Kristin Bauer van Straten Talks Vampires, Fashion, and Beauty

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In honor of HSN's latest beauty and home accessories collaboration with HBO's hit super-natural show, True Blood, the two companies hosted a party at NYC's Aire Ancient Baths spa last Thursday. The set, which will be available on August 9, includes a fragrance, a body lotion, a body veil, a DL & Co. candle, and diffusers. But the best parts of the entire group is the Deborah Lippmann loot. Find vampire-theme nail polishes in fang-teeth white, flesh-colored, and blood-red shades, as well as her first-ever vampy lipstick, Bite Me.

It was at this event that ELLE caught up with Kristin Bauer van Straten, who plays sexy and saucy vampire, Pam, on the show. Read on to learn her hair and wardrobe secrets, her predictions about Pam's sex life, and how she differs from her brazen character.

ELLE: Tell us about your amazing crimped hair from two episodes ago.

Kristin Bauer van Straten: Wasn’t that astounding? It was a real story because the costume designer Audrey Fisher dressed me in that vintage black Roberto Cavalli leather dress. And we thought, "What hair could possibly do justice to this incredible outfit?" So we Googled "Roberto Cavalli," and we saw that crimped hair style, which is probably from the '90s or something. I emailed the hair stylist, and she pulled out a crimping hair tool.

ELLE: How did she create the style?

KBVS: The hair styling department thought I was nuts! They told me it would take too long to do, but I told them I thought it would be worth it. They considered using a wig, and I advised them not to. I knew we would be asked about it. It took an hour and a half to do. I loved it. Out of the entire season, that hair was the first time that the guys on set and the crew were interested in me again! I was a sex-amator.

ELLE: Describe your favorite outfit of Pam's to wear.

KBVS: What's great is that we get to change it up a lot; but recently, there was a red leather dress we scored off of eBay that was from, like, 1992. It was pretty fun, because we got to do '80s hair with it.

ELLE: How does your style differ from Pam's?

KBVS: Comfort. I go for comfort.

ELLE: How would you describe her style?

KBVS: Well, Pam has a lot of time on her hands. She’s immortal, and she doesn’t have to worry about money, so she spends most of her day thinking about what she’s going to wear. She dresses for every occasion. Even last year when her face was rotting, she wore lashes and lipstick. I, personally, like to get dressed and then do my makeup and hair in about five minutes. Lately, I've been throwing on Lululemon—it’s so comfortable!—my comfy sneakers, no makeup, my hair in a ponytail, and I’m good to go.

ELLE: What went into creating Pam's eroding skin last season?

KBVS: It took about five hours, and I wanted to be able to do something during that time, like watch TV or listen to music, but I couldn't because three grown men were all vying for a position near my face. So, I just went into a coma. After sitting there for five hours, my ass just started killing me. Then, I had to get up and perform, so it was a trip.

ELLE: You’re probably one of the best badass bitches on TV. How do you get into character?
KBVS: Um, it’s astonishingly easy for some reason! It’s really fun to channel your inner bitch. You know we all have one but in life, you'd lose your friends if you said what you were really thinking. So, it’s really freeing to just get to read the lines and think, "What would be the harshest, most caustic way I could deliver that?" and do it!

ELLE: It's revealed that Pam was a madame back in her day. Did you know about that storyline before, or was it news to you, too?

KBVS: It was news to me. I heard one of the writers talking about it, and she told me a little bit about the direction they were going. But until I read the script, I didn’t know exactly how it was going to go down, especially the way that Pam was made. I thought it was really beautiful, perfect, and efficient writing. It just encapsulated everything we know about Pam, how ballsy she is, how committed to being a vampire she is, and how she really didn’t want humanity anymore. It really didn’t serve her, and it fit with a woman living in 1905, which was such a vulnerable time.

ELLE: Will we continue to see a softer side of Pam?

KBVS: I do think so. I think it will be minimal, but I think it will happen. You know she has a soft inner side, and she’s only ever had it for Eric, but we’ll see. We’re seeing a slightly maternal side come out with Tara.

ELLE: Do you think there’s going to be a little love connection there?

KBVS: I’m wondering with everybody else because I think, "Well, Pam is gay; Tara is gay..." Last year people were asking about it. But I don't know.

Photo: Courtesy of HSN