Mercedes McNab

These days young hot girls on TV are plentiful to say the least. Thus, it’s that much more impressive that Mercedes McNab, 23, stands out from the pack.

Mercedes is best known for playing ’Harmony’, the girlfriend of ’Spike’ (James Marsters) on the hit television series "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer". Mercedes has spent five years on the set morphing from teen queen to vampire and has reprised the role this fall on the WB’s "Buffy" spin off, "Angel".

Mercedes began her acting career at the tender age of seven. She moved to Los Angeles from Vancover at the age of 11 with her parents. It wasn’t long until success greeted this young actress with her first role in the feature film "The Addams Family" which then led to a role in the sequel, "Addams Family Values." She also starred in "Lost In The Wilderness."

On the small screen Mercedes has appeared on the WB’s "Dawson’s Creek", "Boston Public" "Touched By an Angel", "Walker Texas Ranger", and the USA Network’s "Beer Money" as the lead protagonist ’Echo’.

Mercedes currently splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.

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Chaunce Hayden: Just when you thought ’Harmony’ was dead and buried, she makes a comeback on the "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" spin-off, "Angel."

Mercedes McNab: Yes! There’s life after "Buffy"!

When you first learned that Sara Michelle Geller had enough of "Buffy" and was calling it quits, what was your first thought?

I was a little disappointed. The show was a part of my life for 6 years! So to have that taken away was kind of a bummer. But luckily "Angel" is still on the air. So I’m not that disappointed.

Be honest. Did you hate Sara for leaving the show when it was still so popular?

(Laughs) I didn’t hate her that much! But if I wasn’t working on "Angel" I might not of liked her so much.

So you would have blamed Sarah if your career abruptly came to a halt?

I don’t know if I would have taken it just out on her! I definitely wouldn’t have just gotten angry with Sarah. I just would have been angry in general.

"Buffy" never dropped in the ratings. I think everyone was shocked when Sara decided to end the show.

Yeah, I think the fans were the most disappointed out of everybody. Because it was just so abrupt. I was only 16 when we first started doing the show. I can barely remember that now! It’s been such a big part of my life for so long.

In this day and age of TV shows lasting just a few episodes, you must consider yourself lucky to have had such a steady gig for so long.

Very lucky! I just hope my luck doesn’t run out. I’ve been in the business for 10 years now and I’ve always been successful and I think once you established a certain amount of work, you’ll always meet it or maybe even exceed it.

I heard that you were 7-years-old when you started.

No! Not seven! I was eleven when I got my first professional job.

That was "The Addams Family"?

Yeah. I was doing a play in Los Angeles and the casting director for "The Addams Family" saw me and brought me in for an audition and that’s how I got the part. I’ve been working steady ever since.

So I’m guessing you hang out with "A" list stars. True?

Yeah, everyone is jealous, it’s such a nightmare.

Really?

No, I’m kidding! You know when you’re growing up and kids will be kids. They see you on TV or films playing a real bitch like I happened to play and they immediatly think that’s what you’re like. Other kids don’t think that maybe I’m just playing a part. It’s hard enough being a kid and getting picked on, let alone being a big bitch in a film.

Sounds like you were traumatized. Did you have to see a shrink when you were a kid?

No. I’ve always been very mature for my age and able to handle things like that. I’m an only child so I’ve always been surrounded by adults. And no, I’m not in therapy although I probably should be! (Laughs)

Anyone who decides to pursue acting for a career should be in therapy. Don’t you think?

Exactly! Although, acting is like therapy in a lot of ways because you get to display so many emotions and play different characters. So it’s very therapeutic in nature.

That’s IF you get to play characters. Most actors I know aren’t working.

True. But you always have to do something in class. So even though there may not be pay involved, you’re always doing something.

You mentioned that when you play a bitch people think you’re a bitch in real life. But what about when you play a vampire?

I think it’s better to play a vampire then a bitch because being a vampire is so far from reality that it’s easier for people to separate my character from real life. Obviously I’m not a vampire and obviously I don’t have a big prosthetic on my head that makes my brow look all ferried.

Okay, now that "Buffy" is over what can you tell me something about the show that you wouldn’t be able to tell me while you were still on it?

(Long pause) I just found this out. I had no idea while I was on the show that apparently there was a lot of sex going on during the filming of it back in the trailers and I didn’t know anything about it!

Details please?

I don’t know. Apparently some people on the show were hooking up off camera.

Who was hooking up with who?

I don’t even know! I was talking to some reporter the other day. He was the one who told me. I couldn’t believe it! How did all this just slide under my radar? Was I that oblivious?

So no booty call for you during "Buffy"?

No! Where was my booty call man! Everybody else was getting ass! Where was mine?

I think you know who was getting some action but you don’t want to tell me.

I wish I did know! I would love to gossip about it, but I swear I don’t know!

Does it piss you off that your fellow cast members were getting action and not you?

Totally! I feel like the ugly cousin. How come I don’t get to know any of this juicy gossip? Why wasn’t I apart of it?

You’ve been doing television for a long time now. Is it common for TV cast members to hook up?

Yeah! A lot! If you’re on location with a group of people and you’re playing a character who’s supposed to be in love with another character things are bound to happen. Imagine having to pretend to be in love with somebody 15 hours a day. There’s bound to be an attraction, especially if there’s nothing else to do at your location. Usually you just have each other to hang out with so something tends to happen more often then not I would say.

Does it happen to you?

I’ve dated a few people I’ve worked with. But generally I find that once the project is over so are the feelings.

What if things turn ugly while you’re still working with the person you’re hooking up with?

I know they say, "Don’t mix business with pleasure." What happens if things turn sour while you’re still working with the person? Well, obviously things aren’t going to be good. But you still have to pretend you get along with that person even if you hate their guts.

Has it happened to you?

Nope! Thankfully! Thank God! I’ve been lucky. But I chose in general not to date actors. They’re a different breed of people. Even though I am one of them it’s hard for me to judge. I just don’t like dating actors. They’re so self involved.

Are you saying that most actors are egomaniacs?

Exactly!

Are you an egomaniac?

I don’t think so! I hope not, but maybe! My friend told me the other day that "I’m just like every other actor, you only care about yourself!" I said, "Really! Am I that bad!" I swear I try not to talk about myself that much. Especially in L.A. where everyone is an actor and every girl is a model. I just don’t like talking about what projects I’m working on because that’s what everyone is doing and half of it is bullshit anyway. Sometimes I’ll just make up stuff and say, "I sell sex toys!" just so I don’t have to sound like everyone else! I hate hearing, "Oh, so you’re an actor? What have you been doing lately?"

But you actually have things to brag about. What good is being a TV star if you can’t rub it in people’s faces?

I know I know! I’m trying to get better about it! I should be proud of what I do. I actually do have great projects that I’m working on and it’s not bullshit, so why not tell people? It’s such a weird thing. I just hate when people say that they’re in films and you know they’re lying!

Any good casting couch stories?

Oh yeah! He’s a well known guy and I’ve heard stories that he’s pretty intense. So one day I walked into his office and he said, "So what are your inhibitions?" And I said, "Well, I don’t have that many, Nudity doesn’t make me weird and sexual stuff doesn’t necessarily make me uncomfortable." So he says, "There’s this lesbian scene I want you to do and I want to know how far you’re willing to go?" I was like, "Is this a rated R movie or what?" I mean you can only go so far in a movie! So I didn’t understand his question. He wanted to know if I would do everything! And I said, "No I won’t!" He was just awful! I know people who have met with him and his pants were down. Before I met with him, he actually took two pictures of girls into the bathroom with him and was in there for ten minutes! I swear! And he walked out with the pictures without even washing his hands! I was like, "Oh my God what is he doing!"

Why not tell me who he is since he’s so horrible?

Because I’ll probably end up doing a film for him one day. You never know. Everybody knows everybody in Hollywood, so if you trash talk somebody the next person might be nervous you’ll say something about them.

Steve Seagal is notorious for his casting couch ways. Got any good stories on him?

I saw him when I was 15 years old on the lot at Paramount while I was walking with my mom. Steve Seagal walked by and started commenting about me to all his friends he was walking with. I was like, "I’m 15 and I’m with my mom dude!" He’s really a pig. Even my mom said, "That’s so classless! Doesn’t he care that we’re mother and daughter?" I mean I was only 15 years old! How gross is that!

Don’t they kill you in prison for that?

I know it’s sick right? I think he was just doing it to look cool in front of the people he was with. I don’t know if it had anything to do with me, it just wasn’t right.

Let’s get back to "Angel". Do you feel the same chemistry on the set of "Angel" that you did on "Buffy"?

Oddly enough, I’ve worked with everyone on "Angel" before, except for two characters. So I’ve known them all for so long. I’m even working with James Marsters who plays Spike. He played my boyfriend on "Buffy" so it’s great to be working with him again.

Will that relationship continue on "Angel"?

Apparently I have sex scene coming up with him! So it looks like we do have a bit of a fling.

How do you feel about reality TV?

Regular TV can’t even compete anymore because they can push the envelope so far on reality TV. I don’t understand how we’re limited to what we can do on TV shows, but on reality TV they can do just about anything they want. It’s crazy! Being an actor I’m not too thrilled with reality TV because it takes away so many jobs from actors. I’m hoping it’s just a phase that comes and goes.

Does it anger you when a person from a reality TV show goes on and gets steady work as an actor based on their popularity?

I think most people go on those shows to find 15 minutes of fame and if they can get real acting jobs of course they’re going to take them. But at the end of the day they might not be all that talented. I think their luck eventually runs out. So I’m not threatened by it.

Right now you’re young and beautiful and everyone loves you. But do you worry what will happen in ten years when the next crop of stunning blonde actresses come up and get all the attention?

Thankfully, I’m only 23 so that hasn’t even occurred to me yet. But I’m sure once I turn about 27 I’ll start thinking about it. But for now I don’t have to worry about it. When that happens I’ll start lying about my age and saying I’m 23 when I’m not! (Laughs) Hell, every actress I know lies about her age so why can’t I!

Finally, if you should slip into my bedroom in the middle of the night and try to suck my blood what can I do to stop you? You can try running and if that doesn’t work buy me some gifts!