Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Elizabeth Anne Allen - Interviewed at Page’s Bar, 2003

Pitching in How was Amy’s return pitched to you?

They don’t have to pitch any more, I love coming back. So they said, "Are you available," and I said "Yes". I didn’t even ask what I was doing, I didn’t care. I knew it was going to be the last season and I really just wanted to be a part of it.

I will survive Are you glad that Amy didn’t die?

I’m really glad that I didn’t die. I’m still out there. There may be bad blood, but I live. So, whatever happens beyond that in the Buffy world, Amy’s still out there. I have to go on believing that.

Should we expect to see you on Angel?

I don’t know, maybe.

Attitude problems How did you feel about Amy’s attitude in The Killer in Me?

I think after all the things that she went through, there were a lot of reasons why she was so angry and there were a lot of things she felt ripped off about, and it makes sense naturally for the character to be so angry. I would have loved for her to get a little therapy, find a little resolution, but she doesn’t.

Twice as dicey Was it hard to film the Willow/Warren switching scenes?

That was a really crazy scene, because initially their intention was to morph the characters in and out of each another, but for timing’s sake they didn’t, actually. TheY were able to do that with editing and such. So everything had to be so exact.

When Alyson did her lines or Adam did his lines, if gestured or moved their head differently from the other person, they had to do the take over again. So that one scene took us a day and a half to shoot. It took forever.

By the time we were done, we were like, "Oh, thank god we never have to say those lines again." It took a long time, but it looked great.

Wicca worries What do you think of the way Wicca is portrayed in Buffy?

When I found out they were taking the character in that direction, I started to learn about the Wicca. I went to a society but I didn’t actually go to a coven meeting, I didn’t do that.

I think, in general, most of the people I’ve dealt with understand that I don’t write it, and it’s a character and they’re taking creative licence. While I know that’s not what the Wicca is about, [the real thing] doesn’t lead to good drama. It’s not really a lot of fun to watch.

Distant co-stars What did you and DB Woodside talk about when you met?

We were fascinated that there are so many characters that neither of us had ever met. He wanted to know about this person and that person, and I wanted to know about this person and that person that I’d never met.

I’d actually only met the character of Spike on the last day I was shooting. I was dropping something back off at wardrobe and I happened to meet him there.

There’s a lot of people that we don’t interact with, so we’re just fascinated, [asking], "What are they like, what are they like?" Just like any other fan.

Rat-free living If you could shape Amy’s future, how would you develop her?

I think it would be interesting to see what Amy, actually having spent some time a non-rat, does with her life. To see if she spins off into just an angry tirade, or if she can get a grip and come back to the fold with her friends and feel loved there.

That struggle, I would have liked to explore more.

Forget me not Did you get any keepsake from the Buffy set?

I didn’t. No, that would have been fun. I didn’t get any memento. At that time I was just so shocked that I wasn’t going to be back there and that it was the end. I just left there in a daze, so I didn’t really think about that.

Fandom fun Do you enjoy meeting your fans?

I love it. I find that a lot of people have great ideas, and I wish that some of them could have been incorporated.

It’s fun, and I like to know the amount of people that it’s touched and the facets of the character - it’s touched them in different ways. People appreciate it, having been left out, or felt different [themselves].

I love the way they attach themselves to the character and it’s fun meeting people for that reason.

Future plans What are you up to at the moment?

I took a little time off because I recently got married. I’m just getting back into things. Pretty soon we’re going to have our pilot season in California, and it’ll be back to the adventure of finding a new job.

Does your husband like Buffy?

He actually never really followed the show. He came to the convention and he had no idea who anybody was. It just tickled me, it was very funny.

Do you know who I am? Have you ever abused your celebrity status?

I honestly don’t think I have.

It’s a funny thing, I’ve noticed in London and in the States, especially in Los Angeles - they pride themselves on ignoring any celebrity. The job is to treat you as normally as possible.

I don’t abuse it because I’m not even sure they do know who I am. Maybe they don’t.