This cute girl is famous for her action-filled and thrilling roles, especially for her portrayal as the tough vampire fighter "Buffy" on the WB's series "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", in which she debuted in 1997. Michelle began her acting career from a young age by appearing in commercials and films. Sarah Michelle Gellar was born on the 14th of April, 1977, in New York City. After the 1984 divorce of her parents, Sarah was raised by her mother, Rosellen. Incidentally, her biological father, Arthur Gellar, was found dead in his apartment in October 2001. Fate stepped in when Sarah was 4 years old, after an agent discovered her eating at a local restaurant. She made her film debut with the made-for-TV movie Invasion of Privacy, and a slew of television appearances soon followed in shows like The Guiding Light, Crossbow, Spenser: For Hire. After small parts in films such as Over the Brooklyn Bridge and High Stakes, Sarah was cast as the teenage version of Jacqueline Bouvier in the made-for-TV movie on the former First Lady, 1991's A Woman Named Jackie. She also appeared in the short-lived 1992 television drama, Swans Crossing, along with Mira Sorvino. Already practically a TV veteran, with at least 100 commercials to her credit (including a McDonald's controversy), Sarah was gaining even more recognition with female soap opera fans, thanks to her role in All My Children (she befriended actress Kelly Ripa on set, who was quoted as saying that Sarah was always mature beyond her years). Sarah was awarded an Emmy for her portrayal of Erica Kane's daughter. Apparently, Sarah was offered the role of Juliet in 1996's Romeo + Juliet, which ultimately went to Claire Danes, because of scheduling conflicts with All My Children. But if it's any consolation to Sarah, her biggest role to date was only an audition away. Sarah was aiming for the role of Cordelia in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but after her audition, it was clear that she was meant to play the lead. Sarah has been slaying vampires and dealing with teen angst as Buffy Summers since the show's debut in 1997, and it has enjoyed a lot of critical and commercial acclaim. The fact that she has studied Tae Kwon Do for five years (she has a black belt), and has also studied kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics serves to make her butt-kicking role that much more believable.

Despite -- or in addition to -- the huge success of Buffy, Sarah also turned up in some impressive movie roles in the late '90s, in films like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cruel Intentions, as well as other teen flicks like Scream 2 and Simply Irresistible. She also made an uncredited appearance in the Freddie Prinze Jr. movie She's All That. Speaking of Freddie, the two became friends on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, and after years of friendship and romance, the couple announced their engagement on April 14, 2001, Sarah's 24th birthday.Currently living in Los Angeles with her Prinze, it's clear that Sarah is enjoying the best years of her life. Her latest film role, as y Daphne Blake in the film version of Scooby Doo (also co-starring Freddie Prinze Jr.), is sure to be the beginning of a promising film career for Sarah. She can next add roles in Harvard Man, Happily N'Ever After (providing the voice of Ella) and TV's 2004: A Light Knight's Odyssey to her filmography. In 1999, she signed a contract with Maybelline to become the company's first celebrity spokeswoman since Lynda Carter in the late 1970s. On October 17 2002, her wax model, by Madame Tussaud, was unveiled at the "Trail of Vampires" exhibition. She said that if she wasn't an actress she'd want to be a journalist or a writer of childrens books. Sarah collects rare editions of clic children's literature and she is big fan of Dr. Seuss. During the 2001 Teen Choice Awards (August 20, 2001), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) co-star Michelle Trachtenberg presented her with the Extraordinary Achievement Award for being a good role model and for her charity work ,especially for Habitat for Humanity. Sheis an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the New York Knicks.

Insulted Gellar dumps agent

Hollywood beauty Sarah Michelle Gellar has ditched the prestigious William Morris Agency after its president dismissed the star as "nothing at all".

David Wirtschafter offended the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress with his comments in US publication the New Yorker surrounding her performance in horror movie The Grudge.

Gellar's public relations spokesperson confirmed that she "has left the William Morris Agency effective immediately because of The New Yorker article", reports website PageSix.com.

However, the y star will remain with management company The Firm.

Gellar isn't the only star who has been upset by the outspoken talent boss - Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu has also had problems with William Morris, but not "because of the article" according to a company spokesperson .

Sarah Michelle Gellar's new horror movie ''The Grudge''

Spending three months in Japan has made Sarah Michelle Gellar feel a lot of respect for a certain Oscar-winning filmmaker.

"Sofia Coppola is an absolute genius. After being here, you really understand what she was saying with that film, and anyone who's been here for even a short amount of time can attest to that," Gellar said, taking a break between takes on the set of "The Grudge."

And when Gellar talks about getting "Lost in Translation" herself, she means it. She was told that "The Grudge" would be directed by the man responsible for the original Japanese version of the film. What she didn't find out until her arrival in Tokyo is that Takashi Shimizu doesn't speak English.

"I thought it was weird that he didn't want to meet with me [beforehand]," she said, laughing. "I kept saying, 'Can't we talk on the phone?' And of course, in my paranoid actor mind, I kept thinking I was getting fired. When I got here I realized that his English is about on par with my Japanese. So that was a little bit of a shock."

A translator gives the American actors their instructions while Japanese crew members — many of whom are veterans of other genre flicks filmed on the island nation — work busily around them. "The director will come to you and start speaking very fluent, fast Japanese, but the translator will just say to you, like, 'faster,' " said Jason Behr ("Roswell"), who stars opposite Gellar. "And you're like, 'Uh, are you sure that's all he said?' It's straight out of 'Lost in Translation.' "

In the wake of the success of "The Ring," there are several Americanized versions of Japanese flicks in the works (see "Remakes Of Asian Horror Films Look To Scare Up Big Bucks"). But when Sam Raimi — the fanboy filmmaker behind "Spider-Man" and the "Evil Dead" series — acquired the rights to "The Grudge," he was adamant about staying as true to the original as possible.

Enlisting Shimizu — who first conceived "Ju-On" (as the flick is known in Japan) as a student film and has carried it through many incarnations — was a big part of that. "At first I almost refused to do it because I couldn't understand why I would want to do it over again. But I think that I can use this [opportunity] to bring a very different style of horror to American audiences," Shimizu offered via translator.

"People in America might compare my movie to 'The Ring' because they don't have anything else to compare it with," he continued. "And it is similar, in that Japanese ghost culture is much different than in America. But I expose the ghosts more often and more dynamically. In 'The Ring' the ghosts were shown in an elegant way. I'm just exposing as many as I can, which is actually a lot more similar to the American style."

A self-professed fan of the "inventive" shots and "the point of view of the stories" of Asian cinema, Gellar was more than up for the challenges of making "The Grudge." And as shooting progressed, she became increasingly drawn to her character, a student who comes to take care of a house that curses everyone who comes in contact with it.

"In American [horror] filmmaking, you know, the girl goes into the forest — 'Don't go in there!' — and she's gonna yell, get slashed and possibly show her breasts," complained Gellar, whose character did more or less exactly that in "I Know What You Did Last Summer." "This is much more on a mythological level. It's much more beautiful."

"I asked Shimizu why he wrote the film and he said it's actually about the oppression of women," she added. "When for so many years women have been put down they have all of this rage. And it's about how all of that builds up and can be ped from person to person."

Behr came onboard for many of the same reasons. And having a friend to take in Sumo wrestling with him helped, too. "I've known Sarah for about 10 years, so it was a really great opportunity to be out in Japan with a buddy," said the Minnesota-born actor, who appeared as a wannabe vampire on an early episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

They both own akitas and are fascinated by the stories surrounding the Japanese dogs. Jason's gone samurai-sword shopping and Gellar has roamed the streets with her own camera, loving the fact that the Japanese aren't too familiar with her. "Even while on vacation in Bali I had a cab driver call me 'Buffy.' To be able to come here and have the same experience as everyone else is amazing," she said.

And they've both committed a few faux pas. Gellar often forgets to wear socks with her Ugg boots and, in a country that expects you to take off your shoes just about everywhere, that can be embarring.
And on the set the language barrier isn't the only problem. It's not appropriate to leave food lying around, as Gellar often did on "Buffy" with her bananas and Balance bars. Directors don't yell "Action!" after the click of a slate. And they are inclined to move on after fewer takes.

"In Japan, if I'm satisfied with one take and the actor is satisfied, we are just going to do it once," Shimizu said. Over the course of production he became accustomed to the American actors (and producers) asking for more takes, which, he admitted with a grin, "is a lot of trouble to deal with."

Gellar and Behr's TV backgrounds — Gellar started out on soap operas — helped them feel somewhat prepared for the fast-paced shooting style, and ultimately, with "Roswell" and "Buffy" off the airwaves, they were both more than happy for the chance to reinvent their work habits.

"I had a really amazing experience for eight years of my life, and that's a very, very long time," Gellar said of the show that brought her stardom. "And I would never try to duplicate ['Buffy']. It would be impossible. The reasons why I left were personal and so that I could do things that were a little bit different.

"And in terms of new experiences on a personal level, I can't imagine anything more different after eight years of the same thing and the same crew and being familiar and comfortable," she concluded, "than coming to Japan where the director and I don't even speak the same language."

"The Grudge," which also stars Kadee Strickland ("The Stepford Wives") and Sam Raimi's cameo-grabbing brother, Ted, wrapped production earlier this year. It's expected in theaters in the fall, while Shimizu's 2003 version of "Ju-On: The Grudge" is getting a limited release in the States next month.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Nurse with A Curse

As Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar vanquished more than her share of supernatural enemies, but in "The Grudge" she may be up against her biggest challenge yet. In this remake of the 2003 Japanese horror flick "Ju-On," Gellar plays Karen, an American nurse in Tokyo who becomes exposed to a curse that fills its victims with a powerful rage. MTV News caught up with the actress to find out if anything got lost in translation, and whether anything can still scare the Slayer.

MTV: This movie was really frightening, and you've been in other scary stuff, like "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Scream 2." What is it that attracts you to these types of roles?
Sarah Michelle Gellar: I love movies that make you feel something. I love movies that you walk away and you keep thinking about them. I'd be so disappointed to make a movie and people went, "Oh, that was good" and they went on with their life. I like movies that stick with you, and I like characters where women get to do something, where women are active, where women drive a story. And this is a genre where women get that opportunity to ... to really do that.

MTV: And what brought you to this particular project?

Gellar: So many things. I've seen the original movie, and I was fascinated by it. I thought it was so different than anything I'd ever seen. And then next you hear Sam Raimi [is executive producing it], you go, "Wow, OK, he's pretty great." And then you hear it's shooting in Japan for three months. And then you hear that the original Japanese director is going to direct it. And never before has a Japanese film ever been remade for English-speaking audiences with the original Japanese director. I mean, this is a first. This is a Japanese movie in English. And all those combined made for an opportunity that was really once in a lifetime for me.

MTV: And how was it working with Takashi Shimizu? He doesn't speak very much English. Was it funny? Was it weird?

Gellar: It was so much easier than I ever anticipated that it would be. Because you just realize that you don't need language to make friends. That there are other ways in which you can bond with people and get to know them and really get to understand them. And I think Shimizu is pretty well educated in me. I mean, I think that he understands me. He's incredibly intuitive. He's a really smart man. I mean, this man made a movie in a language that he doesn't understand, and I don't think I could do that — that I could go out tomorrow and make a Japanese film.

MTV: Are you worried about how the ending was changed from the original?

Gellar: It's not a different ending. It's an epilogue. We added to the film. But I haven't seen the whole ending, I have to be honest. I'm waiting, actually, for the premiere to see it. I have no worries about this film. I am so proud of this film. I'm proud of the job that everyone did. I think it's really different. I think it's really intelligent. I think that audiences are going to get scared, but they're also gonna think. I don't think it's what people are gonna expect from it. I think that it's emotional. I think that it's a kind of tragic story. ... But I'm not worried, because I really like the film, and I think that people will like the film. I think they'll have a good time.

MTV: Since you've worked with all these demons and vampires on TV and all the scary things that you've worked with in the movies, does anything scare you anymore?

Gellar: I can easily get scared in a scary movie, as long as the movie is good. Like I said, I like movies that make me feel, and if a movie's good I can get lost in it completely.

MTV: What are you working on next?

Gellar: I am working on a vacation. I am working on a little bit of a break, which I've not had in maybe 15 years straight, and I'm excited.

MTV: How much time are you gonna take off?

Gellar: I haven't actually decided yet. You know, this was such an amazing experience, and I had such a great time, and I love this project so dearly that I want to wait until I have that feeling again, so I don't know how long.

 

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Facing Horror Without Buffy

We either screamed in terror with Sarah Michelle Gellar when she was stalked by that weird fisherman dude with the hook in the “I Know What You Did” films or watched various monsters scream in terror as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and then Scooby’s pal Daphne kicked their butts! Well, the pretty, petite blonde actress is still facing the supernatural but as a “normal” girl in the new horror flick The Grudge in which she co-stars with “Roswell” cutie Jason Behr.
The Grudge, made in Japan and based upon the popular Japanese film series Ju-on: The Grudge, places Sarah in a modern haunted house where some really ticked-off ghosts are out for revenge and spreading psychological as well as physical horror. We recently spoke with cast and filmmakers and found them all fascinated with the Japanese culture and their experiences in that country while shooting. We were ready for our sit down with Sarah at Beverly Hills’ posh Four Seasons hotel recently and she entered the room with her nose twitching like Samantha from the old “Bewitched” TV. show.
Sarah: Somebody smells really good.
The actress moves over my way, sits down, leans over and sniffs my neck. I remind myself that she was a vampire slayer, not a vampire so I’m safe.

Sarah: Hey, it’s you! What is that? Is it wrong to sniff people first thing in the morning?

I explain that I don’t mind being sniffed and it’s Beyonce’s new Tommy Hilfiger scent “True Star”. She makes a mental note to try it. Sarah looked very un-wintery in her feminine green blouse with black velvet trim and opalescent dangle earrings as she sipped on bottled water and talked about the wonders of Japan, her spooky shower scene, her plans for a future family and life…after “Buffy”.

TeenHollywood: What is the big difference between The Grudge and a horror film like Scream 2?

Sarah: Cleavage. You could not wear a turtleneck in those movies.

TeenHollywood: Was it seeing the original film or reading the script for The Grudge that hooked you?
Sarah: I had been in Canada doing 'Scooby' and I had just gotten home and I was reading a lot of scripts.I was kind
of down because I had left such a great character [Buffy] and it set the bar very, very high. In television females lead everything, superheroes are the smart ones. But in films, you're the girlfriend, the wife, the daughter. I got this phone call from one of my managers who said, 'Okay, I know you love Japanese films. There's this film, but you've missed all the auditions. If you want to go you have to go tomorrow. It's fifteen pages of dialogue. I stayed up that night. Mistake number one was watching the film by myself at night. I saw the movie and I read the script and I couldn't believe that they were really going to keep the essence of the movie. Now I thought that 'The Ring' was a great movie, but I thought that the Japanese version was a better film. So I went in and I read. Then I stalked Sam Raimi [Producer] for quite some time. It was the one film that I more than anything wanted to be a part of on every level, to work with Sam, to work in Japan, to get to do a really positive female character driving the story.
TeenHollywood: Were you worried about doing a horror genre film after “Buffy”?
Sarah: Initially, of course. You're like, 'Okay, I'm ready for my big, sweeping period drama.'But, Ihave thought about
it a lot because I get this question a lot, there are two things that go into it. Horror is the field where women can really rule. I'm not the girlfriend. I'm not the wife. This is where women can take a hold of a movie and have a proactive job and the guy is the boyfriend, and people want to see the women be triumphant. Also, look at our past couple of Oscar winners. Halle Berry did Gothika and then Catwoman, and Charlize Theron is doing Aeon Flux. I mean, there's a reason for that because this is where really a woman can shine. I mean, look at Naomi Watts in The Ring. I'm sure that a lot of people probably ped on it first and she was so wonderful in that.
TeenHollywood: But, Japanese horror films are different anyway, right?
Sarah: It's not a horror film in the American sense of the word.I remember that KaDee Strickland
went to a costume fitting and she had this button down shirt on. It wasn't a very revealing shirt. [Takashi] Shimizu [the director] was really concerned. He said to her, 'Now KaDee, in this scene on the staircase I'm going to do a shot from the top level looking down on you. Are you going to be comfortable with that shirt or would you like a turtleneck.' KaDee said she almost dropped dead. She said, 'There I am coming off of Anaconda where they're ripping my shirt off and giving me a white shirt to wear in the water, and this gentleman is concerned about my modesty.'

TeenHollywood: Did you get to take the fast bullet train in Japan?
Sarah: Yes, I did. Jason and I and some friends got to go towards the end and we were the only two actors that got to. Freddie kept joking with me that if I didn't bring home a samurai sword not to come home and you can't take those out of the country. I literally had these visions of like Uma Thurman on the plane with her sword. I just imagined me going through customs trying to get through security checks nowadays. But I did. I got one back.
TeenHollywood: How do you see your career now, past “Buffy” and “Scooby”?
Sarah: Exciting. I guess it's really phase three [of my career] because I was a child actor. I was on a soap. I wanted to
come to L.A. and everyone talked me out of it. My agent said, 'You'll never make it. Everyone leaves soaps and comes back and you've got such a great role,' but I was eighteen years old and there were things that I wanted to experience. Now I sort of feel like I'm an adult. I think that I have a pretty good head on my shoulders, and I attribute that a lot to growing up in New York City and not living in Hollywood as a child actor. When I did Cruel Intentions it was the first time that I really had to fight for something. It was something that I was pionate about, that I wanted to be a part of. The Grudge was the second time I had that feeling. I couldn't do independent movies when I was on 'Buffy.' If the funding didn't come by a certain day that was it for me. Now I wait. I can wait until I have that feeling. It's about things that are both personally and professionally rewarding, that are exciting to me.
TeenHollywood: This is a really scary film. Do you believe in ghosts?
Sarah: I believe in the idea of spirits. I've been to houses where murders have happened and you have that sort of eerie feeling. I get a lot of déjà vu. I always feel like I've been here and experienced this. Maybe I'm just crazy. But I definitely believe in the idea of something that powerful transcending. I really do.

TeenHollywood: Did anything frightening happen on or around the set?

Sarah: The amazing thing was that they started with a purification ceremony. It's traditional in Japan when they're
starting a movie that has spirits and has sort of that essence. They bring in a Japanese priest or monk and he comes in and blesses everyone. The entire crew comes and I'd probably been there maybe a week and unfortunately Jason [Behr] and I were the only two actors there at that point. We had to get up and be a part of it. I was petrified. I was like, 'I know that I'm going to mess this up. I'm going to curse the entire movie.'
TeenHollywood: What did you have to do?
Sarah: They told us that we had to get up and make a bow and clap and it looked, to me, to be similar to the hokey pokey, but a little more spiritual. I was trying to concentrate
the whole time, but at the same time I was desperately trying to practice in my head. Jason hadn't eaten breakfast and his stomach started to rumble and make these noises and of course I become the twelve year old girl in high school who starts giggling in the middle of this thing, and I can feel the entire crew going, 'Great. American actors.' You ask the spirits watching over us to bless the set and to bless our crew and to bless our production so that there are no injuries and no disasters. You give fruit and you give Sake and you give prayer beads and probably other things. They sent me a video of it and it's just amazing and it was sort of a great way to meet the crew.
TeenHollywood: But you got through it?
Sarah: Yeah. It was such a beautiful, beautiful ceremony. Then at the end you get to drink Sake. Now I'm in a ceremony on a set that involved alcohol at ten thirty in the morning, I think it's pretty genius. I don't know about you. So we were actually lucky because we stuck with tradition and went through it and every producer had to get up there. The Sony executive had to get up. Jason and I had to get up. All the main actors. It was just amazing.

TeenHollywood: Was it always a goal to go to Asia?

Sarah: I think that everyone has that one place that they want to travel or that they want to experience and for me it was really Japan. I love the films from Japan. I love the
food. I love the alcohol. I love the people. I love the idea that it is a culture based on respect and honor and tradition. You respect your elderly and you respect your city. Usually, half the actors want to sit in their hotel rooms and eat Dominos and watch American movies. But that wasn't the case here. Everyone wanted to learn and soak it in. I got lucky because Jason had the same fascination. So it almost became a competition between the two of us like who could plan the more fun day and who would learn more Japanese.
TeenHollywood: You shot scenes in the streets with no extras, just ordinary people ping by. Were you recognized a lot?
Sarah: You know, the first three months that I was there, I
obviously stood out a little bit being a little blonde American girl abroad, but I was able to really experience something that I had desired for so long on a real level like not coming in through a back entrance and keeping my head down at a tourist attraction. We would go to the Tokyo tower and I stood on that line just like everyone else. Look, I'm not saying that I want to go to Disneyland tomorrow and wait in the lines because clearly I don't, but being able to really look up when I'm walking and see everything. But by the time that I went back in the summertime 'Buffy' was really hitting and it wasn't as easy and I have a sneaking suspicion that once this movie opens there my anonymity in Japan will be gone.
TeenHollywood: So no one chased you down the street and no background people are waving at the camera?
Sarah: It’s about respect. They don't do that. You don't go into someone's space and you don't invade their space. I was fascinated because we did this scene where I'm trying to find the subway and other people are walking back and forth and they're not looking at the camera. I'm so used to being in L.A. where it's like, 'Hi mom! Hi Dad!' You don't have that.

TeenHollywood: Was there anything else that was unique or frustrating about the way they make films over there?

Sarah: Actors are always complaining, 'I want it to be more real.’ In Japan everything is real. There was a scene where I was vacuuming. Already, not my forte. And the picture of the little boy gets stuck. I could not get this picture to get stuck in the vacuum. I was like, 'Can't we just do it in cuts?' But they don't shoot that way. They shoot it real. So we just kept going and going until it happened. Clearly I didn't do that good a job. Needless to say it didn't make the movie.

TeenHollywood: You were working with a director who didn’t speak much English. Did you feel like you were acting for him or for his interpreter?
Sarah: I acted for the director. The very first week that I
got there I said, 'What have I gotten myself into?' I would go to restaurants and I'd sit at like a sushi bar and I would listen to the people around me. I'd be like, 'Could I give them notes on what they're saying? Could I say, "You're not really emoting on this?" I was lost. I thought, 'What've I got myself into?' By the end, the translator said to me, 'I feel like I'm going to lose my job because you guys don't need me anymore.' We had developed a shorthand. You take what you understand of the language, you listen for the specific cues, you watch facial expressions and intonations and you learn.
TeenHollywood: So you are in a modest country doing a shower scene. How did that work?
Sarah: It was ice cold water. It was the dead of winter and there I am in this minimal outfit with fifteen Japanese men in the shower. Clearly, Japanese men are much more modest than Americans. I think that they were more uncomfortable than I was. I was focused on how ice cold this water was. Again, in America, part of that scene probably would've been CGI. It took seven and a half hours to do it. We joked that we were recreating 'Psycho.' I mean, that's what it felt like, but when I saw the original film that's the scene that stuck with me.
TeenHollywood: Your character travels to Japan to be with her boyfriend. Do you like to travel?

Sarah: I love to travel. My suitcase is always packed. My dream in life is to be Eloise at the Plaza. I'm the only person who gets excited for press junkets just because I'm in a hotel. I got room service this morning. I forgot my dental floss and I called downstairs and this nice man came up with dental floss. I mean, I am a hotel child. I love them. I love travel and I love to experience different places.

TeenHollywood: Your character is a social worker who becomes a home caregiver briefly. Could you do that?
Sarah: There are two gifts, one is a nurse or an at home caretaker. The other is a teacher because they are our two
most important jobs. I have the bedside manner. I think that I make people laugh, I'm pretty cheery, but I'm not good with sickness. We were up in the room before and everyone wanted to watch this show where they were doing plastic surgery and I cannot watch those shows. I can't even watch 'Nip/Tuck.'
TeenHollywood: Did your hubby Freddie [Prinze] visit you over there?

Sarah: He unfortunately didn't. He was working which was sad. I kind of rubbed it in because the first time he got to go to Japan I was on 'Buffy.' They wouldn't let me go. He would call and tell me about the amazing things that he ate and all these places that he went. I was so mad. Now it was my turn.

TeenHollywood: Are you thinking about having a family eventually?

Sarah: Oh, absolutely.But I think that people forget that I'm
only twenty seven years old and I'm not ready at this point. It is something that I want to do and luckily, again, as women's roles are changing in this industry it's more and more acceptable and you don't lose your career by disappearing for a little bit. You don't have to feel obligated to work right away or your place in this business is going to disappear.
TeenHollywood: Do you and Freddie take breaks and just enjoy yourselves?
Sarah: Absolutely and I think that he went through a similar thing which was that he sort of got pigeonholed into a bunch of movies and he said, 'I have two options. I'm either going to continue like this and not be creatively fulfilled or I'm going to take a break for a little bit and find myself.' He's actually filming this movie right now. It's an amazing script. It sort of reminds me of Stand By Me. He's in New York working with Alec Baldwin and having the time of his life. I'm so glad because I felt so spoiled by The Grudge and I wanted him to have that experience of working with great actors and a great director. It's like I can go on tour with this film and then I'm going to sit on a set for two weeks and just hang and live off of his per diem.
TeenHollywood: Is it easier now for actors to move between TV. and films?

Sarah: I remember wondering why television stars were never in movies ten years ago because if twenty four million people watch a television show at night, why doesn't that translate to box office? Why doesn't that happen? Now we don't think twice about people going from television to movies to film. Gary Sinise has one of the great roles out there right now doing 'CSI.' I mean, you have that freedom. Look at Gwyneth Paltrow doing Shallow Hal or Sky Captain,. In the old days you'd be relegated to corsets only and you wouldn't have that freedom.

TeenHollywood: Will there ever be a “Buffy” movie and would you do it?
Sarah: It was a movie [first]. It was a very unsuccessful
movie. I don't think that it was that bad. I thought that the character was great. It was funny. But it just didn't work. I spent my entire first year telling people, 'No. No. It's not the movie.' They wanted to change our title because people were so afraid that no one would tune in. My second fear is that inevitably people are going to be disappointed. I loved the finale. I was very happy with it. I truly believe that it should have been two hours. I think that there wasn't enough Xander. I think that there was too much of the Slayer-ettes. I think that we had to cut stuff to keep all that in. So I'm fearful that in an hour and forty minutes, how do we pick one story? We went out in my opinion on top. It was a great story at the end. But, I'm a very big believer in never saying never and in three years or three months I'd read it if Joss said, 'Here's a script. Read it and see how you feel.

 

More fun stuff about Sarah Michelle Gellar

Pets: Maltese terrier named Thor; Akita named Tyson.

The Burger King commercial she did in 1982 was the first commercial to ever mention a competitor by name. Consequently, McDonald's sued her as well as Burger King. She also couldn't enter a McDonald's unless she was in disguise due to truth in advertising ("I only eat at Burger King" was one of her lines in the commercial). Ironically, McDonald's was a sponsor of the WB's hit TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997).

She studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, and now she's taking kickboxing, boxing, street fighting and gymnastics.

One of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. [1998]

Has a tattoo of a Celtic symbol on her left hip.

Has a tattoo of a Chinese symbol for integrity on her lower back.

Voted by FHM (a leading UK mens magazine) readers the No 3 iest woman in the world. [2000]

Voted by FHM (a leading UK mens magazine) readers the No 1 iest woman in the world. [1999]

Has a heart with a dagger hanging over it tattooed on the inside of her right ankle.

Won 4 online Tv Guide awards.

Was offered the role of Brittany Foster in the The In Crowd (2000) but turned it down. The role went to Susan Ward.

Dated Jerry O'Connell. [1998-1999]

Her high school clmates include: Tara Reid, Jerry O'Connell, and Macaulay Culkin.

Her idol is Stockard Channing.

Attended the Professional Children's School in New York City; graduated with a 4.0 Grade Average.

Director Raja Gosnell wanted a real life Hollywood couple to play Fred and Daphne in Scooby-Doo (2002) - Sarah and real life boyfriend Freddie Prinze Jr. were his first choice.

Dated professional tennis player Jan-Michael Gambill. [1999]

Publicly announced that she is engaged to Freddie Prinze Jr. [14 April 2001]

Was offered the role of Juliet in Romeo + Juliet (1996) but had to turn it down because of scheduling conflicts with "All My Children" (1970).

Was considered for the role of Rogue in X-Men (2000).

Turned down a role in The Faculty (1998).

#15 on the Maximum Hot 100 List

Voted 9th most beautiful person in the world in South Africa's People magazine (2002)

#8 on Google.com's most searched women in 2002.

Presented an award at the Glamour Awards 2003

Guests at Sarah and Freddie's wedding included actors Dulé Hill, Shannen Doherty, Eva LaRue Callahan and close friend and bridesmaid to Sarah, Lindsay Sloane.

Was offered Portia de Rossi's role in Who Is Cletis Tout? (2001)

Was James Toback's first choice to play Cindy Bandolini in Harvard Man (2001).

She auditioned first for the role of Buffy on _"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)_ , but the producers thought she was better suited to play Cordelia. She auditioned as Cordelia, but pursued the role of Buffy, ultimately winning it over many other girls.

Her wedding gown was designed by Vera Wang.

Leaving "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) at the end of the current and more than likely final season.

She signed onto Scream 2 (1997) before even reading the script.

She told Wes Craven while filming Scream 2 (1997) that she does her own stunts all the time on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), but she was far too scared to be thrown off a balcony for her death scene in the film.

She beat out Rebecca Gayheart for the role of Cici in Scream 2 (1997).

Daughter-in-law of Freddie Prinze and Kathy Prinze.

Was once considered for the role of Wonder Woman in a proposed film by Warner Brothers.

Is good friends with Britney Spears.

Is an only child; coincidentally, so is the original "Buffy Summers," Kristy Swanson.

Her most frequent collaborator to date has been husband Freddie Prinze Jr., working with him six times - I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), She's All That (1999), Scooby-Doo (2002), Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), Happily N'Ever After (2005) and Southland Tales (2005). Incidentally, she has also worked with Freddie's frequent collaborator, Matthew Lillard, four times - Scream 2 (1997), She's All That (1999), Scooby-Doo (2002), and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004).

Ever since playing the title role in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997), she has had a reputation as a "stickler" for on-the-set safety. This showed when Charles Cyphers guest-starred in an episode of BTVS: while filming, he was hit on the head with a piece of pipe. Although Cyphers was not seriously injured, Gellar "snapped to it," and angrily lectured the BTVS crew about said mishap.

Ranked #45 in Stuff magazine's "102 iest Women in the World" (2002).

Is a natural brunette. Dyed her hair blonde for her role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Sarah Michelle Gellar's Favorites:

Actor Tom Cruise, Daniel Day-Lewis
Actress Stockard Channing
Book Gone With the Wind
Color Red
Drinks Water, latte, vodka with cranberry, red wine
Face Cream Prescriptives Insulation (SPF 15)
Food Pasta
Hair shampoo Joico shampoo and conditioner
Lips and eyes Natural, brown shades
Mascara Lancome and Estee Lauder. Clear mascara on eyebrows.
Movie Heathers
Music Billy Joel, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, Lisa Loeb
Piece of Clothing Motorcycle Jacket
Scent Vanilla
Season Summer
Sports Team New York Giants
TV Show Seinfeld
Vacation Spot Bermuda

Famous and beautiful Sarah Michelle Gellar

One look at Sarah, and impure thoughts enter our minds. It's not her fault that she's as y as she is, and it's not our fault that we are men who admire beautiful women like her. She wards off vampires in the hit series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and has starred in hit movies such as Cruel Intentions and Scooby Doo.

At first glance, Sarah Michelle Gellar may appear petite and fragile, but you don't have to dig deep to discover that beneath the innocent face lies a very ambitious and aggressive woman, who isn't afraid to speak up when she isn't happy. Most people recognize her for her TV role as Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she is the first to admit that she has much more loftier goals and it's clear that she has film star written all over her.

As we referred to last week in Charisma Carpenter's feature, tensions have run high on the set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Charisma was part of the cast, as Sarah's attitude has allegedly been borderline diva-like. This basically means that apparently, she does what she wants, when she wants, and everyone has to work around her schedule.

Her kickboxing skills have been on display more than her acting abilities, but she nails the roles she plays. In her case, this means being an angst-ridden teenager with a special power to take on vampires. If that isn't a unique role, what is?

But most impressive about Sarah is her multi-dimensional personality. Not only can she take most men with her martial arts skills, but her range is not limited to acting and style; she attended the Professional Children's School in New York City while acting and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She has also said that her alternative career would have been journalism or children's literature.
Sarah definitely gives off the innocent girl next door vibe, which is part of her appeal, and part of the reason men are so attracted to her. Men love her innocent look, but they love the bad girl that lies inside She has appeared in several teenage hit movies, such as Scream 2, Cruel Intentions, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, not to mention that she is the star vehicle of her show. Not bad for someone who is only in her mid 20's.

Despite her tiny stature -- she is only 5'3" -- she packs quite a punch, and her unique facial features have helped her land a contract with Maybelline, along with model Josie Maran. Not bad for a girl who always considered herself an ugly duckling growing up. Style is her middle name; whether for a Hollywood event, or just hanging out with her friends, Sarah always combines the latest fashions with her own distinctive style.

Sarah Michelle Gellar speaks about 'Scooby Doo'

SMGFAN: What originally attracted you to this project?

SMG: When I first heard about the project, I was skeptical. But when I read the script, I loved it and knew I had to do the project. It was, after all, "Scooby Doo."

SMGFAN: Did you have any input on how Daphne was portrayed in the film and if so, how much?

SMG: Yes I did. I wanted Daphne to be strong but not too strong, to find herself and her inner strength and voice.

SMGFAN: Was it hard bringing this 2 dimensional cartoon character to life and were you nervous about it?

SMG: Yes, I was nervous. It is very difficult to make a two-dimensional character three-dimensional. I studied all of the cartoons for the way she held her hands, how she walked and moved, etc.

SMGFAN: Besides working with Freddie, what was the best part about making this film?

SMG: Filming in Australia and working with Linda, Matt and an entire cast and crew that was amazing.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: One on One

Since we didnêt have the opportunity to interview Sarah from the red carpet when we attended the Scooby Doo premiere on June 8th, she was still kind enough to answer our questions. Read below to see what she has to say.

SMGFAN: What originally attracted you to this project?
Sarah: "When I first heard about the project, I was skeptical. But when I read the script, I loved it and knew I had to do the project. It was after all "Scooby Doo."

SMGFAN: Did you have any input on how Daphne was portrayed in the film and if so, how much?
Sarah: "Yes I did. I wanted Daphne to be strong but not too strong, to find herself and her inner strength and voice.”

SMGFAN: Was it hard bringing this 2 dimensional cartoon character to life and were you nervous about it?
Sarah: "Yes, I was nervous. It is very difficult to make a two-dimensional character three-dimensional. I studied all of the cartoons for the way she held her hands, how she walked and moved, etc."

SMGFAN: Besides working with Freddie, what was the best part about making this film?
Sarah: "Filming in Australia and working with Linda, Matt and an entire cast and crew that was amazing."

Sarah appears on several current US and international magazines.

US Cosmopolitan (August 2002)
German Cosmopolitan People (July 15, 2002)
UK Esquire (July 2002)
UK Sunday Express (July 6, 2002)
Australian TV Week and NW magazine
UK Star newspaper
UK Now magazine
UK Hello
New Zealand Crúme magazine
US Animal Fair

Harvard Man is now playing in select theaters in the US. Scooby Doo has earned $124 million in its 3 weeks of showing. Itês estimated that the film will make at least $150 million in total box office returns worldwide. Factor in merchandise, DVD and other miscellaneous revenue and this may very well be one of Warner Bros. biggest hits. It certainly is in Sarahês movie career to date.

The Cruel beauty talks about Buffy, playing the bitch and her sudsy past

Sarah Michelle Gellar is so professional, it's almost scary.

The petite, 21-year-old sensation trains like a demon and works well past dusk for Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. She spends her off time making hits like 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and
and one recent flop, Simply Irresistible).

She's always bright, perky and talkative, even when she has a cold. And she never gets in trouble.

So it's refreshing to see Gellar in Cruel Intentions, a remake of Dangerous Liaisons set in contemporary, upper-cl New York.

She plays Kathryn Merteuil, a high school bitch princess. Together with stepbrother Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe), Kathryn plots the ruination of ual innocents--played by Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair--with twisted glee.

Soap fans know Gellar can play wicked; she won a daytime Emmy doing it for All My Children. But she seems to be having a special kind of fun with Kathryn, who enjoys her dark side to the fullest.

In real life, Gellar has never had the time or inclination for such indulgence. Discovered by a casting agent in her native Manhattan before she was 4, Gellar did loads of commercials and kid roles in movies (Funny Farm, High Stakes) and TV films (A Woman Named Jackie)--not to mention martial arts study and a stint at competitive skating--before series stardom hit.

Sweet yet steely, Gellar has the poise to weather the big changes coming for Buffy and can cope with any controversy Cruel Intentions might cause.

Because, after all, she's a pro.

You say and do some very nasty things in Cruel Intentions. Was that why you chose this project over all the other high school films you must have been offered?
It was just the greatest script I'd read in so long. It was so witty and smart and y and funny and raunchy and out there. I knew I was going to do it from the minute I read it. I didn't care if I had to stalk Roger [Kumble, the writer-director], I was going to be in this movie. And stalk I did!
Of course, we didn't see eye to eye on everything. Sometimes I had to keep Roger and Ryan in line. I'd have to say, "No boys, we can't do that. That's not allowed, even in the movies...only in those special movies."

Many actors say playing evil is the most fun, because it lets them behave so differently.
I think Ryan had a little more fun with it than I did. I actually went home at night, sometimes, feeling kind of rotten. It's hard to play a character without a conscience when you have quite a conscience; it weighs on you a little bit. What was fun was being that y and bizarre, because it's not my personality.

So it must have been a real blast doing that scene in Central Park where you teach Selma Blair how to kiss, huh?
I didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but guess what? We get to New York and it's the first nice day in several months, so half of the city decided to eat their lunch in the park that day!

I was flipping out. I was so nervous, I was sick to my stomach, I was shaky. I kept trying to figure out why I was having this reaction. It's just acting, I kept telling myself. After a couple of takes, I was finally able to let go and forget that 200 people were watching Buffy make out with this girl in Central Park.

There were multiple takes?
It took, like, four or five hours! If it wasn't important to the story, I wouldn't have done it. But you need to realize to what lengths Kathryn will go to control this girl, and how Kathryn will abuse that power. As long as I kept that in my head...It is an important part of the story.

If you say so. Frankly, I have trouble believing the character, even in the 18th century French versions. She seems too calculating, too gratuitously cruel, to be real.
Are you kidding? I knew Sebastian and Kathryn. I went to private school in New York City! Unfortunately, I was the scholarship child, which is a character that's missing in this movie: the tortured scholarship child, the outcast who doesn't have the house in the Hamptons or the yacht or the nanny or the au pair.

She's a compilation of a lot of girls I went to school with. And it parlays into the work atmosphere, too. We've all worked with somebody who abuses their power or who's nasty to everyone. I think, unfortunately, there are Kathryns in this world.

You might have a peculiar perspective on this, having worked on a particular soap opera which we shall not mention...
All My Children? True, Susan Lucci and I didn't have the most amazing relationship, and it wasn't the easiest working situation. It was good training, though. Soaps are a very difficult medium. You shoot 60 pages a day and, let's be honest, my character had no friends. I was talking to myself, I was doing soliloquies, I was doing
Shakespeare out there. But the training is amazing. Now, I walk on a set and I don't worry about hitting a mark or being in someone's light or shadowing myself; it's second nature, I don't even think about that stuff.
Sounds great if you're a workaholic.
I don't just work! I do lots of things. I went to Mexico last weekend for fun. I go to concerts. I went to the Super Bowl this year. Let's hear it for working for Fox [the studio behind Simply Irresistible]! Went to every game of the World Series--looove Fox broadcasting. But I do work a lot. I can't always go out on weeknights because I work late.

No time for dating, either. Or at least getting caught at it.
Yeah, I date. I'm just so protective of my private life. I generally date outside of the Industry, or at least they're not actors. It's just not fair to heap this on them. I mean, you struggle with, "Do I take them to the premiere or do I not?" It's not fun for them, all they do is stand by. It's work, and it's hard to be in that limelight.

As you well know. How has your life been changed by Buffy stardom?

It was difficult at first. Last year was very hard, which I've probably said a million times. Your life, basically, changes overnight, and it's very hard to acclimate to this new set of rules when you've lived a certain way.

It was all very new to me. And y'know, I'm a female, I live by myself, and it was scary. I didn't really understand that there was nowhere I could go where people didn't know me. I'd get very timid when people would come up. But you get used to it. And it dies down, too, the buzz.

Yours is the kind of celebrity that can attract obsessive types. Anything really alarming ever happen?
There are things, but we really don't talk about them for security reasons. But things happen, they happen to everyone, and it's unfortunate, because it gives a bad name to the true fans.

Don't the creeps know that you have a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do?
Well, I was about to get my brown belt when I stopped. I wish they would stop reporting that I do, because I don't
really study Tae Kwon Do anymore. It's more a mix of things I do for the show.
Some big changes are coming up on the show. What can you tell me about them?
David Boreanaz is leaving to spin off an Angel show, and Charisma Carpenter, who plays Cordelia, is going with him. And Buffy's going to college next year. But none of this is wrapped up. A lot of people don't even realize this is it for Buffy and Angel. We don't even know if it is--we haven't really sat down and mapped out next year yet. Our main focus is just finishing this season.

Then what's up for you during summer hiatus?
I don't know yet. I need to step back for a little bit, it's been kind of crazy. I need to figure out if I want to take a break and relax for a few months, or if I want to work and what it is, exactly, I want to do. I used to be so adamant about wanting to work on something really different on the break. But now I can sit back a little bit and try to, y'know, path the career.

Good idea. Did Simply Irresistible inspire some of that?
That was really hard for me. I read a script that I fell in love with and learned a very hard lesson--that it doesn't always work out. I've always wondered why good actors did bad movies. I'd think, didn't they read the script? Didn't
they know? Now I understand what happens. Whether it's the direction or the production or some of the acting, it can change in the transition from the script you first read.

At least I got lucky and Cruel Intentions is coming out right after it. Ryan and Reese were really funny about it. They were like, "You know, it's happened to all of us, this was just your first time." My first two movies were hits, but they don't all do that. As a lesson it's kind of like, duh, you didn't know this, Sarah?

I don't think it did you any permanent damage. You're still the worship object of millions of boys and a heroine to zillions of girls. Do you worry, though, that Cruel Intentions might affect some of your fans' image of you?
No, I really don't. I guess it exists and it's an honor, it's sweet and thank you. But Buffy's the role model, not me. I'm the actor who plays her. I'm no more Buffy than Kathryn. I'm Sarah.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Matthew Lillard 'toon in to Scooby-Doo

dapting one of the most beloved children's cartoon series into a live-action feature film is no small task. It takes a certain dedication and love for the source material, while at the same time striving to create something new and fresh that audiences have not seen before. In the upcoming live-action feature Scooby-Doo, co-stars Matthew Lillard and Sarah Michelle Gellar bring to life the well-known characters of Shaggy and Daphne and carefully walk the line between faithfulness and innovation.

While in hindsight it may be hard to conceive of a better choice for the role of lanky slacker Norville "Shaggy" Rogers than Lillard, he had to work hard in the beginning to convince the filmmakers he was the right actor for the role. Lillard trained for months developing his movements and voice in an effort to transform himself into a three-dimensional version of the cartoon character. The end result is an uncanny likeness that transcends simple mimicry.

Gellar was not such an obvious choice for Daphne, whose role in the Scooby gang is often that of damsel in distress. She is most recognizable to fans as the very capable title character of UPN's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But she, too, impressed the filmmakers with her dedication to the role. During filming on Scooby-Doo, seven-day work weeks and extreme jet lag were common for the busy actress, who often found herself flying back and forth from the set in Australia to Los Angeles, where Buffy is filmed. Her one consolation was being able to work with her real-life love interest and fiance, Freddie Prinze Jr., who plays dashing yet arrogant Fred Jones in the film.

Lillard and Gellar recently spoke with Science Fiction Weekly about the expectations of portraying a cartoon icon, acting opposite a CGI character, what those Scooby snacks really taste like, and, in Gellar's case, maintaining an off-screen romance with an on-screen costar.
What did you go through to get cast for this film?

Lillard: I called and we had a conversation. ... I said, "What are you looking for?" And [director Raja Gosnell] said, "I'm looking for the voice and the physical nature." And I was like, "Oh." And that was terrifying. Because I'm not an impressionist. ... I've never done that. I don't have that skill base. ... So I just started working. It was actually funny. Early on in the process to find Shaggy's voice, I found that it was just really scratchy. And so how I got there was I'd scream myself hoarse. So I flew from Thirteen Ghosts to the audition and I'm in my car, because I never had a chance to go home, and I'm screaming myself hoarse. "Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!" And all of a sudden Raja walks up and knocks on the door and is like, "Are you OK?" I'm like, "Yeah, I'm just getting ready, I'm preparing."

By the end I actually figured it out. Because it's [demonstrates voice] all on the break. So I finally figured out how to do it without screaming myself hoarse.

Gellar: In the beginning ... they were skeptical. I think that Raja is the one that was saying, "You know, I just don't know. Do we hire a girl that people will expect to be the antithesis of this character? Does it ruin what is essentially the essence of this character?" And I really had to go in and sort of sell myself to Raja specifically. I went in and did how I thought she would walk and what her voice would sound like and her mannerisms and it was a big old sell job.

I think it was more, not so much was I capable, but would people be willing to suspend that disbelief initially. ... Would people be saying, "Why would you have her as Daphne?"
Once you were cast, what did you do to prepare for the role?

Gellar: I did a lot of [research], you know, watched all the episodes of the cartoon. And I think for me the main thing was the physicality. [Daphne's] voice, her cadence, isn't as specific in people's heads as Velma's or Shaggy's was necessarily. I studied the way she posed, because Daphne always posed. ... They'll be running, and then when they stop running Daphne poses. Like, it just doesn't stop. And I was like, "Am I going to remember? ... Am I going to be in the middle of a scene and just find myself just, you know, hanging loose and not remembering to always [pose]?" But I will say that once we got into costume and you looked around and you had these giant sets, it was so easy to remember where you are and what you were doing.

Lillard: Yeah, if you look around you see these things that Bill Boes created it wasn't hard to squint and put yourself in this world. It was really amazing actually.
What about you, Matthew? What did you do to prepare?

Lillard: I took it really seriously. I mean, honestly. You know, I realized it's the biggest opportunity I've ever had. Shaggy is an icon that I grew up with, that people all over the world for generations have grown up with, and quite frankly I don't want to be the guy to screw it up. ... I hired two acting coaches I've worked with since school. We locked ourselves in a dance studio for two weeks and broke it down and just tried to figure out how to make a two-dimensional character three-dimensional.

Gellar: I feel like Matthew's really modest when it comes to this question and so I feel like on his behalf I must speak constantly. He took it much more seriously than you could possibly imagine. When you're going in, people think you're going in to play a cartoon character—it must have been really easy. And I'm not saying I didn't do work. I studied the cartoon, I looked at sketches, but this one worked so hard. And I feel like I'm sounding like a broken record, but I'm telling you that Academy Award-winning performances have had less work than what he put into it on a daily basis. And it was constantly evolving and constantly changing, and the nuances and the voices and the preparation. I can't even begin to explain how hard Matthew worked.

Lillard: I love it when she does that, by the way. It's so good.

Did you talk to the Casey Kasem, who did the original voice of Shaggy?

Lillard: No, not yet.

Gellar: I met Velma, though. I was at the Britney Spears concert and this woman came up to me and she said to me, "I want to introduce myself. I'm Velma" And her voice, like, it was the exact [same]. And she's just this little old lady, and you know, just not uming, and it was the coolest thing. Of all places, at the Staples Center.
Do you have any qualities in common with your character?

Lillard: I always thought of myself as Lancelot, just nobody else happens to see that particular attribute. ... Look, there's only so many tall, skinny guys in Hollywood that are relatively funny. I happen to fit the bill.
Was it difficult acting opposite a CGI character?

Lillard: That was certainly a challenge. I've never experienced anything like that. They certainly don't teach you that in acting cl. Acting is about that thing—chemistry—that energy between two people. And when you continue for six months to throw energy into a void and there's nothing coming back, it's challenging for all of us. And I give a lot of credit to the animators. Because everything I did was matched tenfold. They took Scooby and made him a movie star. He's charismatic and funny and dramatic and touching and all those things you want a big movie star to be.

Gellar: And he had the biggest trailer.

Lillard: You couldn't see it. But it was a big trailer.
What would you do for a Scooby Snack?

Gellar: Let me tell you how nasty [they are]. That's dog food. And I won't do anything for those things, I'll tell you that right now.

Lillard: Yeah, they're pretty terrible.

Gellar: It's a misconception. Because they, like, sell these like Scooby snacks in the store and they're like cinnamony graham crackers. They're really good. And our costume designer would have this box and every time I would go for a costume fitting I'd be all, "Oh, yeah." So we get to the scene on the beach where we all have to eat them and I'm thinking that's what we're getting so I didn't eat breakfast that day thinking I'm eating me some. This is my perfect excuse. I'm eating me some Scooby snacks. But they weren't those same Scooby snacks. They were this concoction that looked good on camera.

Lillard: Because I eat them the whole movie, early on they asked me, "What do you want the Scooby snacks made out of?" And I said, "I eat them the whole time so make them somewhat healthy." That was a mistake.

Gellar: So you're the reason they tasted like that?

Lillard: It was like cardboard.

Gellar: The first couple takes we would all be like, "Mmmm." And by the third, fourth take we were like, "Someone get a spit bucket."
Do you feel the film adaptation was true to the original cartoon?

Lillard: It's actually been a very interesting adventure for this film. Because they made two versions, quite frankly. They made a version that was more adult and they made a version that is traditional—what you see now, which is a family film. And at some point there was a fork in the road and they had to make a decision. We can either play to an older, skew older, teenage crowd, or we can make it what it is for the franchise, what it is in the history of the cartoon, which is a family-oriented thing. And so that's the decision they ended up going with.

Gellar: And on that same note I have to say that I agree with the decision. And I think that family films are [something] that people overlook. Actors don't seem to always want to make family films. Studios don't want to produce them. And, first of all, children are our movie-going audience of tomorrow. I remember when I was younger and I would see E.T. or Princess Bride or any of these movies ... that were family films that my mother went to and loved and I loved and we could talk about them. And I always say that I blame multiplexes for the ruin of family films. Because it's so easy for families to split up, so you can make a kids movie and then the older kids can just go across the way and time a movie out so you guys all get out at the same time. And it's so important to have family films—to have a film where everybody can go and the parents love it and the older kids love it and the younger kids love it and I'm really proud of the decision that they made.

Lillard: It's not as y either. I mean, you want it to be funny, you want it to be y, [to] play for teenagers.

Sarah, what was it like shooting a film with your significant other?

Gellar: Coming into what is essentially supposed to be a gang, a group that had so many experiences and has such a relationship—is basically a family—to come in and to not be on the first day saying, "Hi, I'm Sarah, what's your name? Where are you from?" [was great]. ... I was really excited to get to know Linda because she was the question mark, she was the missing one of the group. And just at the end of the read-through, as all women do, Linda and I excused ourselves to go to the ladies room and we started bonding as ladies do in the bathroom. And we're talking and talking. And I came out and I said, "Freddie, Matthew, you guys, Linda is so great, you're going to love her." And they went, "We know." And I went, "What are you talking about?" And they're like, "We heard you from the bathroom. We heard the whole conversation. She's great. Talk quieter next time."

Lillard: That's one of the nice things, because we were down there for six months and it was an easy vibe to get into, so the working condition was great from the get-go.

Did you kid Sarah and Freddie when they were shooting the kissing scene?

Gellar: It was such a non-scene. It was one of those mornings we were so behind. Literally, it was one take. We had to get on to the big part of the day. I literally think that scene was filler so they could get all the extras ready to get to the next scene. I swear to God, they wrote that in because, like, "OK, well, we can get Sarah and Freddie ready on turnaround and then that gives us 30 extra minutes to light for the rest of the extras coming in."

Lillard: "Make out!"

Gellar: "Make out! Quick guys, roll. And go."

What did you think of Freddie as a blond?

Gellar: I think he looked like Fred. ... I prefer the brunette. I've said it. There. You've all heard it. Earth-shattering. ...

Matthew, what did you do to get the Shaggy hair?

Gellar: Matthew wore extensions in the back of his hair for Shaggy. But he wore like a little wiglet on top.

Lillard: [Laughs.] A wiglet?

Gellar: That's what it's called! ... So on the weekends when he would go outside he'd have his little mullet, you know, in the back, but there was nothing up here. So poor Matthew would wear a hat wherever he went.

Lillard: Business in the front, party in the back.
Freddie is an admitted Scooby fan. Did he make you watch any of his favorite episodes?

Gellar: We have every episode on tape in our basement. And not because we called Warner Brothers to get them when we decided to do the film. Because we had them. I don't know if he picks one. I probably say this now and he probably has a favorite and I just don't know it.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Woman without fear

On the outside, she's a petite blonde beauty with a face so sweet and dainty, it looks like it belongs on a porcelain doll. But on the inside, Sarah Michelle Gellar is one tough chick. In fact, a quick glance at her résumé reveals a woman who has no fear.

She regularly spends her weeks karate-chopping her way around evil creatures as Buffy, the Vampire Slayer on the hit WB television show. She's spending her summer amidst murder and mayhem, costarring in two separate horror flicks: I Know What You Did Last Summer--a new thriller from Kevin Williamson, the writer of Scream--and Scream II, Wes Craven's much anticipated sequel to this year's sleeper. And let's not forget that Gellar won a daytime Emmy for her portrayal of Kendall Hart, the daughter of TV's most devilish diva of all--Erica Kane (Susan Lucci)--on All My Children.

Scary, huh? Not for this 21-year-old, who has been acting since she was five. A native New Yorker, Gellar is not one to be afraid--or to slow down. When we finally pinned her down, Gellar bravely answered your questions about that love affair with Angel, arm-wrestling Xena and being a role model for lesbians...

thirdrocker: Were you nervous about starting a television program designed after a movie which had, by many voices, been a "flop"?
I look at the series as based loosely on the movie. In my mind, all we did was take the idea of Buffy, not the story or the character. Not to mention the fact that, since the movie came out so long ago, I think we managed to avoid the comparison that way.
Q: What kinds of things can we expect to see on the new season of Buffy?
You can expect some new villains, more action, the continuing saga of the Buffy-Xander-Willow triangle (and maybe even Angel)--not to mention more of a presence from Cordellia. That's all I can tell you.

Q: I hear that the guy who plays Angel on Buffy is coming back next season as a regular. Are he and Buffy going to get together again romantically?
Yes, he will be back, but I won't say in what capacity or for how long.

Q: What is your reaction to being the hottest download on the Internet since Teri Hatcher wore nothing but a cape?
Is that true?

Q: So, how does it feel to be named on TV Guide's "20 Great Faces" list?
I did get teased a lot on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, the movie I was filming when the article came out.

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
Heathers.
bailylver: What actor/actress has inspired you the most and why?
Stockard Channing, because watching her work was inspiring to me, and also Eric Stoltz, because I think he's the cutest.

Q: You've gotten to kiss some pretty hot guys onscreen. Who was your favorite?
Rudolph Martin, Windsor Harmon, David Boreanaz, Ryan Phillippe. How can I decide? I love my job.

Q: I love your outfits. Who decides what you wear on the show? Do you ever get to keep the clothes?
My costumes are picked by a costume designer, Joss Whedon (the show's creator) and me. I wish I got to keep the clothes.

Ql: Are there any people who do research on old vampire legends to come up with the ideas for some of the episodes, or do the ideas come right off the top of the writers' heads?
The ideas come from a combination of places. The producers and writers do research on old legends, sometimes even on the Net, as well as add some of their own ideas.

Q: What do you think you would be doing if you were not acting?
I would like to write children's stories. It is something I still plan to do. Dr. Seuss is my idol.

Q: Where do you keep your Daytime Emmy Award?
I keep it in my office--nothing too original.
pgoddin: How much kickboxing training have you had to undergo for your role as Buffy? I notice you do quite a lot of your own stunts and fight scenes.
I do a combination of kickboxing, tai kwan do, basic street fighting and gymnastics for the role. But, luckily, I took four years of tai kwan do prior to this role.

Q: What is a habit you have that fans might be surprised to learn about?
I'm basically pretty normal. I like to hang out with my friends, Rollerblade, hike, go to the movies--and, sometimes, I even like to relax.

Q: Who would win at arm wrestling--Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Xena: Warrior Princess?
Well, of course, Buffy, but don't you think a Buffy-Xena crossover would be cool?

Q: What do you think of the rumors that Buffy, Xena and Scully are the three most popular characters among the lesbian subculture, because they are all independent, intelligent and strong women?
I think Buffy is a wonderful role model for a lot of different types of people, and I just hope that people can pick up on what we are trying to say.

Q: What do you do in your free time?
Free, what?