‘True Blood’ actor denies quitting show over gay storyline

True Blood

actor Luke Grimes has denied quitting the show over a gay storyline.

Grimes joined the long-running HBO show’s sixth season last year, playing loner vampire James, but left the role at the end of the season due to “creative differences”. The role was recast with actor Nathan Parsons for the final season, which debuted last week in the US (June 22).

Reports surfaced yesterday (June 25) suggesting Grimes had actually left the role because he was uncomfortable with an upcoming romantic storyline featuring his character and the show’s much-loved gay character, Lafayette Reynolds, played by actor Nelsan Ellis.

A “source” close to True Blood told Buzzfeed that the show’s producers were confused by Grimes’ reaction to the gay storyline, considering the show has featured a number of graphic gay sex scenes since it debuted in 2008. The actor allegedly offered to continue playing the role if Lafayette was attracted to his character, but the attraction was not mutual.

Grimes’ publicist has now dismissed these claims, saying in a statement that Grimes’ exit “had nothing to do with storylines”.

“Luke always had an out clause as a means of pursuing other opportunities which arose in the form of features beginning with The Shangri-La Suite, followed by Fifty Shades of Grey, and more recently Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper with Bradley Cooper,” he added.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that True Blood stars Ryan Kwanten and Alexander Skarsgård have filmed a homoerotic scene between their characters for the final season- click here to get all the details.

The final season of True Blood begins on July 7 on FOX in the UK.