Which ‘Buffy’ Star was Rejected for ‘True Blood’?

If you're anything like us, modern vampire fiction can be a little bit hard to watch after growing up with Joss Whedon's superlatively funny and original 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'  But now that Joss Whedon is out there making his billions of dollars off 'The Avengers,' which one of his former stars tried to get back in on the vampire game by auditioning for a role in 'True Blood?'  And oh sweet Moses, why ever would they be rejected?

Speaking at the latest Spooky Empire horror weekend, former 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel' star James Marsters revealed to the crowd that he had actually decided to dust off the fangs by auditioning for a vampire role on HBO's 'True Blood,' though ended up losing the part for a very specific reason.  Though initially reluctant to take the part of another vampire following his career-defining turn as Spike through both iterations of Joss Whedon's legendary series, Marsters confessed himself to be fan of 'True Blood's writing.

So why the fairy godmother wouldn't HBO cast Marsters in the role?  Evidently, the producers found Marsters simply too short for the role, which called for him to engage in a fight with the significantly larger Alexander Skarsgard, a meaty 6'4" - 6'5."  No stranger to having to compensate for his height however, Marsters related his frustration to the crowd, saying:

I wanted to go to the director and say, "Uh, Mr. [Alan] Ball, I kind of make my bread and butter by fighting tall guys.  Ask Tom Welling ['Smallville'], ask David Boreanaz ['Angel'}, ask John Barrowman ['Torchwood'], you know?  That's kind of what I do.  "

Vampire or no, Marsters is no stranger to poking a bit of fun at his legacy with 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' most recently appearing in an episode of 'Supernatural' alongside fellow 'Buffy' co-star Charisma Carpenter.

What say you?  Would you have wanted to see Marsters take on a role in 'True Blood,' or are vampire universes best kept separate?  What other guest stars would you like to see when 'True Blood' returns for season 5 on Sunday, June 10?  Check out the video courtesy of Whedonesque, and spill in the comments below!