On this day ten years ago, during what felt like the height of the vampire obsession, HBO’s True Blood premiered. Adapted from Charlaine Harris’ wildly successful book series The Southern Vampire Mysteries, True Blood proved to be a hit from the beginning. Though it wrapped up its run in 2014 with seven seasons, it is still considered one of the most successful and popular shows to come out of the entertainment powerhouse of HBO. Still, I found myself missing the show quite dearly and decided a fancast was very much in order. For the amazing graphics ahead I simply must thank one of Geeks of Color’s resident graphic designers, Saron Penrose, for creating the amazing graphics for this fancast! So without further ado, let’s get into it.

First up is the central protagonist of the series: Sookie Stackhouse. Previously played by Anna Paquin, Sookie is characterized as “crazy” by the citizens of Bon Temps, Louisiana for her ability to read minds. She is a classic Southern woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and is as sweet as candy too! For this role, Kylie Bunbury, of notable success in FOX’s Pitch and ABC Family’s Twisted, would be the perfect actress to bring out Sookie’s warm and inviting personality.

Next is another character who comes to be quite important in the True Blood series: Bill Compton. Previously played by Stephen Moyer, Bill Compton is a charming genteel Civil War vet who returns to Bon Temps and begins a relationship with Sookie. Though his motives are decidedly sketchy for practically the entire show, his relationship with Sookie is one of the most significant ones she has, as he is her first real boyfriend and the first person whose mind she cannot read. Luke Evans – known for his roles in The Hobbit franchise and the most recent live-action adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – would be perfect.

One of my favorite characters in the True Blood series is Eric Northman. Previously played by Alexander Skarsgard, Eric is a thousand-year-old vampire and former Viking that serves as sheriff of Area 5. His relationship with Sookie is rocky at first, though becomes romantic later in the series. He is characterized as tall, brooding, cocky, and wise. Greyston Holt of Syfy’s Bitten would be fantastic.

Next is Sookie’s brother: Jason Stackhouse. In both the books and the television series, Jason is known for being incredibly promiscuous and not terribly bright. Despite this, Jason and Sookie are relatively close, and he slowly proves to be incredibly brave and lovable. Michael Xavier, also from Syfy’s Bitten, would be the perfect person to play Jason Stackhouse in a True Blood reboot.

Another character of some importance to Sookie is her boss, Sam Merlotte. Previously played by Sam Trammell, he is a shapeshifter and the owner of Merlotte’s – the bar where Sookie is employed for a majority of the series. Sam had the potential to be a love interest for Sookie, though that was quickly eliminated early on. Santiago Cabrera, most famous for his roles in BBC America’s The Musketeers, NBC’s Heroes, and BBC’s Merlin, would be perfect for playing the loyal and lovable Sam Merlotte.

Next is Tara Thornton who is Sookie’s best friend since childhood. The two sometimes have friction between one another, but they nearly always come back around to each other in the end. Previously played by Rutina Wesley, Tara is outspoken, not shy about what she wants, and is largely in opposition to the supernatural community in general. Cynthia Erivo – most noted for her role in Broadway’s The Color Purple, as well as her upcoming roles in Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale – would be positively phenomenal as Tara.

Of course, this fancast would be nothing without Lafayette Reynolds. The heart of the show, Lafayette is an out-and-proud gay man who is known for his crude sense of humor, sense of style, and bravery. Lafayette was previously played by the late Nelsan Ellis and, while those are big acting shoes to fill, I have full confidence that noted screenwriter, director, and executive producer Patrik-Ian Polk could make a major acting debut in this role.

Another love interest for Sookie is Alcide Herveaux. A leader of the Shreveport pack of werewolves, Alcide is first introduced to us as Sookie’s bodyguard. He was hired by Eric in an effort to protect Sookie when they venture to Jackson, Mississippi in the third book and season. He is briefly a love interest of Sookie’s, though his own personal struggles and issues cause the two of them to break up. I thought it fitting that Alcide is played by the phenomenal Martin Sensmeier, known mostly for his role in The Magnificent Seven.

I saved one of my favorite characters in the entirety of True Blood for last: Russell Edgington. Previously played by Dennis O’Hare, Russell Edgington is a three-thousand-year-old gay vampire who also happens to be the vampire king of Mississippi. We are introduced to Russell in the third season and he later becomes one of the show’s most iconic villains. Russell is characterized as being incredibly dramatic, stylish, and brutally vengeful when the time calls for it. I can think of no one else better suited to this role than Pose actor Billy Porter.

So, what do you think? Would you like to see a reboot of HBO’s True Blood? If so, who would you like to see in it? Let us know in the comments below!