Fangirl Fridays – Love at First Bite

Kristin Bauer van Straten



Hello my name is Natalie…and I’m a Fangirl! I've been a Fangirl of Kristin Bauer van Straten for several years now and the more I learn about her the stronger my love and respect for her gets. Sometimes we fall in love with a character an actor plays, but it never turns into anything more than just a general appreciation for that character. In some cases we learn a little more about the actor vs. the character, either by a news article or a chance encounter, and it takes us to a new stratosphere of fandom. Kristin entered my radar when I saw her playing snarky and beautiful Pam on the HBO series True Blood but it was not until 2011 when I got to meet Kristin at the Grand Slam Charity Jam in Milwaukee, WI, that I went into true full on Fangirl mode. Follow through the jump to see what makes Kristin worthy of the legions of Fangirls (and guys) that she has out there.



Artist Eric Waugh captures Kristin Bauer van Straten
as her iconic role as Vampire Pam



F is for… Fantastic, Fabulous, Friendly, Film actress and a fellow Fangirl! Kristin is all of these words plus so many more. Kristin has most notoriously sunk her teeth into the role of Pam on the show True Blood for going on 6 seasons now. However, her acting career started in 1994 and she has made cameos on television shows and movies such as Once Upon a Time, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Private Practice, George Lopez, Desperate Housewives, CSI, Jag, 50 First Dates, Justice League, Two and a Half Men, Dharma and Greg (one of my favorites), and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion among countless others. However, what endures her to my heart is how she used her career to play Fangirl to finding her husband. She heard Abri van Straten’s music and decided she must go and hear him in person. You can find countless articles and videos online where she tells how she “stalked” her husband. And having met Kristin at the 2011 Grand Slam Charity Jam, and being lucky enough to sit next to her while Abri was playing on stage,

Kristin was recording this performance on her phone...
I tried to give her space in her Fangirl moment.

I know she truly is a Fangirl! Her love for him shines so bright she takes Fangirl to a whole new level and that level would be marriage! She is one lucky woman to be able to take her object of Fangirl desire and turn it into a long standing amazing relationship!
 

Abri was a sweet heart and both just glowed and let the other shine.

A is for… Awesome, Amazing, Artist, and Animal lover. Kristin grew up in Southeast Wisconsin (my home state and only an hour from where I currently live) on her family's farm riding horses. Her love for nature and animals started at an early age and her love and passion has not died as she’s grown and moved out of Wisconsin and into the land of Hollywood. Hers is a passion that has led her to fight for the rights of whales, horse shelters, no kill animal shelters, and to work with charities like The Amanda Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Most recently, she has taken her star power to the cause of saving and protecting elephants and rhinos. In the summer of 2012, Kristin successfully launched a campaign on Kickstarter to film a documentary called Out For Africa. She was able to successfully raise $64,446 just from that campaign alone but she has not stopped there. She has auctioned off her own amazing personal artwork through Ebay

A signed print 73 of 100 of a sketch Kristin
made of her co star Alexander Skarsgard.

along with memorabilia from True Blood to continue to raise funds for the documentary and education on elephant and rhino poaching. She created a website, Out for Africa, so that fans can keep up with the most current progress on the project and gather more information. She has engaged all her fans to speak for those who cannot speak—animals and our Mother Earth.  She strives for the best treatment of both our Earth and animals. She walks the walk as she is a vegan who actively petitions our government and various corporations to reduce, reuse, and in general to be more humane. She lives by her Actions…and that is why she is Awesome and Amazing.

Auctioning off a script signed by the cast.
This was pre-Out For Africa.

 

Kristin was Co-MC of the event to raise
money for local Animal Charities.

N is for… Natural, Nature loving, Nice, and Normal! I see how stunningly beautiful Kristin is in her roles that she plays and it does not compare to how beautiful she is in life. I did not know what to expect when I got the chance to attend the Grand Slam Charity Jam where I would meet Kristin. It was held here in our home state and the funds from the event would raise money for Kristin’s various animal causes. I knew Kristin as Pam…snarky and witty Vampire Immortal, so I tried to find out more about HER than her character before I was to attend said event. I should not have worried as her nature to put people at ease in an interview is great, her humor shines, and she just embraces that her life allows her to do what she loves.
 

One of my fellow Fans from Sookieverseblog sent me some t-shirts to give her.
She loved them.

 

She is so Natural she just rolled and laughed
at the fandom for her Swedish co-star!

So when I met her in person I was blown away with how her beauty took on a natural feel. She was not some done up Hollywood diva, though she could pull that role off very well, but this down home nature girl. N really is for Not Enough Words to describe how connected she gets with her fans and her charities. Her Natural charm makes you feel at ease the moment you meet her; it is as if you are the most important person to her at that moment.
 

Here I am, Wench Natalie with Kristin!
(I was shaking!)

G is for… Great, Generous, Gracious and Gorgeous!  I could gush on and on about this woman! I guess that is the real definition of Fangirl; the uncanny ability to run on and on about a single person. I would also have to say that G is for Goo…as I totally turned into a puddle of Fangirl Goo when I met her. I was giddy (Oh another great G word) and giggly and reduced to shaking before I was introduced. I don’t know how I pulled off any form of relaxed or cool, in truth I don’t think I did. G is really for “Gee, Kristin, I and your fans love you!” I know I should just put some more of her great qualities here, about why I and the other Wenches love Kristin…but I just felt this was more a chance to lavish her in love!

A Fangirl Moment...with a fellow Fangirl!

I is for… Indescribable and Inspiring. Kristin inspires me to watch what I use in life, and to reduce my carbon footprint to leave the Earth a little better than when I found it. I cannot see a photo of an elephant without thinking how magnificent they are and wanting to protect them from poachers because she inspired me to care. She informed me on why they are gentle giants and that what people are doing to them is wrong. I see how she went from a local Wisconsin girl to the active global citizen she is and thus makes me want to be a better citizen of the world. She influences me by actively posting on her website and Facebook page information on what various government actions are being taken against nature; she also uses those posts to educate so that I can make better choices in what I buy, who I buy from, and how my actions affect the Earth. She has a vast wealth of information that she shares by providing me and others with links to sign petitions for things that will make our world better. I am not the only one inspired by her, as she has 20,000 plus followers on Facebook, she has scores of followers on Twitter, and it is because she is the Ideal role model for how we should treat our Earth. She may play an Immortal Vampire on TV…but it is her actions that will live forever!

She is so sweet and real.  This moment took place behind me.
Kristin is with one of the Green Bay Packers that had won the Superbowl.
I feel like it's Vampire Pam staring down a Green Bay Packer.
She can be intimidating when she wants to be!

R is for… Real, Radiant, Reachable, Relaxed, Rooted, Recognized, Relatable and Red Carpet Ready! As a fan I can state that I enjoy how reachable Kristin is as well as how relatable. Being one of her 20,000 plus followers on Facebook I see how relaxed, rooted, and real she really is. Her posts range from stating that she cries at Downton Abbey like I do to getting mad when her DVR does not record her Wimbledon tennis matches correctly. With all of her really awesome charity causes it might be easy to feel that she is not like all of us. I know that though I strive to reduce my carbon footprint…I still like a steak to eat every now and then. So it is refreshing to be able to see her post a video clip of how she deals with the everyday parts of life like a swarm of bees in her back yard. Kristin very much comes across as rooted to her home and yet knowing her home is anywhere on Earth, from Wisconsin to her husband’s home country of South Africa. She has the ability to go from a safari in Africa videotaping elephants while wearing a t-shirt and cap to Red Carpet Ready for the premier of True Blood or one of the many charity events she has. She has remarkable style and class.

Red Carpet Ready!  Doing an interview for one of her Charities.

L is for… LOVE. Kristin’s LOVE for her fans, charities, family, and coworkers just shines. Kristin in my eyes is one great ball of Love.

Feel free to Fangirl in the coments and leave your love for Kristin…I know she feels it! Kristin Bauer van Straten I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
*All photos courtesy of Wench Natalie