall guys'," Marsters said while speaking at the Spooky Empire horror weekend.
"Ask Tom Welling [Smallville], ask David Boreanaz [Angel], ask John Barrowman [Torchwood], you know?" he added. "That's kind of what I do."
The role of Eric ultimately went to Alexander Skarsgård.
Skarsgård recently expressed an interest in playing Fifty Shades of Grey protagonist Christian Grey.
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Watch James Marsters talk about auditioning for True Blood below:
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Alexander IS Eric. Simples! <3
June 7th 2012 at 12:48pm
James is still as hot as ever - no, better than ever! He should have been cast as some character - because, frankly, he can do anything.
May 29th 2012 at 7:17pm(+1 like)
Um he never said he auditioned for Eric; he said he auditioned last year to play a vampire that would be fighting oppostie Eric and that's why he was rejected; because Ball thought he wasn't tall enough to fight Eric/'Alexander. It's in the video posted.
May 29th 2012 at 6:39pm(+2 likes)
oops my bad. i just watched and you are correct. DS has printed "James Marsters has revealed that he auditioned to play Eric Northman on True Blood." FAIL!
May 31st 2012 at 4:01am
nah i prefer alex as eric but james should get a part to play a different character, preferably not a vampire to avoid spike comparisons. maybe a shape shifter or a new love interest for lafayette. :)
May 29th 2012 at 4:44pm
They should have given him something though, it would have been great
May 29th 2012 at 2:58pm(+2 likes)