'Dracula' Star Jonathan Rhys Meyers is Addicted to More Than Just Blood

It’s common knowledge that vampires thrive on blood. They need it to survive. They’re addicted to the high. But apparently they can foster other addictions as well. NBC’s most handsome vampire, Jonathan Rhys Meyers from “Dracula,” has struggled with his own addictions off the set, and in order to keep him healthy and motivated, NBC struck up a deal to ensure the show’s production would be completed.

The network’s entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt chose Meyers to play Vlad Tepes/Alexander Grayson after working with him at Showtime. At the time, Greenblatt was the president of entertainment at Showtime and oversaw production of “The Tudors,” in which Meyers played King Henry VIII, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He looked past Meyers’ problems with alcohol and saw him as a talented young actor, but he still equipped himself with a safety net.

The network chose to pay Meyers a per diem expense, but refused to pay his salary, which is roughly $100,000 per episode, until the entire season had been shot. That way, Meyers had great incentive to stay clean and NBC wouldn’t lose as much money if he went off the deep end. A win-win situation.

Meyers got through the season, but not without minor setbacks. At one point during shooting, he had to return to London after having a meltdown. He checked into a hospital and returned shortly after with a sober companion.

In the end, Meyers prevailed, and although ratings have dipped since its premiere, the numbers still suggest that there will be more “Dracula” in the future.

“Dracula” airs Friday nights at 10/9c on NBC.