by Self.com

It’s no secret that here at SELF, we love True Blood. Anna Paquin’s emergence as a sex symbol–and the onscreen (and off-screen!) heat between her and costar Stephen Moyer–has made HBO’s hit show one of our favorites. In fact, we love it so much that we just had to feature its heroine in our July issue.

In a nice departure from the show’s dark, gritty nature (what else would you expect of vampires?), the Golden Globe winner, who plays sassy waitress Sookie Stackhouse, took to the beach to model sweet ’50s-inspired summer clothes. Fortunately, True Blood’s Southern set has helped Anna adjust to her character’s skimpy wardrobe–her usual uniform consists of a tiny tee and short shorts.

“After I was cast and realized my body would be exposed all the time, I went out and bought some shorts–I owned none–to help me get used to it,” she said. “I’ve learned to feel very comfortable wearing very little. It’s liberating!”

Check back later this week for more exclusive features from our July issue, and don’t forget to pick it up on newsstands on Tuesday, June 23!