The Next Slay

Buffy & Angel: Hellmouth Haunt:
exclusive coverage of this Halloween's
attraction at Universal Studios!

Are you as insanely excited as us about the return of Buffy and Angel to our screens for another 22 brand new and thrilling adventures (each)?

Simon Bacal checked in with some of the Slayer players who’ll be making our lives complete.

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Excerpts from
Xposé Special #13
available now

Fresh blood is pouring into The WB’s hit vamp shows Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel.

For example: in Sunnydale, California, Riley Finn - Buffy’s current lover - is busy sharpening his wooden stakes for the upcoming plethora of new Buffy outings. Played by Marc Blucas, Riley, who made his début last season, is a former member of The Initiative/ Though season four ended with the Initiative’s destruction, don’t expect Blucas to leave Sunnydale anytime soon.

Careful not to let the demonic cat out of the bag, the actor is reluctant to go into specific detail about the series’ plans for Riley. “When they emerge from their story meetings [meaning series creator Joss Whedon and executive producers David Greenwalt and Marti Noxon], they have little sparkles in their eyes and smirks on their faces, and tell me that Riley’s whole world will be filled with a lot of dark stuff,” he hints. “I hear dark stuff and think, ‘Chips in my body and drug addiction.’ Truthfully, I don’t have any idea about their long-term plans for the character, but I can’t wait to see what happens.

"Since we are constantly in production during the season, we get the script last minute – there’s just no way to get them early. Despite the time pressure, I always read the script, enjoy the storyline and laugh out loud as I sit on the edge of my couch to find out what happens.”

Becoming a regular character on one of TV land’s most popular series has earned the actor big-time recognition: he recently received a nice dash of fan mania when visiting his old high school in Pennsylvania. “My dad is superintendent there, and his office is right in the middle of the school. I had walked through that place about a hundred times, and this year I went back. Without thinking, I walked right by seventh grade cafeteria at lunchtime, which proved to be a huge mistake. There were girls running and everyone came out. I felt like John Lennon – it was unbelievable. Teachers had to grab me and throw me in the faculty room, saying, ‘You can’t come in here. You can’t do this.’ It really blew me away.”

Meanwhile in the second season of Angel, which premiéred on September 26, street-hardened vampire killer Charles Gunn becomes a regular character. Gunn, who débuted in last season’s final three episodes, forms an alliance with the titular Angel (David Boreanaz), a vampire turned Los Angeles private detective.

“Charles is a very strong and driven person, but this guy also possesses a very big heart, since he exhibits a firm love for his friends,” says J August Richards, the actor who plays Gunn. “Since my character kicks plenty of vampire butt, I would like to do my own stunts, but I’m not doing them because an injury would mean time away from the set. However, I can fake martial arts action because I’ve seen many Bruce Lee films – I know those movies very well.

“I really love David’s character, because his dark personality is the show’s backbone,” Richards adds. “And I hope Charles Gunn’s relationship with Angel maintains a strong level of conflict – something which would benefit the characters and storyline.”

Get the full version of this feature, with thoughts and expectations from Amber Benson (Tara) and James Marsters (Spike) when you buy Xposé Special #13