Angel

The Cast of Angel

Kristin sits down with the cast of Angel and Joss Whedon in individual interviews to discuss the show and their personal lives.

by Kristin

David Boreanaz One hundred episodes. Must feel good. Yes. I never imagined the show getting to 100 episodes. I only imagined getting the work done that was in front of me. When we started this journey four and a half seasons ago, David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon were like, "One down, 99 to go," and I was like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa—I need to focus on this scene we’re shooting on the rooftop." And here we are.

And now Cordelia’s gone. Will Angel ever get some lovin’? That’s always been a sore subject for him. He just can’t seem to find the right girl. I think that because of his character, if she can’t keep his interest, he’ll be pretty quick to move on.

You have sparks of a different kind with Spike. Yeah, it’s been pretty hostile lately, and it will simmer a little bit, but that conflict between them will always remain. At the bottom of it all, there is respect.

Right. And you can respect the fact that he kicked your ass. He didn’t kick my ass! [Laughs.] It was fake. It’s all pitiful. I’ll come back. We’ve had many battles, and he may have beat me that time, but we still have nine episodes to go.

And after that? Another season? It’s the same thing every season: You don’t know. I think our show is open to another season. I’m proud we’ve gotten to 100. But I’m really itching to explore other characters and do other projects. I think I’ve been stuck in this medical school for a while, and I need to open up and get out. I look forward to that, and there’s part of me that wants to explore. I don’t know. I always evaluate that at the end of every season, and I will at the end of this one. I’ll think about where I’m at when it’s time.

Charisma Carpenter: Cordelia

How’s the reunion? It’s good to be back. Totally different and completely the same, all at the same time. It’s surreal. I remember the first day Joss put his arm around my neck and said, "What do you think of a spinoff?" And I was like, "Eek, I don’t know. What if it flops?" And he told me he’d never put me out there without a safety net. And here we are—well, here they are—100 episodes later.

Do you think you’ll come back again? I don’t think so, no. I think this is it.

No! Why? The thing about Cordelia is that her stories have been told. I think this is it. And what a time to go—the 100th episode. I think everything has been explored for her. And it’s really a sweet, sweet episode. Joss had written me a note and said this is one of the sweeter stories we’ve ever told. And I agree.

Do you pay attention to what the fans are saying? Well, my mom tells me what they say online, on the Internet, and I think they’re pissed, you know? I think they’re pissed that she’s not back for good...But I think the 100th episode gives some closure. It’s good for the fans. It was essential to get it situated, because it would have been a horrible crime if we left her in a coma. Joss never wanted to do that, either.

And now you’re a mom. Yes. I always, always wanted to be a mom. I thought I’d be a mom a long time ago. Like, at 22 or 23, I thought I’d be a mom and be married. But here I am, Hollywood woman, working and having a baby. [My son] was here earlier, hanging with us, but he fell asleep amidst all the cake-cutting festivities. It was like, "Hey, Mom, congratulations...ugh, I’m over it."

Andy Hallett: Lorne

So, 100 episodes. How does it feel? Yawn. You’re going to start with that?

Okay—when was the last time you were naked in public? Oh, 25 minutes ago. Back at Stage Four with the caterers. No, really, naked in public? Mardi Gras three years ago. I walked off the plane and was like, "I can’t believe people expose themselves for beads! I would never do that!" My friends found me three hours later in a ditch, covered in beads. Now, what was the first question?

One hundred episodes. Right. I came in at the beginning of season two with hopes of appearing a couple of times, and I never thought it would come to this. I did 53 episodes as a guest character. I sort of felt like part of the team already, but last season, Joss called me, out of the blue, and said, "What do you think about coming onboard?" And it was great and shocking. What made it really extra special, the nicest part of it, was he said, "We don’t know if the show is going to get picked up next year. So, if it doesn’t go, I’d like you to be able to say you were a regular castmember." Which I thought was really cool.

And now you’re wasting away in the makeup chair. Yeah, I’m the only mother that has to sit in there for three hours. Have you seen Dane Johnson running around here? He’s head of the makeup department, and he’s armed and dangerous, with an airbrush. He came up to me and said I was getting Duo next year, which is a weak glue that keeps on women’s eyelashes. David Boreanaz gets it, so he can just peel off his makeup, it’s so easy for him. But, my dear, if I were to peel my makeup off, I would look like Freddy Krueger. It would peel off layers of skin! David gets a kick out of trying to pull my makeup off...What was the question?

We’ll just move on. Do you ever get recognized? Working on Angel has been my first real gig, and you know, I’m green. But, one time—this is hilarious: My good drag-queen friend used to perform up at the Queen Mary in the Valley. It was a landmark, a famous drag-queen landmark for years. And Miss Patrice would get up there, and sometimes I would sing with her—not in drag—and she could sing her ass off...and what was my point? Oh yeah, some guy said he knew me from looking at my eyes. And I was like, No way. I mean, first of all, I wear red contacts.

If you tell me what’s coming up on the show, I’ll be your best friend. I haven’t the foggiest, I swear to God. The policy of Joss Whedon and the other producers is that they are very secretive. I think that’s cool, because it provides a very spontaneous vibe for everybody. The actors are just as surprised as the viewers.

J. August Richards: Gunn

Man, you’ve changed. I’m having a blast. My character has gone from being this scraggly, rough, homeless vampire hunter to this serious, methodical lawyer; the adjustment has been tremendous. I have to do what Alexis used to do: deliver very long paragraphs to tell the audience what’s going on. I’m falling all over my words.

Are you getting a love interest? On the show?

No, in real life. [Laughs.] My character has either attacked or kissed everybody on the show. Gunn is attracted to every woman who walks in the door, so I’m sure it won’t be long before I have another love interest. I gotta put the feelers out, and maybe something will come back.

Tell us the truth. Was David horrible as a director? I’ll be honest. When I first heard David was directing, I was like, "Lord, we ain’t going to get nothing done." [Laughs.] But he was one of the most accomplished and focused directors we’ve had, and the insight he gave me as an actor was mind-blowing. I was like, "I didn’t know you watched my work that tight."

Are you hoping for another season? Definitely. Now that my character has changed, I feel like we’ve just started. Gunn’s so much more like me now, which is a good thing. The words are words I would use, but this character is very much a child at heart. He still seems like a different person, but he’s a lot closer to me.

How was the reunion with Charisma? Fantastic. We couldn’t have done the 100th episode without her. It’s like she never left, except now she has a little boy with her. This is the baby set. I’m one of the few childless people on the set, and I want to keep it that way. Everyone is popping out babies and getting married. Be careful, I think there’s something in the water.

Alexis Denisof: Wesley

First things first. How is married life? It’s fantastic. I love it. I mean, I’m very proud of the show and all the work here—I’m proud of lots of things in my life. But definitely, the happiest moment has to be taking that step with Alyson [Hannigan]. She was radiant that day, and we went out on our honeymoon, and we just blissed out. I don’t remember my feet touching the ground. We could be together in a trailer in Alabama and be happy.

And this milestone on the show? It feels good. I mean, it’s like we put 100,000 miles on the clock, but it’s a new car, and it just goes and goes. I think this season has got everybody really excited with the new energy, new characters, new sets, new storylines. There’s a lot going on, and that’s exciting for all of us.

Has it been tough playing the same character for so long? Never. I had to adjust to it, to be perfectly honest. I was used to quick turnover in characters, hadn’t really experienced this longevity with a role. But I was fortunate with this role because I’ve grown and changed a lot, especially going back to Buffy, when I was this big, irritating dork.

Joss has a way of throwing curveballs, doesn’t he? Yes. Unlike many shows, where the characters are forced to stay the same and let the events around them change, Joss encourages the events to affect the characters and really change them. He never lets it stay the same. Which is very brave—sometimes you feel like you’re crashing into a wall, and there are going to be pieces all around. I don’t know how he does it. He’s insane, that Joss Whedon. That’s the only explanation I have. The man is insane.

Amy Acker: Fred

We know you’re close with Joss. So, spill. What’s going to happen? Actually, Joss just told us the things that would happen at the end of this season and the beginning of next season. They sounded really cool. It’s not the way I thought it would go at all. It’s going to be intense. Literally, he told us, "Last night I thought of how the season is going to end." So, he just came up with it. He’s really brilliant, not just in the show, but with anything he does.

How was it to see Charisma again? Awesome. She’s a mom and all happy and looks beautiful. We were all happy to have her back on the show for at least a couple of days.

How do you feel about Buffy vets coming to your show? It’s good! I wish I knew more about them—my character was never on Buffy. When James Marsters came on the show, I hadn’t met him, but everyone told me he was great. He and Mercedes McNab bring a new energy to the show.

What do the fans say to you? Well, I don’t get recognized a lot, so I haven’t had too many weird interactions. But, it’s funny, when I got on the show, my parents started having parties every time it was on, with 15 or 20 of their friends, who are in their fifties and live in Texas. Now I get calls from all of their friends who are addicted to the show, and they’re like, "We’d even watch it if you weren’t on it." It’s always the people who you wouldn’t think would be audience members who really love it.

Do you ever read what the fans say online? Alexis gave me a piece of advice. I went on there, and there were probably 30 great things and one bad thing and he said, "You only remember the one bad thing." So, I try not to read that stuff, but I think it’s good even if people don’t like it. They’re passionate. And it’s our job to get a reaction out of people.

James Marsters: Spike

How’s your new home? On Buffy, it was like being at a buffet and just getting a little bit. Now, they are piling it on so much I’m weary. But it’s exactly what I wanted.

And working with David Boreanaz? Be honest. Hollywood has not changed David one iota. He’s the same guy I met all those years ago. The rest of the cast is in that same envelope—really supportive. And that’s a gift, because a lot of your life is spent here.

And you get to beat up Angel. Yeah, man. It’s good to get Spike and Angel together and let them just beat the living hell out of each other. That sets up a great arc for Angel. Spike seems to be a bit of a mirror for Angel. They both are vampires with souls, they’ve both had a very long lifetime, and they both have a huge amount of guilt and regret. So, there’s a lot more dramatic potential between the two than I first realized.

So much in common...Do you think they’ll ever reconcile? To evolve the relationship from where it is now, which is deep distrust...I wouldn’t want to move away from that very quickly, because I think it’s a good place to be for a while. I think it challenges Angel in a very deep way. It would be kind of weird if the two of them were steadfast buddies. So, yeah, Spike and Angel? They’re not gonna kiss.

Another season—yay or nay? What’s your gut feeling? That is a political game. There are bosses, and bosses above bosses, and I’m so glad I’m not involved in that decision. But our product is solid, and it’s pretty amazing. I think we could go another 100.

Do you have that much Spike left in you? I have a deep sense that I am going to work in the field of acting for as long as I want. I may not make huge money, but I’ll make a living. So, if Spike is around 10 years, I’ll be around for another 30. As long as people are interested in Spike and the metaphors are used in a responsible way and not just for flash, he’ll be around. And I’ll be happy.

Joss Whedon: The Creator

Amy Acker says you know how the season ends. Okay, Miss I-Won’t-Ask-About-Spoilers! [Laughs.] I was upstairs working on the episode that I’m going to direct, and it occurred to me that it was going to change things for the group.I felt we needed to pay service to the gravity of what we are dealing with. They are in a nest of vipers and working for terrible people. I had already pitched the very end, but we were trying to figure out how we get to the end without the same old, "Oh, here comes an apocalypse, we better stop it!" We’ve been there, done that. It’s like a crutch. I’m like an addict. I can’t go a season on a show without an apocalypse. There probably would have been one on Firefly. So, this is different. I was upstairs in my study free-associating late one night, and I realized, "Omigod, this isn’t just an apocalypse. This is how I need to answer the question about Wolfram & Hart." And you’ll never get the answer out of me.

Fair enough. Do you think we’ll ever again see Buffy or Willow on Angel? Alyson was obviously on the show last year, and that was a lot of fun—we just love having her around. And Willow is somebody I’d love to see on the show again. Buffy, that’s sort of up to her. If she’s interested in doing an episode, we’d always make room. There are two guys in the cast who are in love with her, so it’s not like she has nothing to play. But it’s really her call.

Did you ever think you’d make it to 100 episodes? I always thought I’d make it to 100 episodes. I didn’t have any idea what kind of show I’d have on my hands, the show has mutated so much, but you don’t start making a show going, "This will be three episodes and out. Who’s with me?!" You have to have that energy. But I have to admit, there were times that I doubted. There was no doubt in my mind we had 100 stories in us—it was whether we’d get to tell them.

Do you feel there’s more life left in the show? Totally. I may not feel that way at the end of next year’s season, but right now everyone feels vital and excited. We have a lot more paradigm to cover. If they cancel us, we’ll go out with a bang, but if they don’t, we’ll just keep bangin’.