Zombie Survival Crew

Kristen Bauer Van Straten rose to rank in the ZSC alongside fellow First Lieutenants and True Blood co-stars Sam Trammell and Jim Parrack. Collectively, the True Blood trio are a force to be reckoned with during those times when vampires make noise. But being the girl in what so far seems very much an all-boys’ club, Kristin faces no disadvantages. She is fierce, powerful, compassionate, and has a sense of determination matched only by her tenacious work aimed at improving the treatment of our beloved four-legged friends.

Kristin hails from Racine, Wisconsin. She learned to ride horseback and became adept at handling firearms before moving on to study fine arts in Saint Louis, Boston and New York City. Soon after she shifted gears again and decided to focus on acting. In 1995 she landed her first recurring role in the television series The Crew. From there, the number of television appearances grew so numerous they cannot all be listed here. LA Law, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Dark Angel, Two and a Half Men, Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, Crossing Jordan and Justified have all featured Kristin in guest roles.  In 2009, she became a series regular on HBO’s True Blood, playing the sultry and deadly vampire Pamela Swynford De Beaufort.

In direct contrast to her True Blood character, the beautiful Ms. Bauer van Straten is a vegetarian and dedicated animal lover. She dislikes “meanness, the circus, littering, testing on animals, starving, pesticides, fur, most zoos, slavery, intolerance, and genetically modified food.” She strives to live as nature intended and takes inspiration from life on all forms. In 2011, devoted fans and fellow animal lovers launched a Birthday Charity Project in her name.  She is an avid supporter of The Amanda Foundation and stands before us as inspiring reminder to all that our world does not belong to humans alone.

In addition to her role as Pam in HBO’s continuing saga of True Blood, Kristin has also appeared in the popular television series  The Secret Life of the American Teenager and ABC’s Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.

If you’re just joining us for this series, please check out our previous Commander Monday field reports!