Stephen Moyer has said he never set out to become a sex symbol, according to an interview with Dagbladet published on 24 October 2026. The English actor, now 57, spoke to the Norwegian outlet from a hotel room in Belfast, where he is filming new episodes of the BritBox crime series "Art Detectives." In that show he both leads the cast and works as a producer.
The conversation, reported by Dagbladet, covered his rise to global fame on "True Blood," his feelings about his wife Anna Paquin, and a medical battle that he says could have ended his life. The interview was published in Dagbladet's celebrity section.
Why it matters
Moyer's remarks are a rare public look at how sudden, worldwide recognition sat with an actor who says he was not seeking it. "True Blood," the HBO drama set in Louisiana, ran for seven seasons and turned him into a familiar face across the world. For many viewers he remains best known as Bill Compton, the dark-haired vampire at the centre of the series.
His comments also underline how long a single role can define a career. More than a decade after the show's run, Moyer is still introduced through the character that made him famous, even as he takes on new work behind and in front of the camera. Dagbladet frames his current project as a clear departure from that earlier part.
From the swamps of Louisiana to a Belfast hotel room
According to Dagbladet, Moyer is in the Northern Irish capital to shoot further episodes of "Art Detectives," the crime series available through BritBox. His dual role as star and producer places him on the other side of the camera as well, a position that carries more responsibility than his early acting work.
Dagbladet describes the distance between that job and the part that made him a household name. The swamps of Louisiana, the setting that gave "True Blood" its atmosphere, are far from Belfast, and the article uses that contrast to show how far his career has travelled. The series, per the outlet, is a crime drama, a genre shift from the supernatural southern gothic that first brought him attention.
The interview presents Moyer as someone who has made peace with being recognised for one role while continuing to build a varied body of work. Dagbladet notes that for a large share of the audience, he will always be associated with the vampire character, a label that has followed him since the show's seven-season run ended.
Fame, marriage and a fight for his life
Beyond his career, Moyer opened up to Dagbladet about his relationship with Anna Paquin, describing his love for his wife. The two met through "True Blood," where Paquin played Sookie Stackhouse opposite his Bill Compton, and their off-screen partnership became part of the show's public story.
The actor also discussed a health struggle that, in his account, could have cost him his life. Dagbladet reports that he addressed the episode directly in the interview. The outlet does not provide further medical detail in the published summary, and Moyer's remarks are presented as his own account of the experience.
The combination of professional reflection and personal disclosure gives the interview its shape. Dagbladet builds the piece around three threads: the unexpected nature of his fame, his bond with Paquin, and the serious illness he says he faced. Each is attributed to Moyer himself.
What to watch
Moyer's next screen appearance comes in "Art Detectives," the BritBox crime series he is currently filming in Belfast, where he serves as both lead actor and producer. Further episodes are in production, and viewers can watch for how the series positions him away from the vampire role that first made him a global name.
