Joe Manganiello: True Blood

When Joe Manganiello started working on HBO's True Blood, his character was only supposed to be a guest star on the show for six episodes. But his portrayal of Alcide Havreaux, a werewolf bodyguard assigned to protect protagonist Sookie Stackhouse, resonated so much with fans, that Manganiello was asked to stay. He's now beginning the sixth season with the show. He's perhaps best known for playing archetypes of masculinity, whether it's Alcide, or male stripper 'Big Dick Richie' in Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike. One line that runs through all his characters is that even when they're in complex situations, they have a very uncomplicated relationship to masculinity.

Banner image courtesy HBO