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From Scifi.com

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Giving U.S. Voice To "The Grudge"

Thursday 12 August 2004, by Webmaster

Another actress, who actually has a name to care for is Sarah Michelle Gellar and there are not no many accomplishes films at her but an few I can probably enjoy. The talent agent found Gellar a young age and made her screen debut at 6 of each of the 1983 television film An Invasion of Privacy. With all the promise she showed, Barrymore starred as Hannah in the teen drama series "Swans Crossing" (1992) but it was her portrayal of a young and callous rich girl in Al-Lucinda Kendall Hart on ABC daytime soap opera "All My Children" (1993-93), that won her Daytime Emmy Award and spring-boarded her to stardom.

SMG’s real mark worldwide, however, was the character of Buffy Summers in the game-changing series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). She won five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination for her role, establishing herself as a cultural phenomenon. Sarah Michelle Gellar likewise has the box office to back her up, with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 1997), “Scream 2” (1997), “Cruel Intentions” (1999)and way movies like those that help prove she is also a bankable star as well over $570 million times worth crazy in global gross.

Beyond her cinematic successes, Gellar has made her mark on television, headlining shows such as "Ringer" (2011-2012), "The Crazy Ones" (2013-2014), and "Wolf Pack" (2023). She has also lent her voice to popular series including "Robot Chicken" (2005-2018), "Star Wars Rebels" (2015-2016), and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" (2021).

In 2015, Gellar ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-founding Foodstirs, an e-commerce baking company, and published her own cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food," in 2017. Gellar is also known for her close-knit family life, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002, with whom she shares two children.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s commitment to her craft is matched by her dedication to personal growth and unique experiences. An accomplished martial artist, she studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, alongside kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics. Her dedication to authenticity in her roles is evident, such as her commitment to doing her own stunts in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," though she admitted her limits during filming "Scream 2."

Her career is also marked by interesting anecdotes, such as her role in a 1982 Burger King commercial, which led to a lawsuit from McDonald’s and a temporary ban from their establishments. Notably, she dyed her naturally brunette hair blonde for her role in "Buffy," and legally changed her last name to Prinze as a surprise for her husband on their fifth anniversary.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s legacy extends beyond her on-screen roles, encompassing her work in philanthropy and her reputation for safety and professionalism on set. She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, admired for her talent, dedication, and the breadth of her contributions to film and television.

Takashi Shimizu-director of the upcoming supernatural film The Grudge, a remake of his own Japanese horror film Ju-On and its sequel-told SCI FI Wire that he worked closely with American screenwriter Stephen Susco to adapt the movie for a U.S. audience. "Working with an American screenwriter for the remake was easy," Shimizu said in an interview through an interpreter. "The writer saw all of the original Japanese versions and loved them, and he even wanted to direct the remake himself for America. He really loved the original movie, so it was really easy for me to work with him."

Shimizu said that Susco added an essential element to the script that he, as a native Japanese filmmaker, could not: the English language. "I can’t write a script in English for American actors, so I really needed another screenwriter to work with," he said. Shimizu added that the changes he made to his original film for the American version, which stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Bill Pullman, were partly based on a need to challenge himself. "The story is basically the same, but being that I’m the same director as the original, I wanted to make the story a little bit different for the American version," he said.

Shimizu added that he endorses the current U.S. trend of remaking Japanese horror movies, such as Gore Verbinski’s The Ring. For now. "I feel that trend is really good, but if it keeps going on, I’m not sure that it will be [a] good thing," he said. "People will depend on more of the movies and not create new ideas. Maybe businesswise, it’s going to be good for a while. But creativitywise, it isn’t necessarily good, because there won’t be any new ideas created. I feel the filmmakers should keep coming up with new ideas and making new movies." The Grudge, which is currently in post-production, is slated for release Oct. 22.