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Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar - "The Return" Movie - Reuters.com Review

Frank Scheck

Tuesday 14 November 2006, 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.

Gellar horror unlikely to get "Return" business

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - It’s nice to see that Sarah Michelle Gellar isn’t bearing any more grudges, but she’s not faring much better in "The Return," a murky horror film released Friday without advance press screenings. It opened at No. 8 with weekend sales of just $4.5 million.

Starring as a disturbed young woman haunted by nightmarish visions, the actress is most notable here for her new appearance in brunette locks. She plays Joanna, a 25-year-old Midwesterner who does well by her job as a hard-driving saleswoman for a trucking company. Her personal life is less felicitous: She has a difficult relationship with her father (Sam Shepard); she’s being stalked by her obsessive ex-boyfriend (Adam Scott); and she’s haunted by memories of her past, including being terrorized by a stranger at a carnival when she was a little girl and her subsequent self-mutilation. And she’s having visions and hearing voices regarding the brutal murder of another young woman.

When she meets a mysterious stranger (Peter O’Brien) who comes to her defense when she’s being attacked by her ex, it only triggers more nightmarish episodes, most of which are accompanied by snippets of Patsy Cline’s recording of "Sweet Dreams."

While Adam Sussman’s screenplay can be admired for its emphasis on subtle atmospherics rather than cheap scares, it is a gimmicky slog of an affair that lacks narrative coherence or strong focus. The endless scenes of Gellar’s character becoming disoriented quickly prove wearisome, and the attempts at psychological depth and the requisite trick ending are less than convincing.

Asif Kapadia’s helming is similarly lacking in sharpness, though he and cinematographer Roman Osin have at least provided a distinctive, bleached-out visual style that well exploits the barren Texas locations.

Having little to do other than act disturbed, Gellar doesn’t exactly have the opportunity to display much of her natural charisma. And while Shepard (who admittedly has slummed often in his acting career) provides his thankless role with his usual gravitas, it’s still disheartening to see one of the great dramatists of our generation reduced to appearing in schlock.


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