James Marsters

Date of Birth : 20 August 1962

Location : Greenville, California, USA

Birth Name : James Wesley Marsters

Height : 5’ 9½" (1.77 m)

Mini Biography

James graduated from Davis High School and attended Juilliard, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the American Conservatory Theatre. After spending ten years doing stage work he finally moved to L.A. to pursue a career in film and television. After appearing in several guest roles he finally got his big break as Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). Originally the character was suppose to be killed after a few episodes but Spike became so popular that he became a regular on the show. After the show ended he appeared as Spike in the spin-off "Angel" (1999) and in several movies. James is also a talented musician; his band Ghost of the Robot released their first album, Mad Brilliant.

Spouse : Liane Davidson (? - ?) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Gained the scar on his left eyebrow when he was mugged whilst living in Queens

Won the Sexiest Male Vampire Award at the Nocturnal 2K Convention in London, England. [July 2000]

Graduated from Davis High School in Modesto, California.

Studied at Juilliard, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the American Conservatory Theatre.

While doing regional theatre in Chicago, he co-founded the New Mercury Theatre company (named after Orson Welles’s "Mercury Theatre"). In 1990, New Mercury’s founders packed the operation up and relocated to Seattle in the hopes of finding more opportunity; they played there for a number of years, using any available space, including the basements of restaurants and churches, but eventually found themselves a more permanent space near Pioneer Square.

Was recognizable in public chiefly for his platinum-blond-bleached hair. He had to bleach his hair regularly to play Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). In a famous "Entertainment Weekly" interview, he admitted to adding four to seven packets of Sweet ’n’ Low to the bleaching solution, to take the sting out. When the show ended, Marsters had his bleached hair shaved on TV (to sell for charity) and reverted back to his normal brown hair.

Has a HUGE cult following in the Sci-Fi/fantasy community. There are (literally) hundreds of websites dedicated to him and his immensely popular vampire character ’Spike’ on the internet.

He lived at one point (possibly still living there) in a house right on the beach. He once said during an interview that the worst part of living there was that because of his role on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), he couldn’t go out on the beach for any length of time because he’d pick up a tan.

Fronted a band called Ghost of the Robot. The band’s first album, "Mad Brilliant," was released in February 2003. After just over two years together, he dissolved the group to pursue a solo performing and recording career. His first solo CD, "Civilized Man," was released during his sell-out 2005 European tour.

His appearance at the 2002 Shore Leave sci-fi convention was so popular that a great number of fans had to watch his Q&A sessions from specially set up monitors outside the conference hall. Despite the almost Beatlemania-like overcrowding at the event, he stayed on for over 2 hours after he was scheduled to leave to ensure every single fan who’d waited in line got an autograph.

Spent the first ten years of his professional acting career in the theater (at various times in New York, Chicago and Seattle).

One of his first major theater roles was a Chicago production of "The Tempest," in which he was strapped near-naked to a large wooden wheel for his entrance. He claims that he has never been self-conscious about appearing nude since.

Has long harbored a desire to direct a film adaptation of "Macbeth." He frequently cites the Shakespeare tragedy as his favorite play.

Has produced more than 70 plays.

His favorite Buffy episode is "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More, with Feeling (#6.7)" (2001).

Originally his Spike character from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) was supposed to be killed during his first season on Buffy, but due to his very high popularity fan base for the show, they kept him on the show instead.

Has one son, Sullivan (born in 1996), with ex-wife Liane Davidson.

Has two siblings. One older sister (Susan, born 1960) and one younger brother (Paul, born 1964).

The Royal Shakespeare Company of Stratford, England, held a 2004 poll asking movie viewers to vote for the actor and actress they would most like to see in the roles of Romeo and Juliet. The winners were Marsters and Keira Knightley. More than 2,000 people voted for more than 150 different actors for both roles. Marsters, a Shakespearean actor, triumphed over Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp. Speaking from his Californian home, Marsters said, "I’m flattered and excited that people would think of me for the role of Romeo. I think the themes of violence and social disintegration are as important today as they were in Shakespeare’s day." (April 23, 2004)

Just as his character’s human counterpart from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), he is also a writer in real-life. He and comic book writer/novelist Christopher Golden teamed up in 1999 for Dark Horse Comics’ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike & Dru" comic book tie-in miniseries. It is now reprinted as a graphic novel.

Named #1 of the Top Ten Sexiest Men of the Buffy / Angel universe in a fan poll by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanzine (2004).

Originally, his BtVS character of Spike was supposed to be Creole, and James practiced a Bayou accent. But almost at the last minute, producer Joss Whedon decided Spike should be British.

Was one of the three actors called in to audition for the role of Spike opposite Juliet Landau.

Was asked to audition with both a Cockney accent and a Southern accent, as the writers/producers hadn’t decided which they wanted Spike to be

Loves filming the violent scenes and stunt work on "Buffy" and takes great pride in doing his own stunts

His favorite playwright is Chekhov

One of his favorite books is "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.".

He says Spike is the best role he’s ever had because he’s been able to play so many different sides of him.

He says his personal strength is patience while his personal weakness is his temper

According to both Marina Sirtis and Joss Whedon, he tested for the role of Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). In order for him to have time off to film the movie, his character was sent to Africa at the end of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)’s sixth season.

Enjoys playing the guitar, watching football, and spending time with friends at the beach.

Is left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.

Auditioned for the part of Praetor Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).

Is the legal guardian of his niece.

Is the first live-action actor to play the comic book villain Brainiac from the Superman comics.

Has played two of Superman’s arch enemies. On the TV series _"Smallville"(2001), he played Milton Fine, AKA "Brainiac." In the animated video _Superman/Doomsday (2007)_, he played the voice role of Lex Luthor.

Personal Quotes

All I wanted when I came on the show was a good body count and a good death. That’s all.

[on his British accent in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)] "I patterned the accent after this guy I was in a play with, but that was three years ago. Now I’m listening to Tony Head [Anthony Head; Giles in "Buffy"], who sounds kind of like Spike in real life. It’s much more tough-guy talk in real life. His accent [as Giles] is just as fake as mine. His is nice and gritty, but it’s not North London. I’m always afraid that I’m morphing over into Tony Head, wherever he’s from."

"It’s just me and a guitar, so I’m not going to be doing a lot of Smashing Pumpkins. I do Tom Waits, Neil Young, Bob Dylan. That’s all the good stuff, man. That’s when they had good songs written for just voice and guitar. I wish I could do Johnny Lee Hooker (John Lee Hooker), but I’m not that good." - on his acoustic performance at 14 Below, Santa Monica on 29th August 2000.

Chekov man, it’s all the same thing. Chekov and Buffy the Vampire Slayer - it’s all about beautiful losers.

(on getting the part of Spike) "I walked in there thinking I was the s***, swaggering around, among other Spikes...and I got up in the middle of the room with all these Spikes, and started doing Shakespeare. They all pulled back, and I told them, ’Can’t do that? Good luck in there.’ It was MY role. I took it by the throat."

Sex is part of the human experience and if you are going to be an actor and a storyteller to tell human stories, that’s going to be part of it because, frankly, it’s the central thing in all our lives.

I am a lucky regional theater actor who happened to get a good role.

Within the walls of these conventions, I am Leonardo DiCaprio...when I step out of that situation, I am just another actor.

[on his role as Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and "Angel" (1999)] "This job is so far beyond any expectations I had. I mean, I’m on a postage stamp in Russia [issued in Karakalpakia, a region within the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbekistan]. There’s no way you can plan for that. You just have to sit back and giggle and go, ’Oh, wow.’" (2 May 2004)

[on his role as Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)] "Joss Whedon said to me, ’If you think you are taking over the show, you have got another think coming.’ He said, ’You are here only because I don’t want to kill a villain off every week. I want my villains to be more interesting and multifaceted and then die.’" (May 2, 2004)

[on the ending of his role as Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and "Angel" (1999)] "David [David Boreanaz] and I are from theater. We’re used to shows being really wonderful and then they’re over. You have to be able to reconcile that or everything’s sad. Yeah, it was a fabulous job, wow. I’ve had great jobs before and I’ll have other great jobs in my future." (2 May 2004)

[on whether he would be interested in returning his character Spike to the "Angel" (1999) universe:] "I have no idea what’s in the future - but what I do know is that I play a vampire, and the clock is ticking on how long this face can be believably exactly the same as when we met him [seven years previously on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)]. If they want to do something, let’s not wait too long." (10 May 2004)

[on being cast as Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)] "The character was supposed to die in three to five episodes. We did three and I didn’t die. We did two more and I didn’t die. In the script for the fifth episode, I got conked on the head with an organ, and said, ’Well, that’s it - I’m dead.’ Then they sent me another script and I was back. It was a pleasant surprise that I didn’t die, because I was fully expecting to. All I really wanted was a good body count and a good death, but lo and behold, I got a career." (May 2000)

[on Anthony Head] "I can’t say enough about Anthony - he is one of the better actors I’ve ever worked with. He is the shit. He does the heavy lifting for the show with all that exposition. Every week he has to convince us that the world is going to come to an end again and again. He’s got to talk about the Box of Tathor or the Talisman of Nigeria or whatever and sell it. He has to give it weight so it doesn’t seem repetitious. He does that every time so well. And I knew Spike was a cool character when Anthony said so. So I had always wanted to do a scene with him." (May 2000)

[on getting cast in "Angel" (1999)] "I danced a jig when they invited me back. I love doing Buffy and Angel ["Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and "Angel" (1999)]. You get to hit people, man. On Angel, the creators are the same guys [Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt] as on Buffy. David Boreanaz, of course, was there too. I was nervous the first day that I shot "Angel" because I had only played Spike on Buffy once in about two years ["Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Lovers Walk (#3.8)" (1998)]. In fact, I had to review tapes to find the character again. But once I got on the set, I was in full vamp makeup, fighting David again. So it really felt like old times." (1999)

[about Episode 6-19, "Seeing Red," the scene in which Spike tries to rape Buffy:] "That was the hardest day of my life. I have turned roles down because they are rapists. It’s something I don’t even want to watch. If I even click on it on TV, I have to click it off or I’ll put my foot through the screen... What you see on that screen is just my terror at having to do that scene. There’s not really any acting going on and I haven’t watched the scene. I’ve seen little clips. You know, ’previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’ They show it sometimes and I’m always like, ’Oh, God.’ ... The writers are fabulous, but when I showed up on set that day I told them: ’Sometimes you guys just don’t know what you do. You just do not know what you’re asking us...’ I’m proud of it artistically, but as a human being I never, never, never want to do a scene like that again and I will always refuse because I know what it does to me." [United Press International, June 11, 2003]

I don’t know much about the internet, I’m afraid.

I don’t have a computer - I don’t like to get into it that much ’cause it can screw with your head a little.

I have not, just because — see this brings up a very interesting thing, I don’t have a computer, because it so — it’s like bourbon, going to a fan site you know, it makes you feel so puffed up about yourself and so cool, and I promised myself when Joss asked me to come on the show as a regular, I hung up the phone after screaming like an idiot and then like I didn’t even pretend to be cool, I sat down and I was like ’okay, I’m gonna be getting a lot of money, I’m gonna be getting a lot of fame, but the most important thing is if I can keep from becoming an asshole’.

What I noticed was that when I go on the Internet, or used to, my head would swell. Why am I an actor? God knows but some of it has got to be the need for acceptance and stuff, right? So I’m just drawn to that stuff like honey and at some point I just had to say, ’James, get off the ’Net, go back, clean your toilet.’ Now I find I’m like a mentor to the guys in the band because they’re tasting it now too. And I’m like, ’Charlie, get off the Internet. Get off your fan site now. You’re losing it.’ And he’s like, ’Yeah, boss, right.’

[on the difference between playing Spike in _"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)_ and playing Brainiac in "Smallville" (2001):] One important thing is that Brainiac is always smiling. He’s so good at what he does, he’s enjoying himself... He’s a very intelligent character. Spike was not stupid, but I don’t think his hallmark quality was vast reserves of intelligence - charm, good hair, maybe, but not intelligence. And this man is very good at lying, which Spike never was. [October 15, 2005]

[on hearing of plans to bring the Spike character back for a third WB series] As long as I could do it within, say, the next four or five years. Past that, I’m too old. Spike’s a vampire, man, and I’ve got high standards - you have to believe that the guy has not aged since we met him. There’s a little poetic license, but I don’t want to get into a situation where the script says, "Well, he was drinking pig blood and he aged." (March 3, 2005)

[on refusing to take his shirt off for fans at conventions] Nobody was interested until the episode when I kissed Buffy, then wham. (March 29, 2005)

About his Millennium appearance: I was really honored because I noticed that the lead, Lance, I noticed him in Alien 2, you know, and he broke my heart. In that movie, I mean, how can you break a guy’s heart in the middle of all that blood? You know, but he’s really one of the best actors we have. And I went on [Millennium] and the whole crew, the show is a lot like Buffy in that it strays toward cinema. It tries to be as good as a movie, and what that means is that everyone works really hard. This is the joke name of Buffy in Hollywood: Buffy the Weekend Slayer. Because we start at 4:00 in the morning on Monday and we leave the set about 6:00 in the morning on Saturday. And with Millennium, it’s just that much. The joke about Millennium was that there’s two shots for every shot that they use. They shoot many more set-ups than they even cut to. And everyone was apologizing to me: ’Sorry we’re not nicer, we’re just kinda stressed out right now.’ And, I don’t know, I’ve never seen people work harder and be nicer about it, and I was honored to be on the set frankly.

Regarding which of his own stunts he does and does not do: I don’t fall. If my feet leave the floor, that ain’t me.

Where Are They Now

(July 2004) At a recent convention, announced he has been given the opportunity to do his dream - a movie version of MacBeth. Currently he’s working on adapting the Bard’s famous tragedy for the big screen. Sadly, there has been talk that the movie’s funding had fallen through.

(November 2004) Finished filming "The Pierre Heist" (_Cool Money (2005) (TV)_) in Toronto. He played the lead, Bobby Comfort. It is a tv movie that is rumoured to air in January or February of 2005.

(March 2005) His movie Cool Money (2005) (TV) (formerly The Pierre Heist) will air in March 2005.

(July 2005) Will be guest starring on the upcoming series 5 of The WB’s Smallville

(June 2007) Filming for Torchwood season 2 in Cardiff and doing a concert at The Point 21/7. Also, appears in an episode of TNT’s new series Saving Grace.