Press Release:
Meet Actors Alyson Hannigan & Anthony Stewart Head "WILLOW" & "GILES" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Show at METRO COMICS. Please email for ticket information & mail order purchases

SANTA BARBARA-METRO COMICS invites you to meet actors Alyson Hannigan and Anthony Stewart Head, two of the stars of the critically acclaimed TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer-- Saturday November 21st from 1pm - 4pm.

In it's third season, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has become much more than a cult hit among viewers of all ages, it has also single-handedly saved the WB Television Network from disappearing in times of tough airwave competition. The show's expertly written and well-balanced humor, drama and horror, combined with a surprisingly all-around likeable cast, has made this show's popularity rise significantly with each season.

Alyson Hannigan plays Willow Rosenberg, the innocent-eyed computer "geek"--best friend of Buffy Summers, and one of the most popular characters from the show. Anthony Stewart Head plays Giles the Watcher, school librarian and the Slayer's personal trainer. At this autograph signing, fans can take part in this rare opportunity to meet two television stars, get autographs, and have a picture taken with them.

If you are interested in a pre-signing interview (please make an appointment ASAP, as appointment times fill up fast) with Alyson Hannigan or Anthony Stewart Head, need pictures of either actors for your story, and/or are interested in promoting this event, please contact: [...]

Interview (courtesy of www.hannigan.com):
It was a cold November morn when our very own Magus Prime arose from hisSaturday slumber to fulfill his destiny: to interview Alyson Hannigan! His journey would be long and difficult but through it all he maintained, he strived. For he knew that the reward for his trek far outweighed the perils. He arrived at the location tired and road weary but that all went away when he saw her, Alyson Hannigan, in all her glory, she stood close enough to touch. He was nervous but comforted by the presence of Sandy Hall who was there to interview Anthony Stewart Head (Giles). The two combined their interviews and came up with something that had never been done before; a double interview of both Alyson and Anthony. What follows is a transcript of that interview. Coming soon: pictures and possibly video of the event.

MP: Hi!

Alyson: All right, I'm not distracted anymore.

MP: It's all right, you can be as distracted as you want.

Alyson: Hi!

MP: Hi!

Alyson: I guess I was distracted longer.

MP: That's al right, I understand, you must be tired

Alyson: My brain's on overload.

MP: So, um, first of all, you are awesome.

Alyson: Thank you.

MP: Well, I wanted to know, about the "Great Falls" movie, what kind of role do you have in there?

Alyson: Well, she's sort of a... she's a band geek, kinda. And she's just a very quirky, quirky character, and then she's, yeah, she's funny, hopefully. But, you know.

MP: I heard that you'd been offered a bigger role and, then you turned that down and took a supporting role?

Alyson: Well, no, it was basically 'Look at the script and see what part you would like to read for, and I liked her character, 'cuz she's so fun.

MP: Oh, okay. So, in the new season, your character Willow is becoming more empowered, getting to be more "on her own", do you think this distances her from people who used to relate to the old, shy Willow, the old introverted Willow?

Alyson: I hope not. I hope not. Um, you know, I know that, she's been hanging out with Buffy for a couple of years now, and that's her best friend, and I think that wears off on, you know, friends wear off on one another, so, it's helped her embrace her shyness and say, "O.k, I can deal with... myself, I guess." Maybe be more outgoing. But she's still got the shy quality. And maybe it just gives people hope. like, "O.k, I'm shy now, but, look! I can, do it." Not that being shy is bad or anything, but ... doing the things you like to do.... (trails off)

MP: So, tell me, when you were reading the script for the fluke kiss with Xander, what was going through your mind?

Alyson: I don't know what was going through my mind. I was, I guess... when we were doing it, when we were shooting it? I was like, "Oh my gosh, people are going to freak!" But then you also have the fact that we are both going out with other people, so it's kinda like, "Oh, no, this is bad." So... I don't know. They had told us before, "O.k, you guys are going to kiss" and we were like, "O.K." But it's weird, you know. I don't know. I was just like, "I wonder what the reaction will be."

MP: Oh. Um, we know you're on the net alittle bit, you try to be, do you have an official website or something like that?

Alyson: No, I don't. But I'm thinking about doing a website.

Anthony Stewart Head (ASH): Are you? You are?

Alyson: Yeah.

ASH: Cool.

Alyson: But I would have to wait 'till I have time. Maybe for Christmas break. I have a friend who is just 'avid computer guy', and he's, "Come on, it'll be so fun, let's do a website." (in a funny voice) O.k.

MP: Because, as you know, we have our website, www.hannigan.com. And, you know, we work hard on it, and try to get people, 'cuz some- alot of times people just overlook you or something like that... "

Alyson: Aww...

MP: And we're like, "Come on, look at her!" You know?

Alyson: (Cute giggle) Why, thank you!

MP: And, so we we're hoping for some sort of officiality of some sort, or some sort of... I don't know.

ASH: There's always hope.

MP: So, like, some day your people will call our people...

Alyson: But, I'm so unclear on what I have to do, or you know, I have people like, "Ooh, can I be your official fan club or something," I'm like, "O.k, what do I have to do? And then I never hear back from them. Do I have to do anything, or do I just say, "O.K."? So I don't know what to do, until like, I say, o.k, become official.

Sandy Hall: They're not as tenatious as Sonja Marie.

ASH: No, well uh, Sonja Marie is persistent, relentless, she really hung in there.

Alyson: Yeah, see, how did YOU go about doing it?

ASH: I just said "Yeah."

Alyson: see, but I said "Yeah".

ASH: Well, Sonja Marie just-

Sandy (to Alyson): ...said "Yeah" to the wrong person? (laughs)

Alyson: {{{gigles}}} MP: We know you went to the last PB party, the first one, did the both of you like the experience?

ASH: Yeah, it was great, meeting everybody, you know, putting a face to the people.

Alyson: Yeah

MP: What do you guys think about the Bronze community, like on the Posting Board?

ASH: Cool.

Alyson: Yeah, Although I go on now, and I'm like, I don't know any of these people.

ASH: Yeah, you say, "Where are all the people who were posting before, where have they gone?"

Alyson: Yeah. I guess I went away for too long.

ASH: Ah...

Sandy: Speaking of computers, when are you (ASH) going to get one?

ASH: I was going to try and get one

Sandy: Yeah, when are you going to get one?

ASH: Um, I know.

Sandy: And then you can come on GASP (Other Website).

ASH: I will, I will, promise.

Sandy: We enjoyed you when you were on.

ASH: It was fun. I like to do one where I actually field direct questions.

Sandy: Yeah. Alyson: It's hard though, because everybody, like you know, on the posting board, they bombard you with questions and you're like "Oh, god, I can't, uh, eh,".

Sandy: Yeah, you need to go in and not tell anybody who you are.

Alyson: Yeah, I do that.

ASH: Do you?

MP: Oh, we thought that was what you did!

Alyson: Seth does that too. Seth does it. (Accusing tone of voice) You know what Seth does? I just found this out. Here's the dish on Seth Green.

MP: Here comes the dirt.

Alyson: He goes in, and he writes something bad about the show, and, like, tries to get reactions.(Everyone laughs) "Oh, that Oz sucks!" Then people just yell at him.

MP: Yeah, we're very defensive.

Alyson: He likes it, too. He likes causing a commotion, I guess. He just told me he did that, I was like "{cute little gasp}, You're so rude."

Sandy: I have a question for you (Alyson) On the show Willow mentions "Anywhere but here". We have this game that we play. Where would be your personal 'Anywhere but here'?

Alyson: I don't, I don't like that game, I mean, you should be happy where you are. You know, like, let's say that I was at the dentists office. I'd play that game. And... like... probably... swimming with dolphins.

ASH: Pretty cool. Yeah.

Aly: Yeah, what about you? (ASH)

ASH: Me, oh, it's boring, but at home. It would be in my house, on my hill. Looking at my land, and going, "Aaaaaaaah". Sitting under the ash tree, basically.

Alyson: The ash tree?

ASH: It's this great, huge ash tree. We raised a squirrel in there, we let him go, we're not supposed to let them go.

Alyson: Or it'll be like the 'Simpsons' episode with the frogs. (laughs)

ASH: We didn't let him go, he escaped.

Alyson: I had the friendliest squirrel come up to me the other day.

ASH: Was that your question? Where would I be?

Sandy: Where would Giles be?

Alyson: In a library.

Sandy: Anywhere but here. The library is here.

ASH: He'd probably be in another library.

MP: A bigger library.

ASH: He's changing a little now, a British museum or something. An archeological dig, actually, in Egypt.

Sandy: O.k, next question I have, what were those animals that were on your desk that were in the office.

ASH: What animals?

Sandy: There's little stuffed animals this last episode sitting there when that... female watcher...

ASH: No, they're... he, he, he, they're bundles of herbs, and stuff to make... hehehe... Maybe Giles has got a secret... (laughing)

Sandy: O.k, last question I have, if Giles were to have a pet, what would it be?

Alyson: A dead cat.

ASH: It... uh, yeah, he's probably a cat, a cat man I reckon. 'Cuz cats are there to help our spiritual side, and I think well, accordingly he would gravitate towards an extremely wise cat.

Alyson: Remember the episode with the dead cat? And Cordelia is like, "Dead cat".

ASH: That's not my cat, but it wasn't my cat, it was a dead cat.

Alyson: I loved that, that was so funny, though. You were so irritated, looked so cute. I thought that was a very good moment.

Sandy: Wasn't that episode you didn't get knocked out in? (laughs)

ASH: I cannot remember if there is one, though I haven't gone... The second season they seemed to get on top of it, and they find other reasons for me not to turn up.

Alyson: You know what I'm going to do when I have time? Well, maybe I might put that out there and somebody else could do it for me. Is do a little montague of all the Giles getting knocked out episode, um, scenes, and then put that Chumbawamba song "I Get Knocked Down"? (big laughs) And end up doing like a little cool video. So, hopefully I'll do that for the gag reel.

ASH: Yeah, don't tell Sonja Marie, she'll be in there quickly.

Alyson: I just wish someone could tell me all the episodes so I don't have to watch them.

Sandy: I'm sure we could find out for you...

ASH: That'd be in all of them, there's one place or another where I'm...

Alyson: Yeah. I mean, like, I can pick out a handful, but then I want every single one.

ASH: You want every single one?

Sandy: We were talking about this the other night on the GASP.

Alyson: Oh, really? Well, maybe you guys have like, "the list" of how many times he's been knocked out.

Sandy: Yeah.

Alyson: Really. So I could just log on and find out. Cut my editing time.

MP: Alright, my last question... how do you react, when like, all the guys are like, "Will you marry me, Alyson?"

Alyson: (Giggle) Actually, I think I've only gotten a couple of proposals, and, you know, they just didn't work out. (Everyone laughs) Well, you know, I mean, it's very flattering. It's like... you know.

Sandy: Any chance of a Giles Poster, or T-shirt?

Alyson: He's got that nude one, (to ASH) don't you?

ASH: (didn't hear Aly) They're working on it

Alyson: He totaly missed that one. He's got his own calendar, it's "Giles '98". (laughter)

ASH: Strutting my stuff. (Laughter) It's unfortunate, they, it said, the calendar, they said, "We're really sorry", it wasn't WB, it wasn't FOX, it was basically the licensee. The licensee's now been fired, and, um, it's basicaly the licensees, they're having a hard job, pulling the merchandising together, you'd think it'd be easy, but there's confusion between FOX and WB, and they have to tie the whole thing up, basically one of them wasn't communicating properly. You get this stuff coming up, but I mean, everyone is coming up, going, "We're really sorry. Next year is going to be better." There will be toys, there's gonna be a CD ROM, yeah... OWWWWWW!!! Oh, bloody!!! Owwww!!! Just tore into my skin and...

Alyson: You had a hangnail.

ASH: NO, look, look!!!

Alyson: Well don't push it.

ASH: It's a Gash!!!

Alyson: You're letting it out.

ASH: Ow! Ow!

Alyson: See? You should get manicures.

ASH: O.k. So, yeah, it'll all happen next year they tell me. Year 2000 calendar is going to be... alright.

Sandy: Can I get a picture for the newsletter

ASH: Yeah.

Alyson: He's going to be with the firemen's calendars.

ASH: Yeah.

Alyson: Of both, or just?...

Sandy: Yeah, of both. (At this point MP snaps around a roll of film, this huge grin across his face, concentrating on getting good shots of Alyson. Everyone laughs as ASH strikes his GQ pose, with his jacket hanging on his hand behind his shoulders)

MP: Well, thank you very much. (Shakes ASH's hand, kisses Alyson's hand, in his only smooth move all day)

Both: You're welcome.

Sources

Page created January 1999. Original material © Betsy Vera (bentley@umich.edu). This website is for information and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to infringe on copyrights held by others.