True Blood's Denis O'Hare on Villainous Monologues, Love Scenes, and That Rolling Stone Cover

Now I know we haven't seen it yet, but it's been rumored that you have an intimate scene coming up with Michael Steger from 90210. I can only imagine what Russell's mindset would be going into a love scene right now.

He's in a place of real grief. He's looking for Talbot again, and I think he's looking for anybody who looks like or feels like Talbot, in some desperate attempt to recapture that and recreate it.

Did you know when you signed on that you'd eventually have a sex scene?

We definitely know. When I did my contract, I got a little thing called a nudity rider. I said, "Oh?" and they said, "Everyone signs one." They don't want to negotiate with you later, they want it all taken care of up front. So it wasn't a complete surprise. I didn't think it would happen to me, because I'm not one of these young kids. But I'm in bed in the scene, I'm not totally nude. I'm "mostly unclothed."

You were the only one who wasn't naked in Take Me Out, so I feel like you're due.

Exactly, it's like revenge. The scene is "post-coital," let's put it that way. We get the aftermath, we don't get the actual event.

What's up with Russell's arranged marriage to Sophie-Anne now that Russell's on the warpath?

Again, I think that's what's funny about everyone on the show: You may start with a certain intention or goal, but you get knocked sideways by events. Where Russell thought he was going is not where he ends up, because events intervene. The death of Talbot and the death of the Magister are two massive, unforeseen circumstances that knock him for a loop and throw him off course.

I always hear the True Blood table reads are amazing, since the cast is so sprawling that it's often the only time you get to see everyone. Who haven't you worked with that you wanted to?

Oh God, I never got to work with Nelsan [Ellis], who plays Lafayette. I never got to work with Sam Trammell, and I love him and would love to play with him. Never got to work with Ryan Kwanten, who plays Jason, or Carrie Preston or Chris Bauer. You can't have everything, but I was hoping they would all end up at my mansion. For a while, everyone was ending up at my mansion: Eric came to my mansion, Franklin came to my mansion, Alcide came to my mansion, Debbie came to my mansion, I got Bill and Sookie there... I was like, "Everyone, come by my mansion!"

What can you tell me about The Eagle, the Kevin MacDonald war film you're in next year?

I play the commander of a Roman legion in England in 180 A.D., and Channing Tatum comes into my regiment and takes over. I end up a mentor to him in the first part of the movie, and then he goes off and searches for his missing father. it's a very intelligent movie. Jamie Bell is also in it, and he's a fantastic actor. I'm very excited to see it, because I think Kevin MacDonald makes very interesting, quality movies.

Between that and True Blood, you've no doubt worn some interesting costumes.

I have! I got to wear the full Roman gear in Eagle. I had the underleggings and another weird shift and I wore a leather skirt and a leather breastplate on top of that. At one point, I had a metal breastplate and a sword and a massive centurion hat. It was pretty killer.

Denis, you already have a Tony, and I would fall over shocked if you weren't nominated for a guest actor Emmy on True Blood.

Oh dear.

Is it starting to give you aspirations of going for the EGOT?

You know, I try to be modest and I try to stay humble. While I would seriously love that, I'm going to leave that to other people and continue to do my work. [Laughs]

[Lead Photo Credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images]

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