The hills will soon be alive with the sound of Carrie Underwood, but the country music star won't be the only lead in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" She'll be joined by "True Blood's" Stephen Moyer — and while he doesn't have an "American Idol" win behind him (or Underwood's six Grammys and eight CMA awards), he's every bit as qualified to croon "Edelweiss."
Sure, the man behind Bill Compton — Bon Temps' good-vamp-turned-bad-and-back-again — might seem like an odd fit for the singing, smoldering military man Captain von Trapp. But that's only the case for those who aren't familiar with Moyer's song-and-dance side.
"True Blood" fans first got a taste of just what the multifaceted star can do when a flashback scene in the show's second season saw him belt out a respectable rendition of the Tin Pan Alley classic "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)," just before his character devoured a couple of socialites who enjoyed the ditty.
Moyer also showed off his singing chops in the TV movie, "The Final Quest."
In fact, long before he ever appeared on big or small screens, Moyer got his start in musical theater, first with a production of "Oliver!" and then a long line of other standards. Moyer told the L.A. Times that he performed in over 60 musicals by the time he reached age 18.
And he hasn't turned his back on the stage since. In July, he took on the role of "Chicago's" Billy Flynn for a three-night performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
In a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, he even confessed to knowing the entire Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook by the age 14 or 15.
So when it comes to bringing Maria's main man to life in the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "The Sound of Music"? Moyer has it covered — and then some.
See how he handles the role when "The Sound of Music Live!" airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC.