True Blood has made a number of casting moves over the last few weeks. And that's almost an understatement.

Denis O'Hare, Marshall Allman, Theo Alexander, Grant Bowler, Kevin Alejandro and Lindsay Pulsipher will also play key roles on season three.

But creator Alan Ball - who signed a new contract this week that ensures at least four full season of the show - isn't shy about citing the most important casting addition: Joe Manganiello as Alcide.

The new character (a werewolf) plays an integral part in the book series on which True Blood is based. How did Ball know he found the right actor for the role?

“We were looking for a guy who was big, sexy, decent and heroic, with some darkness,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “And [Manganiello] showed us all of that in the audition.”

As for Alcide's relationship with Sookie (semi-spoiler alert!), the werefold isn’t introduced as a potential suitor for Bill's gal.

“As in the book, he’s helping her find Bill; and he has a business reason for owing Eric a favor," Ball said. “He’s there with her during a very painful time in her life — and his life, actually. And they’re thrown into some pretty intense situations together.

“And hello, he’s hot! And hello, so is she. Two hot people in some intense situations and, for whatever reasons, their significant others are not there... they’re human.”

Well, not exactly. But we get his point - and can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.