BigHeat Mag Aussie Guy are Yummy June 2001

First Buffy. Then Willow. This month it's Spike. Now, it's kooky Anya who's heading to Australia. It's a Buffy invasion, we tell you! Our Carolyn chatted to her new best bud, Emma Caulfield, (who was on set filming the season finale. Mind you!) about Xander, Bondi Beach and the little secrets you never knew about the Scooby Gang!

Hello, Emma, how are you? "I am fine. I know I'm early, my scene took a little less time to film this time around. (sighs) I need a hot chocolate. Can you hold on for a minute or two while I warm some up?"

OK. (Time passes)

We are very excited about you coming to Australia. Are you excited? "I cannot wait to visit Australia! Alyson Hannigan went there. She came back and showed off all these photos and landmarks and the whole cast were like. This place looks so awesome! We all wanna go there."

Do you get a lot of fan mail from Australia and New Zealand? "Australian fan mail? I do. I have a lot from guys and girls. New Zealand, I have a few because, as far as I know, Buffy is so far behind there. I get asked a lot of questions from Oz fans, in particular about Anya and Xander's relationship. Australia is such as gorgeous place, I can't wait to come there."

What are you expecting when you meet your fans from this part of the world? "I want to go to Bondi Beach and see all the Oz makes with their shirts off. (laughs like a crazy person) Aly visited the beach on her last day and said she used a whole roll of 36 film just on tanned bodies! Sarah {Michelle Gellar} and I were jealous. But seriously, I don't have an expectation of my fans. I have heard A LOT about Oz and seriously cannot wait to get there. Aly said she had the best time because Australians are really laid back and friendly. More than anything the accent." (laughs)

Sarah is doing Scooby-Doo here at the moment, did she give you any advice on what to check out? James [Masters] is also coming for a convention. Is there anyone else from the cast headed our way? "Oh yeah. Darling Harbour? Is that the name? SMG said I for sure have to go there. Shopping Central, I believe she called it. Also Pitt Street in the heart of the Sydney City. She said you guys have wicked shopping stores hours and hours of pleasure. The, uh, Opera House? SMG was there for New Year‚s Eve in Sydney and said she loved it. Marc Blucas was also there. James is also coming to Sydney for a fan type convention with the FSF [Friends Of Science Fiction]. As I am. James will be in Sydney two weeks before my arrival."

Yes, Sarah went shopping there a few weekends ago. Is she back in LA? Is it true she went back to shoot more scenes because the tapes were stolen? "Yeah. The WB [US Buffy network] seems to have either misplaced the media roll; I'll explain in a second, o someone has taken it. We wrapped up the filming of the Season 5 Buffy finale only two weeks ago, SMG flew out to the Gold Coast for Scooby-Doo a few weeks back and she was flown back in Sunday night to re-shoot the stolen scenes. It's panic here because we have to change the WHOLE entire last 15 mins of the finale because of the stolen footage. Joss Whedon is far from impressed! Media rolls is what is shown to selected media groups in the US to help them promote Buffy. They get two of three a month ahead sneak peek into how the show ends."

As Aussie fans want to know, what's happening with Anya and Xander? Any spoilers you can give? "I'm not allowed to say too much, as you can imagine but, thee is an episode coming soon to Australian TV called Triangle. It deals with a threesome between Anya, Xander and Willow. No tin a sex way but how Xander & Willow were in love and f there are any feelings there and how Anya may not really be the one for Xander. We had a blast doing that episode. Umm, I give a minor spoiler out for the finale want to hear it?" How many ways can we say YES?! (roars with laughter)"

Faith returns, Marc Blucas returns to guest star as Riley and Angel makes a guest appearance as Angelus! That's all I can say because in the USA Angel has just turned bad and the fan input the right of Angel's turning bad was amazing. The very next day the WB received thousands of letters and phone calls. Fans are loving the twists. Buffy is all lone now In the US, Riley has left, Joyce (Buffy's mom has died) and the whole Scooby Gang is falling to pieces! (takes a deep sigh) It's a very emotional season. "

The episode with Joyce dying has fans and critics screaming for an Emmy already. How do you feel about the way Buffy is snubbed by award shows? "Well, I don't really have an opinion on that. There are so many great shows out there 52 American channels available at the exact same time. Quality TV is a rare characteristic these days and Buffy along with MANY other shows has this. I was upset that Sarah didn't win the award last year but that‚s life. She's just amazing. Se made a brave face and walked away with a smile. She's just amazing. Competition for awards shows is so high, I feel honored to star in a show with an actress nomination for such a prestigious award. The whole Hush episode, the silent one, Christophe Beck was nominated for an Emmy for the soundtrack ad lost that was a shock to the whole cast and crew as it was held as the best episode of any TV show ever by American TV Guide. That hit us all hard as we were seriously expected to win."

What‚'s something about Sarah that most people wouldn't guess? "She gets in at like 5am in the morning for make-up and I swear, she doesn't look any different with the pancake make-up on. She's stunning. Oh, and she has a fetish for she's gonna kill me (laughs hysterically) but toe nail polish! Every hour she paints them a different color."

Wow! You could be the one person who really knows can anybody tell the difference between Nicholas Brendon and his twin Kelly? And how?! "Oh! That episode was the coolest. We had the best time. Their face. Kelly's is longer. And Kelly is kinder bulkier in the stomach (giggles). So many times during the filming they actually ran off, swapped clothes and made bets with crew who could guess which was which. They won, I think it was about US $200!"

Cool! Is it weird if you're in a scene with James Marsters and it ends and then he speaks in his American accent? "Oh god it is so annoying! (laughs) I hate accents well fake ones anyway. And when he drops in and out, we all laugh. During his fight scenes, he'll fight and then he'll do a bit of dialogue and he'll let it slip and he'll scream out, and Joss screams Cut! and we burst into laughter."

What is Anthony Stewart Head like? "Aly H just walked in, we're on." [going back to filming]

Oh, Ok. No problem. "Alyson just says to tell you that she loves Australia."

Big hit took her on a boat cruise while she was here. Hope we didn‚t make her seasick. "She says she was OK! I'll have to call you back next week, OK? The filming is frantic today and my schedule has gone to shreds! Gotta go. Bye!"(The next week)

How did filming the finale go? "Long and tiring! Did I mention LONG?!"

You obviously can't say too much, but what can we expect from the Buffy finale? (laughs) "Cliffhanger! Big! Oh my GAWD!! All I can say is that it is going to be BIG!!"

Anya turns bad again, right? How are you dealing with the Anya demon make-up? "I have a cold, and I can't blow my nose. It's horrible, (giggles sneakily) but I love it"

When we left off the other day, I was asking you about each of the cast members. What is Anthony Stewart Head like? He seems really cool. Do the cats pay him out about his singing scenes? "Toni rocks spell it with an I because he hates it! (laughs) During his singing scenes we all stand behind the camera and pull faces!"

Alyson Hannigan told me you guys play Scrabble to pass the time. Who's the best at it? "Aly beats everyone she has Willow's brain. We now play strip Scrabble. Aly wears too many pairs of socks!"

Michelle Trachtenberg says she's a walking Buffy encyclopedia are you guys astounded by how much she knows? "Holy lord! She's worse than Joss. She knows everything. We love her, though. She's adorable."

Marc Blucas is obviously great at basketball. Does he play against anybody on the set? "Macca? That's his nickname on set. He plays against Nicholas and David [Boreanaz] and they always lose!"

Amber Benson is working on a new movie and a few of the Buffy cast are expected to pop up in it. What can you tell us? "I'm not allowed to say much about it. Sorry guys."

Damn!

Alyson once told me that David Boreanaz is really anal about his hair it has to be just right. Has anyone ever seen him have a bad hair day?! "He's so bad. During the Five By Five fight scene with Eliza [Dushku], he kept worrying about his hair. We pay him out all the time."

David also, in EVERY interview, goes on about his fear of chickens. What the hell is that all about? "His birthday last year, we tied him up and made him sit on about 30 frozen chickens. (laughs hysterically) He cried he was so scared"

That‚s just mean! Does Charisma Carpenter ever give any of the cast beauty tips? "She's so gorgeous. I always steal her hand cream! Don't print that she'll read it." (laughs)

Who was the first cast member you met? "Marc Blucas. He was auditioning for Riley at the time. The first already on the set was Nicholas Brendon."

Have you ever had nightmares because of Buffy? "The episode Hush. The Gentlemen. Scary s***! I hated the whole episode. It scared me so"

Do you ever with that Anya could sing karaoke on Angel? "Anya will never sing! Never. Unless there's a Buffy musical now that would be cool."

If Buffy was Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, which cast member would be on your life line? "Aly. She's brains.com. o Toni Anthony."

If Buffy was Survivor, who would you vote off the island? "She's gonna kill me but Aly, she'd find a way to beat us all and she's got enough money! Aly or SMG. I wanna be No. 1!"

Who, of the Buffy cast, has the weirdest pet? "Me. I have a pet turtle named Flipper. Bet you the real flipper didn't pee everywhere!"

Which cast member holds the best parties? "Sarah ˆ she‚s got the most money to spend. And me!"

Has Sarah given you any reports from the Scooby set? "Just that the Gold Coast is very hot!" (giggles) "And all the men have their shirts off."

Have you ever worked with any Australians? "An extra in Season 4 of the show was from Melbourne ˆ but no-one famous."

Do you know any Australian music? Anyone like Natalie Imbruglia, Savage Garden or Silverchair? "Savage Garden. I met Darren [Hayes] only recently ˆ he's sweet. He reminds me of a friend of mine in Australia. I like Ben [Gillies] from Silverchair. Natalie who? Kylie Minogue I know!"

What about Aussie guys? "Russell Crowe ˆ yum factor: 100%. Adam Garcia is only second to Russell. Aussie guys are so yummy!"

Australian boys want to know, do you have a boyfriend? "What took you so long to ask? I am seeing someone, but it‚s too early too tell. Keep your fingers crossed."

OK! Do you want to say anything to big hit readers? "Thanks for all your love and support. I can‚t wait to visit you all. Keep watching Buffy, there are big things coming up!"

by Carolyn Stewart