True Blood actor gets the ‘impulse’ to drink real blood: ‘I just like the way it tastes’

Opening Night After Party for "Of Mice and Men" - Arrivals
First of all, I haven’t yet seen last night’s True Blood, so for the five of you who are still watching it, please don’t put spoilers in the comments. After visiting EW this morning and reading just the headlines I think I figured out what happened in general, though.

This story is about actor Jim Parrack, who plays Hoyt Fortenberry on the show. Hoyt was the last person I’d expect to be a little freaky in real life, but he wants us to believe he is. Parrack told Vulture that he enjoys drinking blood, and not the red-colored corn syrup they’re passing off for blood on the show, literal blood. (His words.) He insinuated that it’s some kind of sex thing, at least that’s what I read into what he said.

Parrack, 33, is engaged to Hunger Games actress Leven Rambin (she played Glimmer, a district one tribute in the first movie) so he’s likely referring to her here.

I actually ran into you back in April at the opening night of your Broadway play Of Mice and Men. It seemed like you were hinting that you’d be doing more True Blood, because when someone asked you what you wanted to drink, you said, “Blood.” So I figured you were being cagey about returning to the show.
Oh! Interesting. No, that’s not what it was. I was being literal. I like the real deal.

Why?
Um, I guess for the same reason some people want alcohol? Or for the same reason some people want, I don’t know … milk? Or Kool-Aid?

Oh, okay. Do you drink blood on a regular basis?
I wouldn’t say regular, no. No, not regular.

Well, how often do you drink blood then?
Uh … [Laughs.] I don’t know. Maybe a couple times a year? It’s more like on an impulse. When you make me spell it out like this, it sounds strange, but I just want to be clear — that night, I was being literal. There was something about that night where I had that impulse. I guess the best way to put it is sometimes I just like the way it tastes.

Are you particular about whose blood it is, or which person, or which animal?
Absolutely. I’m absolutely particular. [Laughs.] It’s not like it’s just anybody’s! That particular night, it was my girl. Yeah.

Okay. For a second, I thought you might have gone to a butcher’s shop and procured pig’s blood or cow’s blood.
No, no. That to me does not sound appealing. No, I don’t mean copious amounts of blood. I’m not getting a glass of it or something. But if you drink it, it does something to you emotionally. It’s hard to describe. It’s kind of like you’re in the moment, and the impulse comes, and … I like it.

[From Vulture via US Weekly]

This reminds me of when Hoyt ordered a True Blood at Merlotte’s. I think he was trying to impress vampire waitress Jessica. That changes my impression of sweet, whitebread Hoyt, which was likely the intention. Maybe Parrack does really do this cutting during sex thing, but if that’s the case why reveal it except to get people talking? I can see how filming True Blood would lead to some kinky sex offscreen, but that should be private.

I checked Parrack and Leven’s Instagram and Twitter accounts and to say they’re active online is an understatement. They recently took a much needed two week sabbatical from social media, during which they announced their engagement. Parrack just got divorced from his wife of six years in June. He’s been with Leven for all of four months. Hope they’re both tested and clean if they’re drinking each other’s blood. Hep-V might not be real but HIV and hepatitis are.

Opening Night After Party for "Of Mice and Men" - Arrivals

Photo credit: WENN.com and Instagram

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43 Responses to “True Blood actor gets the ‘impulse’ to drink real blood: ‘I just like the way it tastes’”

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  1. Lindy79 says:

    LOOK AT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

    • grabbyhands says:

      +1000

      I was just about to post-Translation: True Blood, my only source of income and visibility is about to end and I’m going to be relegated to appearances on third rate TV shows-PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!

      • cr says:

        More precisely: I’ve been off the show for two years, so now that I’m back for the last three episodes, please don’t forget me again!

    • Ag says:

      total stunt/attention whore move.

    • nico says:

      What do you expect from one of James Franco’s best friends?

      • mata says:

        AGH!!!!! Are you serious? He’s a Friend of Franco’s? Well, that tears it. I had no idea, but anything Franco adjacent makes me do a 360 degree eye roll.

      • lunchcoma says:

        Oh goodness. That just says it all.

  2. It is what it is says:

    Gross? Haha

  3. delphi says:

    I’m all for people exercising their sexual freedoms, but as someone who is easily squicked out by the sight of blood (mine or anyone else’s), all I can say is “Daaaang, Hoyt!”

    Gran always said its the quiet ones you have to watch out for…

  4. fairyvexed says:

    He looks like a serial killer.

  5. Jen34 says:

    Bubba needs to shut up.

  6. Lucy2 says:

    Gross.
    I won’t be spoilery, but there was a fantastic scene in last night’s episode that cracked me up.

    • mia girl says:

      It was hilarious. I didn’t expect closure of that storyline, but love that the writers snuck that in. It was perfect.

  7. GiGi says:

    Without giving anything away – I LOVED last night’s ep. It was high camp and it was glorious. My husband and I were both rolling everytime Eric appeared – all backlit and shadowy. Hopefully tomorrow we can talk details?

    • PunkyMomma says:

      I’m with you, GiGi. I’ll wait until tomorrow.

    • M.A.F. says:

      I had most of the episode on mute and every time I turned the sound on I was able to figure out what was going on. I didn’t even finish the episode, sleep seemed like a better idea.

    • FingerBinger says:

      Last night’s episode was meh. The only thing that was even remotely interesting was Eric’s scene with Ginger.

    • Miss M says:

      Try-hard much?! IS he learning from James Franco to get artsy and full of BS?

      He was the main character in Franco’s movie: Child of God (Hard to watch, left the room after half an hour). Prior to that, he was in two other movies with Franco. Now they are together on Broadway… I smell Franco BS all over this interview, lol

  8. Talie says:

    Yeah, these two are in the social media haze of love… they are obsessed with each other. Also, her age seems to change every year — she’s some kind of super rich heiress.

  9. truthSF says:

    Is he still on TB? Didnt he leave the show durihg the 3rd season? I haven’t watched the show since the first few episodes into season 5.

    • eliza says:

      He is on this season.

    • mia girl says:

      Confession #1 – I still watch True Blood. Clearly, I’m loyal/masochistic

      Confession #2 – The Jessica-Hoyt storyline has always been a favorite of mine (maybe because I like Deborah Ann Wool).

      Confession #3 – I saw of Mice and Men. Was surprised to see him in it and actually thought he was really good.

  10. Lis says:

    Weirdo

  11. PixieWitch says:

    Fangbanger.

  12. eliza says:

    Another one who won’t have much of a career once this series is over so I guess he is trying to get all the attention he can before True Blood is forgotten after next week.

    Ooooo, I’m soooo dark and mysterious. Hire me.

  13. mimi says:

    This guy just got divorced in June after only 6 years of marriage and is already engaged after only four months of dating?!!! Yeah, I have high hopes for this marriage. *sarcasm*

    • WayPastMyBedtime says:

      They were already separated in september last year. The divorce thingie just took a while I guess…. But yeah… that still doesn’t look to good for the future 😉

  14. aenflex says:

    I don’t believe the human body can digest blood, it’s toxic. Personally I think it’s disgusting, but whatever. What do I know?

    • Lauraq says:

      Well, lots of people drink it. They consider themselves real life vampires. I don’t know.
      I will be honest that I do enjoy the taste of blood. Only my own though. Ever since I was a kid I would nip at the inside of my mouth until it bled. Or if I cut myself I would just put my mouth over the wound. I don’t actually drink it in large quantities though.

  15. Jaderu says:

    Budget Vincent D’Onofrio

  16. Debutante says:

    Wash your hair fangbanger

  17. InsertNameHere says:

    A friend of mine waited on him when he was filming something in MS…she said he was kinda weird. Nice enough, but wearing flame sunglasses or something and just kind of douchey and Try Hard. She said “definitely a weird theatre/artsy guy”.