"Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

Boxtop presents

July 28, 1998

Anthony Stewart Head, “Buffy the Vampire Slayers’” stuffy librarian Rupert Giles, chats about his role, working with such a young cast, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and the incredible success of the series.

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Speaker: Talk City Presents(tm), in association with iXl Live(tm) welcomes you to a conversation with our special guest Anthony Stewart Head. Welcome to Talk City, Anthony! What do you find most surprising about the tremendous success of “Buffy”?

Anthony Stewart Head: Hmm, that's a stumper! Well, that it took so long for the network to know what they had on their hands. We were a mid-season replacement, and they weren't sure about it at all.

Elainemc: It's obvious you're fond of your fellow cast and crew; do you find that it helps your characterization-- since Buffy and Co. are, also, close?

Anthony Stewart Head: Well, I'm an actor. One isn't always going to get on with one's compadres. There have been things that I've done in the past which have been difficult, but I'm a fairly easy-going person. I'm not a patsy; I'll stand up for myself, but I'll use whatever is thrown at me in my acting. Art imitates life. And in the past if there are problems on a set, I've been able to use whatever anxiety or trouble I've felt in the scene. However, when you all get on, it makes life a lot easier, and it makes life more fun. I makes the show more fun to do!

Willow778: Do you want Giles to get a new romantic interest?

Anthony Stewart Head: Oh, I'm still hurting from Miss Calendar's death. But I'm sure if one is appropriate, they'll give me one. I am definitely spinning in some different ways for Giles to approach life, as the result of the traumas of last year, and I know they have things planned for him. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Sachieljgm: What is the best part about working on BtVS?

Anthony Stewart Head: You get to do really silly things, and get paid for it! And people take you seriously! Now that I'm in my 40s, people misguidedly take me more seriously. When I was in my 30s, people took me more seriously than they did in my 20s. It's all relative, and eventually they'll realize their dreadful mistake!

Gyst: In my opinion, Giles is the best character on the series. I think that's what truly makes the series great, the character of the characters. I would like to know if there are any plans for Giles and Buffy's mom? Better yet, if Joss will somehow bring back Miss Calendar? Jenny and Giles were an awesome combo. I'd like to see it again, and not just as a one-shot.

Anthony Stewart Head: We love you, Gyst. Anyone who thinks Giles is the best character is alright in our book! As far as me and Joyce, we'll have to wait and see. It would definitely throw some conflict into the arena, and conflict makes for a good show. But whether we can cope with that much conflict! I liked the romance with Miss Calendar, but, well, she's dead, and short of taking her body to Lourdes, I don't know that she's going to resurrected. And again, it's good conflict. All of it is very carefully, cleverly thought out, and the conflicts between me and Buffy, and all of us, come from Joss's innate sense of what makes people tick. When my English agent first saw the show she said it was great, but where can it go? And the answer is that it's gone way beyond where it started. It couldn't remain just me the stuffy Englishman and the angst-ridden teenager. It had to go beyond that. I don't really know where they're going to lead me, but I have implicit faith in Joss's sensibilities and intuition.

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