Joe Manganiello Covers 'Out' March 2012

True Blood hunk Joe Manganiello takes the cover of Out magazine’s March 2012 issue.

Here’s what the 35-year-old actor had to share:

On interviewing a former male stripper for Magic Mike research: “All the guys he worked with were dead or in rehab, but it was the time of his life – this insanely destructive lifestyle, this club life. It was sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll…and getting paid to take your clothes off and have sex.”

On nudity in True Blood: “As far as the butt cheeks stuff goes, it just makes sense. It’s not gratuitous; it’s realistic. If you’re a werewolf and you transform, you lose everything and there are your butt cheeks. The show is a deconstruction of supernatural creatures. It’s not like other werewolf projects, where you magically reappear with tiny jean shorts on.”

On loving his role on True Blood: “It utilizes each part of my eclectic personality. There’s the kid who loves monsters, and I can be athletic, but I also love history and I can research wolves and Southern dialects. The dialogue is so rich – it’s Tennessee Williams with Chekhovian layers – and that fulfills my bookwormy playwright side. I’m so fortunate. Plus, I get to have a beard all the time.”

For more from Joe, visit Out.com!

Bigger cover pic inside…