One of the very first days on set of the pilot of True Blood was shot at Merlotteās Bar. That and Sookieās house were the only real sets we had before we were picked up. Most else was out on location. I was there to shoot Vampire Billās entrance into the bar, but before that, they were shooting the sequence where the audience get to see the girls. There was a general feeling of excitement like few Iāve ever experienced. It was almost as amazing as our Merlotteās, but not quite - They didnāt have a Lafayette. In the scene that was being shot that day, Lafayette, a male cross-dressing short order cook in the show, was expounding on his theory of menās fear of the female anatomy.. specifically, the vagina. āI know every man whether Straight, Gay or George MotherFuckinā Bush is afraid of the pussy..ā Iām not sure I have ever seen, before or since, people crowd around a monitor at video village with their hands clapped to their mouths from shock, sheer laughter and wonder as the actor playing Lafayette jiggled and shook and humped the butchers block to get his point across. it was completely original, funny, sardonic, risquĆ© and brilliant. All of the above. I turned to Alan when the scene was finishedā¦ āyou canāt kill him!ā (Lafayetteās death at the of the first book is the cliffhanger that leads to Book 2ā¦ the writers had to find a way to keep him in the show) Nelsan Ellis was the only actor in the 7 years of True Blood whom Alan allowed to improvise. Actually, it wasn't that Alan allowed him to do it, it was more that when Nelsan inhabited the world of Lafayette, he COULDNāT STOP himself. In actuality Nelsan was quiet, smart, thoughtful, warm and kind. He taught all of us that intent and courage and fearlessness and freedom are the aspects of playing make-believe that spark the corners of the room where the dark is most impenetrable; to shine a light on those corners within ourselves is the very reason we go back time & time again to Movies and TV shows & Theatre. To see that Spark ignited. Nelsan had that electricity in an abundance I have rarely seen. I canāt believe heās gone. #RIPNelsan
