Stephen Moyer portrayed Bill Compton (Vampire Bill) in HBO's Emmy-winning fantasy horror series True Blood. Bill Compton was initially introduced in Charlaine Harris' novel, Dead Until Dark, the first installment of the Southern Vampire Mysteries series. In the show, Compton was a charming vampire in a complicated relationship with the protagonist Sookie Stackhouse.
A decade after the series wrapped up, Stephen Moyer revealed in an interview with Collider that True Blood completely changed his perspective on 'the vampire idea'. Moyer revealed that he initially thought of vampires as blood-hungry supernatural elements, but the show's portrayal of them, as symbols of representation—be it gender or race—changed his perspective completely. He told Collider,
"I started to watch other things, and I realized that Alan Ball was using that framework to tell a story about race and homosexuality and all of those things, anything that you want to bring to the table of otherness. Then, I became really into it. In a similar way, I’ve gotten really into that sort of thing. I now find myself on airplanes watching our competitors and watching other British crime shows."
Want to watch something similar to True Blood that also brings a strong representation of race and gender? Here's a list of similar shows
- First Kill (Netflix)
- The Originals (Max)
- Interview With The Vampire (AMC)
- Vampire Academy (Peacock)
What happened to Bill Compton in HBO's True Blood?
Bill Compton's story in True Blood ended in heartbreak and controversy. Once seen as the noble vampire who looked after Sookie, Bill lost his way long before the series finale. In the last season, he became sick with Hepatitis V, a disease deadly to vampires. He refused to get a cure for it and instead asked Sookie to kill him with her faerie light. He believed that his death would allow Sookie to lead a normal life devoid of the complications of their relationship. Sookie killed Bill by driving a stake through his heart, ending his life in a violent yet emotional graveyard scene.
Bill Compton's final choice left fans divided. Many thought that his death wasn't heroic; instead, it placed a burden on Sookie. Over the seasons, Bill changed drastically from an individual who wanted to secure peace between humans and vampires to one who betrayed many.
However, other fans see it as an epitome of sacrifice. In the end, Bill's story closed with more sadness than proper closure.
More about Stephen Moyer
Born on October 11, 1969, the now 55-year-old actor and film director, Stephen Moyer, has been a part of several iconic projects. Apart from True Blood, he was a part of Lord of Misrule, The Gifted, The Double, Priest, and Quills, to name a few. Additionally he played a cameo role in Elsbeth as well.
Stephen Moyer married his True Blood co-star Anna Paquin in August 2010 after a three-year relationship that began on the set of the series. Moyer was previously married to journalist Lorien Haynes, with whom he had a son, Billy, and a daughter, Lilac. After Moyer married Paquin, she gave birth to fraternal twins in 2012.
Currently, Stephen Moyer is a part of Acorn TV's crime drama series' Art Detectives which premiered on June 9, 2025.
Also read: 10 TV show endings that left nothing but heartache behind
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