‘True Blood’s’ Joe Manganiello Talks His New Movie, ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’

True Blood star, Joe Manganiello, just signed to the much buzzed about romantic comedy, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The film, which is based on the popular pregnancy guidebook of the same name, stars Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Chace Crawford, Chris Rock, and now the HBO star.

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“The script was really fun and there were some fantastic A-List people attached to it,” Manganiello tells The Hollywood Reporter  in his first interview since the casting news broke. “So, I get to work with some of those people and a lot of my stuff is with Chris Rock, who I am huge fan of and I quote his standup constantly. So, that in and of itself is fun.”

Manganiello, 34, plays a jet-setting single guy who the local dads begin to envy. “They basically hang out and complain about how their lives used to be,” the Pittsburgh native tells us. “They aren’t cool now, because they’re dads.”

“I play the perpetually single, sunbathed, world-traveling, surfing photographer,” he adds. “Who hangs out at the park where they have their support group and they basically worship this guy.”

Though he says he’s trying to work something out, Manganiello will probably miss San Diego Comic-Con with his True Blood costars as he’s scheduled to start rehearsals in Atlanta next week. Manganiello says he’s not only looking forward to the city’s warm weather, but also the challenge of doing something different.

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“I had done a ton of comedy before True Blood,” he says. “So getting to do some of it during my hiatus is something I’m really looking forward to.”

Lionsgate adapted the best-selling book by Heidi Murkoff and Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine) is set to direct. The movie is currently scheduled to premiere during Mother’s Day weekend in May 2012. 

Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro