True Blood's Ryan: 'Women find my audacity sexy'

True Blood star Ryan Kwanten credits his sex symbol status to his character Jason Stackhouse being so confident.

The 34-year-old Australian actor admitted to Men's Health Magazine that his character is a bit of a 'knucklehead', but thinks women like his cockiness.

Ryan said: "With all the guys on the show there's a rawness to them. With Jason it's very unabashed. He's very comfortable in his skin. I think from a female perspective, that kind of audacity or confidence can be sexy.

"Although I don't think that a guy like that could be sexy all the time. It is a little too full on... but then again, I'm not a girl.

"Jason has been shot at, raped and danced around in his underwear wearing a Laura Bush mask. The fact that he is still standing there is kind of... intriguing."

The former Home and Away star confessed he's been blown away by the show's success, but tries not to let it go to his head.

"It continues to amaze me. I saw (True Blood creator) Alan Ball yesterday, and even he is overwhelmed by the way it continues to grow. It's exponential. It is rating above any other show HBO have ever had, including The Sopranos.

"I try to live in a little bubble. It's an Australian and a British thing not to take things too seriously. It's fantastic that it's a success, but you need to keep a hunger and an ambition to have more, and want more."