True Blood hottie Alex Skargard is one of the cover models for this month’s BlackBook Magazine, along with his ex girlfriend, Kate Bosworth, who is on a separate cover for the same month. They’re both promoting Straw Dogs, a remake of 1971 Dustin Hoffman film about a woman who returns to her country roots and is confronted by the angry ex boyfriend she left behind. BlackBook has put Alex’s interview online, and he comes across as just as thoughtful and well spoken as he always does. He really seems like a decent well-rounded guy and he’s even very gracious and sadly a little reserved when he’s talking about Bosworth. He doesn’t get into their now-over relationship at all, and just praises her as an actress and says he doesn’t want to reveal too much of his personal life. It sounds like they didn’t get together as a couple until after filming wrapped.

There’s plenty more in the article (along with some mild spoilers for upcoming True Blood episodes, so beware) and here are the highlights:

On the rape scene in Straw Dogs (spoilers)
The rape scene, which caused a stentorian uproar when the original Straw Dogs first screened four decades ago, is no less difficult to watch in the remake. After violating Amy, whose mix of pleasure and pain while being assaulted lends the scene a layer of uncomfortable ambiguity, Charlie sits back and watches as one his hulking cronies follows suit. “It f’ing breaks his heart, watching her get raped by someone else,” says Skarsgård, the gaze of his piercing greenish-blue eyes difficult to match in this moment. “It’s not like he ever says, ‘Yeah, f&#k her!’ In a way, he feels like she’s his territory. He thinks, ‘You’re my woman. I offered to protect you for the rest of my life, but you didn’t want that, did you? If you don’t feel this passion, this real thing we share, then fine, you’re on your own.’ It’s definitely more complicated than him f’ing her because he can’t have her.”

On Kate Bosworth
The set of Straw Dogs, the production of which Skarsgård admits was “exhausting on an emotional level,” seems an unlikely place for romance to blossom—nonetheless, it’s where he met Bosworth, whom he dated for two years until they broke up in July. “Kate is such a great actress, and she’s so much more than a good-looking Hollywood starlet. We were just really good friends at the time,” says Skarsgård, who lives on his own in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills. “But we shared a really special experience on that film.” (Although I didn’t know it at the time, Skarsgård was safeguarding a secret—the dissolution of his relationship with Bosworth had yet to become public fodder—which partly explains why our easy banter atrophied into guarded responses so quickly when the subject was broached. It didn’t last long. A downright neighborly guy, he generously explained, “I make it a rule not to talk about myself and Kate. I so desperately try to keep my private life out of the tabloids because becoming a celebrity rather than an actor can really get in the way of a good performance.”)

On his Melancholia director, Lars Von Trier, getting banned from Cannes
Unfortunately, Von Trier’s knack for eliciting career-topping performances from his actors was overshadowed when he uttered three little words during a press conference at Cannes: “I understand Hitler.” Shaking his head at the foolishness of it all, Skarsgård says, “Lars isn’t a racist, but he likes to provoke people. It’s almost like he has Tourette’s. If he’d been drunk and yelled it at someone—if it had felt genuine—that would be one thing, but it’s just bullshit he says because he’s trying to be funny. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, and it definitely didn’t this time.”

Stephen Moyer acts like he’s giving Skars a beej
Before the cameras begin rolling, Skarsgård walks up to his mark in the center of the room, Moyer kneels in front of him—his character is picking something up off the ground when the shot begins—and the director watches them from his chair in front of a camera monitor. While waiting in their places, Skarsgård looks down at his costar and says dryly, “It looks like he’s sucking me off,” to which Moyer responds by bobbing his head vigorously. Skarsgård closes his eyes and starts moaning with the intensity of a slash-fiction hero, after which Moyer stands up and wipes imaginary fluids from his mouth with the back of his hand. He scans the crowd and after taking a slight bow says, “And the Emmy goes to… ” A crew member whispers to no one in particular, “Now that’s what I call ‘Action.’”

He’s nice to fans, but won’t bite them
Later that night, the fourth season of True Blood officially wrapped, Skarsgård returns home to shower before meeting me at the Hollywood Roosevelt for a burger and a few ice-cold bottles of IPA. Over two hours, he draws more than a few glances from a group of Australian tourists and even from social gadfly Rumer Willis, the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. “It’s you, Eric, isn’t it?” says one particularly guileless man, as if testing the waters before introducing Skarsgård to his wife. “Would you please take a picture with her?” He graciously obliges, wrapping his arm around the woman’s waist and smiling for the camera. “Would you… bite her?” This he does not oblige. When the couple retreats back to a far corner of the restaurant, Skarsgård says, “That’s one thing I’ll never really understand. But the main reason I don’t ever do it is because if I do it just once, every single person will be like, ‘Bite me! Bite me! Bite me!’”

[From Blackbook via ONTD]

Whenever I read or see an interview with this guy my crush is renewed. He’s not just playing some Hollywood game, he really does seem like he’s striving for normalcy and like he’s genuinely nice. The article has a little more on his thoughs on L.A. and the paparazzi. He says that “LA is such a one-trick pony—80% of the people here talk exclusively about managers and agents,” and that being photographed when he’s out seems “strange, and I want it to be strange—I don’t ever want to feel like that’s normal.” At least he’s willing to pose for photos like these, where we get to see him wear the hell out of suit and stare into our souls with those piercing blue eyes. They could have mixed up the poses for him a little more, though. These look too homogeneous in that he’s making the same intense face in every shot.

Straw Dogs is out in the US on September 16th. I’m still waiting to see how Alex and Kate handle the red carpet together, but you know he’ll be game for posing with her. He’s just that kind of guy.

Photos via Blackbook. Note that their site does not appear properly on Google Chrome.

When Alexander Skarsgard and Kate Bosworth split up last month, I think most of us believed the reports that Alex did the dumping, and that Bosworth was still trying to cling to him. Even before the split announcement, Alex was at Comic-Con, and he was reportedly enjoying the company of ladies (ladies who eat). Then, just days after the official split, Kate stepped out with a “mystery man” at the Marmont. It seemed like she just wanted to be photographed with a dude, just so she could look “over it” and possibly make Alex jealous, I guess. Then Kate went to a Coldplay concert with the same dude, now identified as director Michael Polish. All in all, Kate seems to want to look “over it” and like she’s “moved on”. I don’t know if I believe it, but I hope it’s true. What I don’t believe, however, is this story in the Enquirer. It sounds like it was written by… I don’t even know. Not Kate’s publicist? Like, Kate herself. This Kate’s “LOOK AT ME!” move I think – basically saying that she screwed around on Skarsgard and she did the dumping and she’s already so over it and Alex is the one who can’t let go.

Alexander Skarsgard is still feeling the bite over his failed two-year-relationship with Kate Bosworth. Alexander, who planned on proposing to Kate Bosworth and even took her to Sweden to meet his family, is taking the breakup especially hard since Kate’s already gone public with the man she dumped him for, say sources.

Alex was “blind-sided” over the Fourth of July weekend when Kate told him she wanted to “see other people,” said a source. “They had been living together and he really thought it was going to lead to marriage.”

But Alexander was dealt a double blow when he learned that Kate was already involved with Michael Polish, the director of her latest movie, Big Sur.

“She worked on ‘Big Sur’ during the spring, and Alexander reasoned that she was seeing Michael behind his back long before she called it quits on the relationship,” the source explained. “Alexander is one of the nicest guys around, and it’s been driving him crazy to see Kate already flaunting her relationship with Michael in public.”

Meanwhile, Skarsgard is staying with a friend in LA and trying to regroup.

“Alexander is considered on Hollywood’s handsomest and most eligible bachelors and could have any pick of any number of beauties… but right now he’s licking his wounds and keeping to himself.”

[From The Enquirer, print edition]

Does anyone else find the idea of Alex licking anything sexy? I want to watch him eat an ice cream cone.

Okay, so do I believe any of this? My opinion of Bosworth is so low, I could buy that screwed around on Alex. But the way Alex has acted after the breakup… it just seems like he’s the one who has moved on. He’s fine. He seems happier without the 80-pound albatross.

Oh, and it’s Alex’s birthday today! Happy b-day, you big hunk of Swedish meatball.

Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News, Fame & WENN.

Whenever we run photos of Alex Skarsgard, there are always a few of you who say he doesn’t do it for you. That’s fine, you know, it takes all kinds and that just means there’s more to go around for the rest of us. I personally don’t get the Fassbender love that Kaiser and Bedhead have. I mean I wouldn’t kick him out of bed or anything but he’s not my type. That’s part of the reason I’m surprised that Kaiser has so much love for Alex Skarsgard. He’s not her type, I wouldn’t think, in that he’s so angelically lovely. (She likes ‘em a little rough around the edges.) The guy is perfection on a tall perfectly toned… stick.

So here we have Alex for German GQ Style’s Fall/Winter issue and in September’s InStyle adding so much joy and meaning to hump day. He does look like a typically gorgeous male model, but to me he’s also a man of substance. Yes I’m overstating my case, but he just seems so nice, normal and humble in interviews. He does have poor taste in women, so we know he’s not perfect.

Skars is blowing up the newsstand this coming month. He’s also on the covers of Wonderland (along with Kiki Dunst) and Blackbook (along with his ex and upcoming co-star, Kate Bosworth.) I doubt that his parts in Straw Dogs or that Battleship movie are going to be breakout roles for him, but it’s still nice to see him get so much exposure. He’s a talented actor and oh-so-easy on the eyes.

[some photos via ONTD]

When Alex Skarsgard is out and about, he’s usually dressed in clingy black and grey t-shirts and working the hell out of a pair of jeans. He has a casual uniform, and it really works for him, so it’s cute to see him dressed in character in this dorky loose red pocked T with some skinny jeans and Chucks. Alex is in New York city filming What Maisie Knew, where he plays the stepfather to a little girl caught in a custody battle between her parents, played by Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan. We’ve already seen some photos of him looking very engaged with his child co-stars in the film, and here he is playing what looks like a game of hide and seek. I would assume that they’re just filming his part and will add in scenes from his little co-star later. Either that or his character is interacting with someone who is watching from a window nearby. He’s just adorable and I love his facial expresssions.

Spoilers for past True Bloods
As we’ve seen on True Blood, Alex is a talented actor. I like him when he’s being compelled by the witches and I think he’s convincing as both conniving ruthless Eric and hapless “hold me” Eric. Many of you disagree and want powerful Eric back. True Blood is getting very good in my opinion. I’m not even as annoyed by all the side plotlines as I used to be. I actually loved the way they wrapped up that issue with Arlene’s baby (mostly because the guy who plays Lafayette, Nelsan Ellis, is also an incredible actor) and find the werewolf stuff promising. I absolutely love Jessica and Jason together, and only wish that scene with them in the pickup would have last much longer. They’re way hotter together than Sookie and Eric. In terms of what I’m not enjoying, that Sookie threesome dream was pretty stupid. Ball does way too many dream sequences, and I remember finding the dream sequences in Six Feet Under to be asinine as well. There are only three more episodes of True Blood left this season, but we can be assured that there will be more to come since the show been renewed.

In terms of Alex’s other projects, that dumb-looking movie he did with his gratefully now ex-girlfriend, Kate Bosworth, Straw Dogs, is coming out on September 16th. Everyone will be watching to see how Kate and Alex handle the press circuit and red carpet. There’s some controversy over the fact that Alex’s character is being billed as sexy in the promotion for the film. Here’s a link to a story that explains why.

photo credit: Girlie/Fame Pictures

Alexander Skarsgard is still shooting What Maisie Knew, which I hope gets a title change, because every time I hear it I think “ugh.” Anyway, Alex is still teaming up with this young child actress, whose name I still don’t know. She’s not identified by the photo agency, and IMDB doesn’t have the actress’s name up yet! I’m assuming the kid is playing “Maisie” – the little girl at the center of a custody battle between her parents, played by Julianne Moore and…? Steve Coogan, maybe. I was just informed that Alex plays Maisie’s step-father, Julianne Moore’s new husband in the film. Which… is still bizarre casting, in my opinion.

Considering he’s probably playing older than his real age, I’m assuming that’s why his styling is kind of gross…? Because his hair looks awful. And his clothes don’t fit. I do think it’s super-cute that he’s so connected to the child actors, though. Skarsgard was a child actor himself, and my guess is that he’s especially in tune to making a film set fun and interesting for kids.

There’s video from the other day, when Skarsgard was playing with the young girl in between takes and set-ups. The girl totally adores him, and she’s quite happy to use him as a jungle gym. HIS ARMS in this video. Hot. Hotter than whatever is happening to his hair.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

This week’s issue of Star ups the ante on the tabloid’s previous “entitled diva” reports concerning Stephen Moyer’s behavior on the set of “True Blood.” However, the latest rumors are getting far too personal because they concern Moyer’s jealousy of the obscenely steamy sex scenes between his real-life wife, Anna Paquin, and co-star Alexander Skarsgard. Of course, this story could be entirely made-up because it ties in so nicely with the fact that Alex recently split with girlfriend Kate Bosworth. Regardless, Star maintains that the tensions are affecting the hit HBO show (which has just been renewed for a fifth season) to such a degree that Paquin has been forced to run interference:

The steamy nude love scenes between True Blood‘s Anna Paquin and Alexander Skarsgard during the show’s fouth season have set pulses racing. But the couple’s chemistry had Stephen Moyer, their costar — and Anna’s real-life spouse — boiling! He flipped out several times, an insider tells Star, because he felt Anna was way too enthusiastic about fooling around with Alex, who is fresh off a split form Kate Bosworth.

“Anna is very secure in her sexuality,” the insider explains. “She threw herself into her love scenes with Alex, and they’re really hot. He was clearly turned on — and Stephen was not amused, to put it mildly.” Things became so tense between the show’s male leads, adds the insider, that creator Alan Ball even jokingly threatened to make them “hug it out”!

Anna, 29, was truly surprised by Stephen’s reaction, the insider says. “I think everyone was caught off guard. There has been nothing but friendship between the three of them until now, and there’s always been lots of sex on the show.”

To soothe her husband of one year, Anna began doing double duty on set. “Between scenes, she seemed to make a point of walking over to him to whisper something in his ear or grab a quick kiss,” says the insider.

Fortunately, Stephen, 41, and Alex, 34, have been able to move past the awkwardness — for the most part. “Anna is hugely relieved,” says the insider. “She says that a large part of True Blood‘s appeal to viewers is, well, the hot sex. If Stephen kept taking her scenes with Alex personally, his jealousy could take down the entire show.”

[From Star, print edition, August 22, 2010]

I wonder if this is true or not; but if so, Moyer’s just going to have to learn to deal with watching Skarsgard sex up his wife because, you know, it’s part of the job. Besides, it’s not like Paquin doesn’t have to deal with Moyer’s love scenes with other women on the same set as well, right? Granted, “True Blood” sex scenes are much more intense than the average television sex scene; but still, suck it up, dude.

Meanwhile, Alex was snapped looking all lanky and sultry in New York City this week. Honestly, a man should need a permit to stand like this:

And just yesterday, here Alex is on the set of his new film, What Maisie Knew, in NYC as well. Lucky Manhattan.

UPDATE: Denials from both men have already arrived! Moyer, who apparenly is not a jealous man, has already proclaimed, “Ha, ha. I have also had hot love scenes with others so it is something we have to deal with. It is part of the job so it is ok. I am actually happy that it is with Alex since I like him so much.” Alex has also chimed in with “I know he doesn’t see me as a potential threat, and it’s really not uncomfortable at all.” So yeah, this is merely more fabricated drama from Star.

Photos courtesy of WENN, PCN, and Fame

Here are some new photos of Kate Bosworth having dinner with a “mystery man” at the Chateau Marmont last night. Because the Marmont is so private, and because there weren’t twenty-million paparazzi waiting outside because Lady Gaga is in town and staying there. Because The Bos and Alex Skarsgard just announced their split this week and maybe The Bos wants to look like she’s “moving on” with a “mystery man”. As for the mystery dude, he looks somewhat familiar to me, but I haven’t been able to place him. I feel like I’ve seen him in other photos of celebrities, like he’s a professional (gay?) BFF. He’s giving me a Benjamin Millepied vibe. Right? So, it’s clear then: The Bos is moving on, she wants to be seen with other guys. Also: CB really likes The Bos’s outfit here. The dress is pretty, sure, but I swear that The Bos has lost even more weight since the last time I saw her. It’s just… ugh.

As for the Skarsgard-Bosworth split (because that what this is really about), LaineyGossip’s source says that Skarsgard told Bosworth that “he was done and she tried to accept that and still can’t.” As opposed to the Us Weekly version, which was basically that the split was “mutual.” Oh, and People Magazine even called Skars and Bos out, saying that the split happened “a while ago.” Oh, and if you want to see photos of the brunette chick that Alex went home with during Comic-Con, go here to Lainey. The girl has great skin.

Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News.

FINALLY! After two years together, Alex Skarsgard and Kate Bosworth are finally done, Us Weekly is reporting. This explains why The Bos hasn’t been rubbing her bones on Alex in public recently, and it also explains why there were reports of Alex getting flirty and friendly with various chicas during Comic-Con. The Bos lost her grip on him!

Guess it wasn’t true love! After nearly two years together, True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard and 21 actress Kate Bosworth have called it quits, Us Weekly has confirmed exclusively.

“It was very mutual,” a source tells the new issue of Us (on newsstands Wednesday). “And it happened a while ago.”

While Bosworth, 28, was photographed giving her ex, Orlando Bloom (now married to Miranda Kerr) a friendly hug on July 7, her Straw Dogs costar Skarsgard has been embracing his freedom.

During a July 21 Film District bash at Comic-Con in San Diego, the actor, 34, flirted with a brunette — and left the party with her.

“He’s single,” confirms a source, “and he is loving the attention!”

[From Us Weekly]

Here’s the question, though: Did The Bos do permanent damage to Alex’s reputation? What I mean is… would you be able to hook up with him knowing that he and The Bos were together for TWO YEARS? I’m not sure if I would be able to. I think less of him because he was with her and her incessant famewhore hustling for so long.

Here’s another thought – I think they might have just been trying to stick it out through the promotion of their film Straw Dogs, which comes out in September. Remember, this is the film where they met each other – that’s how long the film was languishing, waiting for a release date – more than two years. So, basically, the red carpets should be super-fun.

Photos courtesy of PCN & WENN.

Anna Paquin worked a very tight, very short v-neck red dress with zippers up the side at the Comic-Con panel for True Blood on Friday. She looked great and I wish she would get it right like this on the red carpet. Maybe she should have thought twice before crouching down though.

The True Blood Comic-Con panel was large and featured nine of the lead actors including creator Alan Ball, Kristin Bauer (Pam), Alexander Skarsgard (Eric), Kevin Alejandro (Jesus), Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette), Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica), Ryan Kwanten (Jason), Rutina Wesley (Tara), Stephen Moyer (Bill) and Anna Paquin (Sookie.) You can watch the Comic-Con True Blood session in five parts on YouTube and here are some of the better excerpts, with more at the source.

Potential Spoilers

How do you feel about Sookie losing her innocence?
Anne Paquin: There is part of here that is sweet and innocent, and another part that has very dirty vampire sex with possibly multiple vampires.

Since the memory erasing incident, we’ve seen a lighter Eric. Do you like playing him?
Alexander Skarsgard: Yes

Why does he forget to wear shirts? And what’s with that outfit he wears?
Skarsgard: Sookie finds me in the woods. And when she finds me, she dresses me. It’s something she found at her house. Where did that come from, Alan?
Ball: If you translate the spell, it will say “You will lose your shirt, but find a dorky outfit that you will wear for several episodes but still be insanely hot.”

First you have weird head-twisting sex, than you have sex with your great, great, great granddaughter. What’s up with that?
Moyer: If Bill did a little work at the library, she could have figured out who she was. They will see each other again, but Bill has bigger fish to fry.

Is Lafayette along for the ride with the witches because of Angel, or does he believe?
Nelsan Ellis: He loves the dude. He didn’t want to step out into the supernatural.

Tara’s transformation from victim to kicking ass and taking no prisons. What do you think of the evolution to lesbian cage fighter?
Rutine Wesley: I love MMA. I think Tara was sideswiped by love and didn’t know what happened. I think it’s awesome that she’s happy and smiling.

Ryan, tell us about being strapped to the bed and ritualistically raped?
Ryan Kwanten: It’s interesting for an actor when all you have to use is your face, especially for Jason who is a physical type of guy. It’s strange for him, especially being called “Ghost Daddy.”

We all know what happens when a person drinks vamp blood, so what will happen when Jason drinks Jessica’s blood?
Deborah Ann Woll: We all know what happens, but it’s more interesting on what happens when it wears off.

What do you think of Pam’s “face off” with Marnie?
Kristin Bauer van Straten: We work hard to make you squeamish. It’s very physical. I was told to “find the hole in my face and push up.” Only on “True Blood” will you get that kind of direction.

Will Eric remember what happened with Sookie?
Alan Ball: That moment if it comes, if you know it is coming, it won’t be as good. So, maybe.

Bill and Sookie be together again?
Anna Paquin: It will be a complicated road back. It’s impossible for me to call that one.
Moyer: There are only so many telepathic waitresses in town. It’s not like I can just move on to the next one.

What is up with creepy baby doll and Arlene’s baby?
Moyer: I was with Alan when he looked at the set for Jessica and Hoyt’s house, and he said, “This is a great place for that baby to be born. There is something not right about that baby.”

Will fans get the infamous “shower scene” from the books?
Ball: There will be a moment where Sookie and Eric are in a shower. It won’t be exactly like the books. It might be weirder and dirtier.

What are your favorite moments of this season?:
Ball: I like the ritualistic rape of Jason Stackhouse
Kwanten: Me too. It was a bizarre sense of therapy.
Wesley: The cage fighting
Skarsgard: I enjoyed the swimming in the sun.

[From Showblitz]

Spoilers for last night’s episode of True Blood
Last night’s True Blood was decent but the show has kind of lost its luster for me. It seems to be meandering a lot lately and there are quite a few plot lines that bore me. I’m also kind of tired of the constant dream sequences. The Jason explained to Hoyt how he was systematically raped in Hot Shot was almost as if the writers were trying to justify it. I found that explanation more disturbing than those scenes. It’s telling that Alan Ball says that’s his favorite part of this season. The potential romance between Jason and Jessica is very promising, though. I’m looking forward to that as much as I am to Sookie and Eric finally getting it on.

How drunk do Alex Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer look?

Also, Deborah Ann Woll’s outfit is adorable. She’s so pretty.

Photo credit: WENN.com

Here we have Swedish hottie Alex Skarsgard receiving an honorary arts doctorate from Leeds University in England. I guess we can call him “Doctor” Skarsgard now. Alex, 34, spent six months studying English at Leeds with a friend in 1996 after he completed a service of 18 months in the Swedish military. (He was in an anti-terrorism unit!) He admitted to spending more time partying than studying when he was at Leeds, and in 1997 he headed to New York city to study theater at Marymount Manhattan College.

I can’t confirm whether or not Alex completed his undergraduate degree, but I had a nice time reading through his old interviews trying to figure it out. I particularly enjoyed this transcript of a live chat interview he did with Aftonbladet in 2002. He gamely answered tons of random questions thrown at him by fans, and some of his responses were really funny. Here are some of my favorites:

Bärta says: If you were an animal, which animal would you like to be?
Alexander Skarsgård says: I am an animal.
Vera says: Who do you think is the most beautiful in the world?
Alexander Skarsgård says: I have seen too few to say, I`ll come back to it in 50 years.
Gabbe 22 says: When did you have sex for the first time? Was it perfect?
Alexander Skarsgård says: For me, yes. For her, no.
domicq says: What kind of bad habits do you have?
Alexander Skarsgård says: I drive too fast.
Camilla says: Is it possible to be a little unfaithful?
Alexander Skarsgård says: Yes, and one can also be a little evil.
Dlovan says: If you could choose, what would you change in the world?
Alexander Skarsgård says: I would remove a bunch of idiots and put in some angels.

[From Skarsgard News]

One fan asked him “do you weight yourself every morning?” and instead of just saying yes or no, he stated “I weigh 86kg.” That’s 189.5 pounds and he’s 6’4″. I thought his BMI would be lower actually, but there’s so much muscle in there. That was way back in 2002 though, so he may have lost weight since.

Getting back to these adorable pictures, he looks like the new defense against the dark arts teacher at Hogwarts, the one who has all the girls drooling and staring in rapt attention.

Photo credit: WENN.com