Casting Call: Chris Meloni Signs On For True Blood

First Published: December 14, 2011 11:54 AM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Christopher Meloni attends the 2011 Radio City Christmas Spectacular opening night at Radio City Music Hall, NY City, on November 16, 2011Theres some new blood coming to True Blood. Chris Meloni of former Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fame is headed to Bon Temps for the HBO series fifth season, a rep for the network confirmed to Access Hollywood on Wednesday. After a nearly year-long break from TV, the actor will return to the small screen as an ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill [Stephen Moyer] and Eric [Alexander Skarsgard] in his hands, True Blood executive producer Alan Ball told TV Line. True Blood marks the second HBO show for the 50-year-old actor he previously enjoyed a 5-year run on Oz. As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Meloni left Law & Order: SVU after 12 seasons alongside Mariska Hargitay on the NBC crime drama. He will also appear in Zach Snyders Superman reboot, Man of Steel, as Colonel Hardy. Man of Steel is slated for release in June 2013. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.