Ever since Max Schreck took on the role of  Count Orlok in the 1922 German Expressionist horror classic Nosferatu, vampires have become an ever-present element in cinematic mythology. While people's fondness for vampires has gone through waves over the decades there's no doubting they're big business in the present day thanks to the Twilight saga. While the big screen is home to many great vampire films such Let The Right One In, Interview With A Vampire, and Stakeland, so too has the small screen had its fair share of terrific vampire related shows. Buffy The Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries are two notable shows that gained a large fan base, but the one most people think of is the amazing True Blood.

Based on The Southern Vampire Mystery novels by author Charlaine Harris, the show revolved around telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse who falls in love with 178-year-old vampire Bill Compton. Living in a world where creatures of the night (vampires, werewolves, fairies) co-exist with humans, the gripping seven season show follows Sookie and Bill's relationship as they interact with a cast of colorful characters against a backdrop of the South.

True Blood was a massive success thanks to its mix of great writing, terrific acting, and seductive storylines, with the show edgy enough to feature bareness and its namesake without going too far. As with any show as creative as True Blood, there are many behind the scenes secrets and events that occurred during it's filming that were kept quiet. Did you know the meat statute seen in season two was actually made of real meat products and cost $500 or that Joe Maganiello got his part in the show because of a blog? There are tons of interesting and dark secrets about True Blood so we've compiled the best 25 for your reading pleasure.

25 Stephen Moyer Directed Anna Paquin's Love Scenes

After meeting on the set of True Blood and playing lovers, life imitated art for Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. The two quickly got engaged, married in 2010, and had twins just two years later. While the two are no doubt in love and still appear to be going strong it must have been tough for Moyer.

Throughout the show, he was forced to direct his wife with other men.

During the latter seasons, Moyer flexed his directorial muscle and shot numerous episodes. As the show is filled with many steamy scenes showing characters together, Moyer often had to film sequences involving Paquin with other cast members. This couldn't have been an easy experience for Moyer or Paquin, but being the professionals they are, the two managed to get through these scenes without it having an effect on their relationship.

24 Carb Free!

Blood is a major part of True Blood and is consumed by many of the shows main characters, but on, in particular,r had dietary requirements meaning standard prop blood just wouldn't do. Prosthetics and make-up expert Dan Rebert let slip Anna Paquin requested carb-free blood for her scenes. Conscientious of her diet and not a big fan of the taste, Paquin refused to have standard fake blood - often a concotion of corn syrup and food colouring - so carb-free blood was created just for her. The carb-free version was said to have less of an aftertaste and was more palatable on the way down. I can totally understand Paquin's reasoning as the audience have no idea how much blood she had to drink during multiple takes over the course of one day. I, for one, certainly wouldn't want to spend a day drinking coloured corn syrup. Yuck.

23 Alexander Skarsgard's Reveals Ryan Kwanten's Talent

True Blood is full of memorable scenes and dialogue but for Aussie actor Ryan Kwanten and Swedish leading man Alexander Skarsgard there's one moment in the series that will forever be remembered by fans. During a blood induced dream Kwanten's Jason Stackhouse finds himself involved in some one-on-one time with Skarsgard's centuries old vampire Eric Northman. The intimate scene has become a fan favourite and was one of the few times the two actors shared the screen.

It appears both actors also enjoyed the experience.

Kwanten is believed to have cited the scene as one of his favourite moments of the show while Skarsgard admitted Kwanten was a good kisser. Speaking with the Fraser Coast Chronicle he said, "He's very tender. You wouldn't think it because he's kind of a tough guy but very soft, gentle, tender touch."

22 That's Real Meat

One of the main plot points of True Blood season two involved a Maenad named Maryann who wanted to find a suitable sacrifice for her God Dionysus and help bring him back to the mortal world. Using her special powers she took hold of the townsfolk in Bon Temps and caused all sorts of havoc. One of the strange things she ordered the common folk to do was build a statute made entirely of meat and vegetables. This is something you'd imagine the props guys would use fake materials to build but showrunner Alan Ball wanted things to be as realistic as possible, so the statute was made out of actual meat products and an assortment of vegetables. The production team spent $500 a day on the statue keeping it fully stocked and security guards were needed to stop wild animals tearing it down during the evenings.

21 Joe Manganiello Owes His True Blood Role To The Fans

Joe Manganiello became a fan favourite after scoring the role of werewolf Alcide Herveaux. Alongside Alexander Skarsgard's Eric, Alicde was one of the most lusted after characters during his time on the show. But before he got the part Manganiello was making a name for himself as the addict-turned-Tric-bartender, Owen Morello, on One Tree Hill. It was this role that convinced fans Manganiello was a special talent who would be ideal the person to play the ruggedly handsome Alcide on True Blood.

Talking with The Wrap Manganiello explained how True Blood fans started a petition to get him cast as Alcide. The creators listened and Manganiello showed up as the hairy beast in season three. What was meant to be a a six-episode cameo ended up with Manganiello gaining a role as a series regular thanks to his impressive acting work.

20 Ashley Jones Unbeliveable Contract Clause

One thing fans came to expect when watching True Blood was a liberal helping of its namesake and skin. Both aspects became part and parcel of the show and helped push the boundaries of what HBO were willing to show. But not everyone got their kit of during the shows seven season run. Ashley Jones played shapeshifter Daphne Landry in season 2, a character who was revealed to be working for the evil Maryann.

While the character was originally meant to appear unclothed in some scenes, Jones refused.

While this might deter most producers the showrunner's were so impressed with her audition they added a no-bareness clause to her contract. Anyone that's seen Jones would have to agree she does a tremendous job as Daphne and the lack of seeing her unclothed doesn't takeaway from her character or what she is trying to achieve.

19 Author Charlaine Harris Season Two Cameo

In the modern film industry it seems customary for the creators of the original property films are based upon (books, comics, albums, short stories etc...) to appear in the cinematic versions. Stan Lee has been doing this since appearing in X-Men way back in 2000 (he even appeared in the 1989 Hulk TV movie The Trail Of The Incredible Hulk) while a host of other writers and creators have featured in films and television shows they helped shape.

Charlaine Harris, the author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels which True Blood are based upon made her television debut in an episode of season two. In the season finale Harris shared a scene with Shapeshifter Sam in Merlotte's. Although her appearance is a blink-or-you'll-miss-it cameo it's great fun to see Harris being made part of the show she helped create.

18 Luke Grimes Left Over Gay Storyline

Actor Luke Grimes was first cast as vampire James Kent who appeared in the sixth season of True Blood. Falling head over heels for Jessica, the two escaped the camp they were imprisoned in before going their separate ways, with James getting involved with Lafayette. While Grimes did a commendable job he was recast for season seven due to the actor wanting to pursue other avenues. While this was the publicly accepted reason it turned out things were a little more complicated.

Sources reported Grimes didn't want to be involved in a gay storyline.

For that reason he left the show, much to the disgust of Lafayette actor Nelsan Ellis. He was replaced by Nathan Parsons who did an outstanding job and had no qualms about playing a character involved in a same-gender relationship.

17 Stephen Moyer Loves Being A Vampire

Playing a 173-year-old vampire turned out to be the role of a lifetime for actor Stephen Moyer. Not only did it turn the 48-year-old Englishman into a household name but led to Moyer meeting the love of his life Anna Paquin. While Moyer has had some great roles since True Blood ended he can't escape his vampire past after cameoing as another vampire on kids cartoon show Phineas And Ferb. On the Halloween special entitled, The Curse Of Candace, Moyer played a vampire named Jared who battled a werewolf voiced by Micheal J. Fox (nice reference to Teen Wolf) for the affections of his True Blood co-star and real-life wife Anna Paquin. Moyer and Paquin signed on for the roles because their children are fans of Phineas And Ferb, who no doubt enjoyed seeing their parents in something a little more child-friendly.

16 Lauren Bowles Is Related To Elaine

American actress Lauren Bowles has an extensive filmography but is best known by True Blood fans for her portrayal of Holly Cleary. Her role as a self-proclaimed witch in season three didn't exactly turn heads but as her character made more appearances she qucikly established herself as a favourite and soon joined the main cast, featuring in the final five seasons of the show.

What many fans don't know is she's related to Seinfeld's Elaine.

Bowles is the half-sister of well respected television actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The Emmy Award winning actress was one of the lead role of hilarious sitcom Seinfeld while also starring in comedy The New Adventures Of Old Christine and political satire Veep. Bowles might not be as widely known as her half-sister but she can be more than happy with the career she's had, being a versatile and well respected actress.

15 Rutina Wesley Replaced Due To Creative Differences

Finding the right actors for roles in new televisions series is a tough task. Many shows undergo changes after shooting the pilot episode. One famous example of this was the character of Clay Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy first being played by Scott Glen. After viewing the pilot the producers decided to replace him with Ron Perlman and the rest, as they say, is history.

Something similar happened with the pilot episode of True Blood. The initial episode cast Brook Kerr (famous for her role as Whitney Russell Harris in soap opera Passions) in the role as Tara. After the show was picked up Kerr left due to "creative differences" and was replaced by Rutina Wesley. She had previously been in only two projects before True Blood but caught showrunner Ball's attention with her audition and became a major part of the series.

14 Snoop Dogg's True Blood Rap

It seems ludicrous True Blood would need advertising help after dominating the ratings during its first season but the higher ups at HBO weren't convinced. Deciding they needed to add some celebrity star power they got in touch with famous fan Snoop Dogg and enlisted the West Coast rapper to write a song promoting the show.

Snoop was a big fan of Anna Paquin's Sookie. 

So when HBO came knocking he was ready to answer the call, releasing the rap track "Oh Sookie." Dedicated to his favourite character, Snoop tells Sookie he "wants to lay in the bed" with her, dropping seductive rhymes about making her his girl. It's all quite hilarious and Snoop even shot a film clip you can view here. It's not one of Snoops brightest moments on the mic but it certainly beats his 2011 single "Wet."

13 Ian Somerhalder Was Almost Jason Stackhouse

When the role of Jason Stackhouse was up for grabs, American model and actor Ian Somerhalder desperately wanted the chance to play Sookie Stackhouse's lovable brother. Somerhalder got his big break playing Boone Carlyle on the first season of Lost and auditioned for the role of Stackhouse but ultimately lost out to former Home & Away star Ryan Kwanten. Producers didn't think Somerhalder was convincing enough for the role. Although disappointed Somerhalder ended up having the last laugh after he was cast in another hit vampire series. He got the lead role as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, going to to feature in all eight seasons of the show and becoming a highly acclaimed television star in the process. Like True Blood, The Vampire Diaries is based on a set of novels about two bothers who vie for the affections of a teenage girl in a supernatural town in Virginia.

12 Lack Of True Southerners

True Blood is set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, deep in the heart of America's south. The majority of the main characters on the show speak with a southern twang but only one of them is actually from that neck of the woods.

Sam Tramell is the only southern who's part of the main cast.

Born and bred in New Orleans, Tramell played shapeshifter and Merlotte Bar owner, Sam Merlotte. The rest of the main cast hailed from all over the world, with Anna Paquin having been raised in New Zealand, Stephen Moyer born in Britian, Ryan Kwanten hailing from Australia, and Alexander Skarsgard of Swedish heritage. So if you ever hear Sookie or Eric's accents and find them to be a little strange, it's most likely due to them having to put on an accent for the character.

11 Cooking With True Blood

Merchandise is always a large part of helping make a show a success and True Blood is no different. One of the most interesting pieces of merchandise is the official True Blood cookbook, known as True Blood: Eats, Drinks, And Bites From Bon Temp. The book contains recipes for traditional southern dishes alongside numerous examples of cocktail and alcoholic drinks. All of the dishes and drinks have exotic or supernatural themed names inspired by characters in the show. You can cook up Maryann Forrester's Plaisir d’Amour Rabbit Stew or Tara's Last Rites Pecan Pie. Or if you'd prefer a drink you can mix up Tara's Mama’s Whiskey Sour or try Nan Flanagan's recipe for Tru Blood, the Ruby Mixer.

There are 85 different recipes and cocktails in the cookbook with something for everyone. The book even includes over 150 photos from the set of True Blood along with chapter intros including character profiles.

10 Alan Ball Doesn't Believe The Show Is About Gay Rights

The general consensus among fans and critics alike is True Blood is an allegory for gay rights. Vampires struggle throughout the series to gain equal rights, a fight that has been mirrored by the LGTBQ community for years.

Vampires are called "fangers" as a derogatory term.

Also, when someone announces they are a vampire, the phrase "coming out of the coffin" is used. Author and creator of the book series Charlaine Harris has expressed the vampires in the novels were striving for equal rights, but the suggestion this is similar to gay rights activists is something showrunner Alan Ball claims as nonsense. He has conducted many interviews whereby he claims there is no connection between the two. He believes using that as a metaphor is lazy and insulting. "If you get really serious about it, well, then the show could be seen to be very homophobic because vampires are dangerous: They kill, they're amoral," Ball said.

9 Skarsgard Flaunted His Bareness On Set

Two of the biggest stars of True Blood aren't actors or actresses, they are bareness and blood. The two appear consistently throughout the shows seven seasons of True Blood and are just as important to the story as the main characters. Alexander Skarsgard was one of the show's actors involved in countless unclothed scenes but for o, in particular,ar he did things his own way. The female actresses wore flesh covered thongs during their intimate scenes while the men had flesh covered socks for their private parts, but during the filming of the season six finale Skarsgard went el natural.

Talking with Vulture Skarsgard explained while filming a scene where his character Eric is sunbathing on a snowy landscape, he was actually being filmed in front of a green screen atop a carpark in the middle of summer. "It was a very hot day, so I didn't need the sock," Skarsgard said.

8 Stephen Moyer Loved His Fangs

Everyone who played a vampire in True Blood sported a set of removable fangs but few cast members were as protective of them as Stephen Moyer. During shooting, Moyer was known to carry a spare pair of fangs with him just in case there was a mishap. Not only that but he had another three sets of fangs stored around the set in case of an emergency. As well as keeping an inordinate amount of false teeth on set, Moyer also had his assistant take extra special care of his fangs.

His assistant cleaned them daily with mouthwash.

Moyer took things to the extreme though, having all his pearly whites insured and making sure they were stored safely overnight. Moyer looked after his fake teeth better than I look after my real teeth!

7 No Vampire Weekend?

Every episode of True Blood was named after a famous pop song or Christian tune and foreshadowed what was to come in that episode. The chosen song featured during the episode or was played over the ending credits, with all manner of artists featuring. The likes of Fiona Apple ("First Taste"), Johnny Cash ("Fourth Man In Fire"), The [Bare] And Famous ("The Sun"), and Beck ("Lost Cause") had episodes named after their songs.

Occasionally the title of the episode had to be changed as budget and licensing issues meant some songs couldn't be used in the episode, causing the title to be changed. I just can't believe Vampire Weekend didn't cash in on this by putting one of their tracks forward for an episode. Surely "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance" or "Step" could have slotted in nicely?

6 Anna Paquin Came Out As Bi

She might be married to Stephen Moyer with a couple of kids but that doesn't mean Anna Paquin considers herself hetero. The talented actress declared she was bi in 2010 and confirmed her preferences in a 2012 interview with Zooey magazine as reported by The Daily Mail.

"For me, it’s not really an issue because I’m someone who believes being [bi] is actually a thing," she explained. "It’s not made up. It’s not a lack of decision. It’s not being greedy or numerous other ignorant things I’ve heard at this point. For a [bi], it’s not about gender. That’s not the deciding factor for who they’re attracted to."

Since her role on True Blood, Paquin has been quite vocal in her support for the LGBTQ movement, although surprisingly, her character Sookie Stackhouse never had a same gender relationship on the show.