Alyson Looks Past Buffy

[Christopher]

Alyson Story


Hannigan Looks Past 'Buffy,' but Not too Far
Thu, Jan 23, 2003 08:06 PM PDT

by Kate O'Hare
Zap2it



LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Alyson Hannigan, who plays witch Willow on UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," is a happy woman. She has a newly minted fiancé -- "Angel" star Alexis Denisof -- and three jobs.

Along with her regular gig on "Buffy," she's playing Willow in "Orpheus," a late-March episode of The WB's "Angel," the "Buffy" spin-off starring David Boreanaz in the title role of a crusading vampire with a soul. At the same time, she's reprising her film role as Michelle Flaherty in "American Pie 3."

"The last time I was on 'Angel,'" Hannigan says, "I didn't speak, but I was doing 'American Pie 2,' and I was just so excited to have three jobs. I was like, 'God, I'm the luckiest person ever.' Now I'm doing the third 'American Pie,' and I have another time where I have three jobs. I'm so excited I'm like, 'Oh, great, three jobs again.'"

Not to mention the bonus of time spent with her beloved. "That's another reason I wanted to be here," she says. "I can spend a day with him. Awesome."

Asked if Denisof would return the favor and come over to UPN's "Buffy" -- where his character, demon fighter Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, was originally introduced -- Hannigan says, "That would be awesome. Like the season finale -- they're just going to go crazy. I think it would be great if they brought everybody back."

As Hannigan films her scenes today, there is still no official announcement as to whether "Buffy" will return for an eighth season. A lot rests on the wishes of star Sarah Michelle Gellar, a newlywed with a burgeoning movie career.

According to published reports, all possibilities are being explored, included limited participation from Gellar in another season of "Buffy," or perhaps a spin-off featuring another character.

At this point, though, Hannigan isn't optimistic.

"I guess technically we don't know," Hannigan says, "but it really feels like this is it. It feels like we know, even though nothing's been said. But then again, who knows? I'm just saying that there could be ... something does happen, and she comes back, the show is the show, and we're all there for another year."

"But I don't think so. I think that everybody's pretty much, 'That was a good run. It's time to go.'"

As to whether she'd want to play Willow in a spin-off, Hannigan says, "I don't know. It really depends on Joss ['Buffy' and 'Angel' creator Joss Whedon]. If he's involved, then, yeah, it would be really cool. But it depends on what it is. It's so weird. It's so nice to have such a great job, but it's also time to go and see what else I can do."

At this point in "Buffy," the Slayer is facing yet another apocalypse, but this time she has the help of a group of young, female potential Slayers (when one Slayer dies, a potential is called to the job) -- and they're all bunking in Buffy's house.

"Right now," Hannigan says, "it's really, really chaotic, because there are all the Slayers coming in. The other day, we had a six-page scene with 12 principals. It's insane. And there's only one bathroom, we've only had one bathroom for the run of the show."

"From the working aspect, it's very chaotic. But it's good, and I'm sure that it's going to go off at the end of the year. Everybody's sort of expecting it to be the end. Knowing Joss, he'll just make it huge, amazing ... with the possibility that it could continue after that, I'm sure."

[Max Whittaker]

I'm looking forward to seeing her future roles.

I only hope she doesn't make a habit of doing only one kind of genre. Like if she only does drama for the next ten years, I will be very bored. If she does too many romance flicks, I will be totally turned off.

I like all sorts of movies and I'm not picky. But I don't want to see her kill her career by playing all the same roles.