Anna Paquin Covers 'Redbook' August 2012

Anna Paquin graces the cover of Redbook‘s August issue, on newsstands July 10.

Here’s what the 29-year-old actress – who’s reportedly expecting twins – had to share:

On embracing motherhood: “I have a side that’s very nesty, and another that thinks, ‘Let’s lock up the house and go away for five months.’”

On how she landed the role of Sookie on True Blood: “I’m a big believer in ‘fake it to make it’. I went out and bought some incredibly short shorts and a push-up bra that I knew were going to be a part of my new life. It’s not that I’m a prude, but I’m not a massive exhibitionist, either.”

On her image: “I’m my harshest critic … but at a certain point, you need to embrace who you are and the whole package that comes along with it. For me, it was cutting myself some slack and not trying to be something that I think is perfect or ideal.”

On steamy True Blood scenes with Alexander Skarsgard: “We feel completely comfortable together. [My husband Stephen Moyer] and Alex are buddies. Its nothing like, ‘Oh, hi, nice to meet you. Now let’s take off our clothes and go into the fog.’ Everyone is very respectful of each other’s boundaries…They’re all very gentlemanly about it.”

Pictured inside: Stephen taking his daughter Lilac to a summer camp on Wednesday (June 27) in Malibu, Calif.

FYI: Lilac is wearing her favorite monkeybar buddies navy shorts!