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13 'True Blood' stars who have also played Marvel or DC characters

13 'True Blood' stars who have also played Marvel or DC characters

Olivia Singh

Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin as Bill and Sookie, respectively, on season one of "True Blood."HBO

"True Blood" premiered on HBO in September 2008 and ran for seven seasons.
A bunch of cast members have also played characters in Marvel or DC Comics projects.

Eight years before making her debut as a telepath named Sookie Stackhouse on "True Blood," Anna Paquin made her first appearance as Rogue in the 2000 "X-Men" movie.

Left: Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse on the series premiere of "True Blood." On the right: Paquin as Rogue in "X-Men." HBO; 20th Century Studios

Paquin starred as the mutant in "X-Men" (2000), "X2: X-Men United" (2003), and "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006).

She reprised the role in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," which was released the same year that "True Blood" came to an end.

Stephen Moyer, known for playing a vampire named Bill Compton on "True Blood," went on to star on Fox and Marvel's short-lived series about mutants called "The Gifted."

Left: Stephen Moyer on the series premiere of "True Blood." Right: Moyer on season one of "The Gifted." HBO; Fox Image Collection via Getty Images

"The Gifted" ran for two seasons between 2017 and 2019, starring Moyer as Reed Strucker, a father to two mutant teenagers.

Rutina Wesley, who played Sookie's best friend named Tara Thornton, guest-starred on two episodes of the CW series "Arrow."

Left: Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton on the series premiere of "True Blood." Right: Wesley as Liza Warner on season four of "Arrow." HBO; The CW

On "Arrow," based on DC Comics characters, Wesley played a sergeant of the Star City Police Department named Liza Warner.

Joe Manganiello joined "True Blood" on season three as a werewolf named Alcide Herveaux. He also has experience playing comic-book characters.

From left: Joe Manganiello on "True Blood," "Spider-Man," and "Justice League." HBO; Columbia Picture; Warner Bros.

Prior to "True Blood," Manganiello starred as Flash Thompson in Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy.

After the hit HBO drama ended, the actor got cast as the villain Slade Wilson/Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

He made his first appearance in the end credits scene of the 2017 movie "Justice League." Manganiello also played the character in Zack Snyder's 2021 cut of "Justice League."

"Birds of Prey" star Jurnee Smollett portrayed Nicole Wright on the last two seasons of "True Blood."

Left: Jurnee Smollett as Nicole Wright on season six of "True Blood." Right: Smollett as Dinah Lance in "Birds of Prey." HBO; Warner Bros.

Her "True Blood" character was the cofounder of the Vampire Unity Society, which focused on supporting the rights of supernatural creatures.

Six years after the vampire series ended, Smollett starred as the iconic DC Comics character Dinah Lance/Black Canary in the 2020 film "Birds of Prey."

Marvel fans will recognize Deborah Ann Woll for her role as Karen Page on the "Daredevil" series, but before that, she played a vampire on "True Blood."

Left: Deborah Ann Woll on season two of "True Blood." Right: Woll on season one of "Daredevil." HBO; Netflix/Marvel

Woll joined "True Blood" later in season one as Jessica Hamby, a woman whom Bill turned into a vampire.

In addition to starring as Bon Temps sheriff Bud Dearborne, William Sanderson also did voice work for "Batman: The Animated Series."

Left: William Sanderson on season three of "True Blood." Right: Karl Rossum on season one of "Batman: The Animated Series." HBO; Warner Bros. Animation

Sanderson voiced the character Karl Rossum, a tech genius, on "Batman: The Animated Series."

On "True Blood," Jim Parrack starred as Hoyt Fortenberry, one of the few genuinely decent guys in Bon Temps.

Left: Jim Parrack on season one of "True Blood." Right: Parrack in "Suicide Squad." HBO; Warner Bros.

Frost, Parrack's character in the 2016 movie "Suicide Squad," was one of the Joker's goons — making him vastly different than Hoyt.

After a recurring role as Eggs on "True Blood," Mehcad Brooks starred on The CW's "Supergirl."

Left: Mehcad Brooks on season two of "True Blood." Right: Brooks as Jimmy Olsen on season two of "Supergirl." HBO; The CW

His "Supergirl" character, Jimmy Olsen was a friend of the titular character (played by Melissa Benoist) and a photojournalist for the Daily Planet.

He later became a vigilante known as the Guardian.

Courtney Ford, known for playing Nora Darhk on "DC's Legends of Tomorrow," also had a recurring role on "True Blood."

Left: Courtney Ford on season four of "True Blood." Right: Ford on season five of "Legends of Tomorrow." HBO; The CW

Ford played an attorney named Portia Bellefleur on seasons four and six of "True Blood."

Kristin Bauer, who played a vampire named Pam De Beaufort on "True Blood," voiced Mera on the animated "Justice League" show.

Kristin Bauer on season one of "True Blood." Right: Mera on "Justice League." HBO; Warner Bros. Animation

Bauer's "True Blood" character was the coowner of a vampire club called Fangtasia in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Actor Janina Gavankar guest-starred on both "True Blood" and "Arrow."

Left: Janina Gavankar on season four of "True Blood." Right: Gavankar on season one of "Arrow." HBO;

She joined "True Blood" as a shapeshifter named Luna Garza on season four.

Gavankar later guest-starred as Detective McKenna Hall on a few episodes of season one of "Arrow."

Kevin Alejandro joined season three of "True Blood" as a brujo named Jesús Velázquez. He later portrayed a DC Comics villain on "Arrow."

Left: Kevin Alejandro on season four of "True Blood." Right: Alejandro on season two of "Arrow." HBO; The CW

Alejandro starred as Sebastian Blood/Brother Blood on season two of "Arrow."