True Blood could've featured Benedict Cumberbatch, Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence

The Hollywood Reporter

True Blood creator Alan Ball revealed details of the casting of his HBO series, saying at the Vulture festival: "I read Benedict Cumberbatch. He came and read for Bill. ... Jessica Chastain read for Sookie. Jennifer Lawrence read for, in season 3 there's this werepanther girl, and she was great." Lawrence was 17 at the time, and too young to play Jason's girlfriend. He also discussed Anna Paquin's casting:  "Anna wanted this role so bad. Poor thing, she read like five times and I was like oh, do we buy her as Southern? Do we buy her as Sookie Stackhouse?" he said. ALSO: Ball reveals his True Blood musical is a tragic opera about going back into the closet.