an Anthony Head fansite
Moonlight Rising
Saturday, June 7, 2003
Transcript of Anthony Head's Q&A
Anytime this, {...}, appears, it indicates a place where I could not determine exactly what was said. In most cases, it was only a few words, but in a few cases there is a gap of a minute or so.
I missed the very first part of the Q&A and this begins with his answer to the first question.
(Question about plans to appear on Angel)
Um, yeah...I mean…Tim Minear sorta said “Yeah, we could get you...we could get you on the show now.” Well, I’ve been saying I’ll do it… I mean, you know... But apparently now that Wesley is an action hero, (cheer from audience) they obviously need somebody to do the {…} of the stories. Um…they said, yeah, now he’s very different and it would be quite good to get Giles on and they could clash again and bring Wesley back {…} But I don’t know, I don’t know what their ideas are. Up until when I left, they still weren’t sure whether they were on, you know. The WB were being wanky buggers. (laughter from audience) As they’re wont to do. And…um…basically, you know, yeah we’ll talk about it. I’m gonna…they’re gonna go back and {…}. I hope so, I’d love to, I’d love to.
(Question about what advice he would give himself as a 20 year old)
If I were to go back and give my 20 year old self some advice what would I say? Um…grow up. (laughter from audience) Yeah...um...and take…you know, take it one stage at a time and…um...learn your lesson. Pretty much what? (Said in response to something said by audience member who repeated it. I couldn’t make it out though.) Um...I think so. I’ve made some really, really big mistakes but I’ve also had a fucking great time. (huge audience cheer. Then he reacts to the sign language interpreter repeating this.) {…} Okay, yeah, I mean, everything that happens to you in life, happens because of the choices you make. If I’d made a different bunch of choices, then I wouldn’t have ..kind of… grown in the same way or learnt the lessons that I’ve learned. So I mean, it took a long time for me to actually wake up and realize that there were {…} to learn and I actually had to do stuff before I pop this mortal coil. Um, but, it’s, it’s been really cool, yeah. What a deep question. {..}
(To next questioner) Are you gonna be deep?
(Comment about the reaction to him showing up at the end of season six, which got a cheer from the audience.)
Thank you. I must say, it was cool, it was cool. I got to kick some ass, and I got to kick {…}. But it was nice, I mean basically, Joss had talked about how many times he was gonna use me in the…in season six, if you’ll excuse the expression, and - figuratively, of course - and he talked about maybe bringing me back for the wedding and then he said no actually, you know, I really want to play it up, I want Giles’ entrance, if you’ll excuse the expression (he cracked up giggling here) – to be very dynamic. So I have been told by a few people that it was a good moment. I must say when I saw it, it was, like whoa {…}. It was cool, it was cool.
Yes, strenuously holding your hand up over there.
(The next question was who he had more fun playing, Frank N Furter or Giles, and why.)
(He did not hear the question clearly) Or Giles as what? (The question was repeated.) Okay. Who did I have more fun playing, Frank N Furter or Giles and I thought you said Giles and something {…} Well, I guess… (makes funny noises while he tries to think) Frank N Furter was…like…just, just the greatest part you could ever play. I mean I got to kick up every night and have simulated sex with extremely attractive people (giggle fit) Yes, I got to have simulated sex with very attractive people. (He repeated this so the sign language interpreter had to sign it again.) But I mean… yeah, it was the most powerful experience – it was the first time I really, really understood giving, if you’ll excuse the expression, giving yourself over to the role, and I completely kind of immersed myself in Frank. Hunh. It was, you know, once…the sort of…the kinda warm up to going on stage, I’ve got to put the costume on, put the makeup on and putting, you know… then finally the wig went on and then the clothes which was the {…} Um, and the three and a half inch heels. He’d come up, it just be like, it just took kinda me over. There’s friends who actually came to see it who couldn’t actually talk to me afterwards (laughs) until I took my makeup off. They’d come round and say, “No, I’m sorry.” (mimics actions of people refusing to talk) One very sweet woman, she’s a nurse, she’s very sort of level headed, just…you know. Um …and she sorta…apparently, she sat next to my girlfriend and apparently when I walked onto stage, her jaw dropped to her chair and never actually came back together again. Even when she came round to the dressing room to talk, she was still (demonstrates the expression). Another very sweet woman, actually the woman who was teaching my kids to dance at the time, came to the show and sorta enjoyed me and at one point said, “When’s Tony coming on?” (mimics her shock at realizing he was already on) {…}
But Giles has been, you know, the biggest trip. I mean, in my seven years of playing, playing – playing a character that grows as much as Giles has – playing that through like that is a gift to any actor and playing scripts that have, I don’t know, left me speechless at times, really, really excellent scripts, has been phenomenal. So, I have to say, I can’t compare them. The best thing about being an actor is that you just get chances to have a really good time and people pay you for it {…} And I’m very glad I’ve chosen to be {…}
(A comment about liking the father/daughter dynamic between Buffy and Giles)
Oh, you’re not talking about fanfiction. (laughter from audience) Don’t read it, bud, don’t read it.
(The same person went on to ask him about his opinion of the war and how he felt about standing in front of a French flag - the streamers in the background were in red, white and blue stripes – I assumed they were meant to be American, but it could have been construed as the French flag – I guess)
Stand in front of a French flag? When did I stand in front of a French flag? (the background was pointed out to him) Oh, it is too. Yeah, well, it’s red white and blue. It could be anything. If it was green, red and white then it would definitely be Italian, but nooo… I don’t know. Don’t get me started on Iraq . I must admit I found it strange that we were apparently, or everyone who was fighting for freedom of speech and whatever and people who’d spoken out against it {…} were pilloried to a certain extent, which seems to be…(applause). I must admit, I am enjoying Tony Blair being blasted. When he was going on about it and saying we got to go to war, it was, he must know something we don’t because I can’t really see an awful lot of reason for going over there apart from, yes it’s a despot, but man there’s a lot of them around. If you start with the one, you’ve got to kinda continue. Um, Bill Mahr (?) actually did a great show early on during the lead up to it and he went on this guided tour around the world of despots – there’s a few of them out there – and they’re doing some fairly despicable things so he did point out, once you start, where do you stop. But Tony Blair was saying ”There are definitely weapons of mass destruction and we’ve gotta get in and do something about them. He’s having a hard time now basically saying, “Well, there will be.” I must admit, I thought there was gonna be a cert, you like those drug busts police do where they apparently drop a pound of stash in the corner and say “(gasps) Look what we found.” (acts this out) I figured this was gonna be the same way but no, strangely.
Hey yo (to someone in audience) Will there be {…} No, no we’ve already covered that. And the Buffy thing as well.
(Question about what motivates him to get out of bed)
I beg your pardon? (question is repeated) What motivated me to get out of bed this morning? Or any morning? This morning it was my alarm... no, actually, it was a fly that landed on my head. (huge reaction from the audience. The flies at the hotel were horrible.) A little fucker that just wouldn’t give up. Um, I guess just to find out what the day brings. You know…we actually lead extremely intensive and exciting life, there’s just stuff happening every day and…um…I’m extremely richly rewarded. I love my life and, yeah getting up in the morning. Now, you know…I have the opportunity to be with my kids and my partner and…like, getting up to take them to school in the morning is a little trip, because for 7 and a half years – nearly eight years - eight and a half months of the year, I was in America, so I have a pretty good time now.
The next person told him that the day before had been Mara’s birthday and he sang Happy Birthday to her in a breathy voice ala Marilyn Monroe.
{…}
(The next question was about the documentary series that he and his partner Sarah Fisher have made called Talking to Animals.)
Yeah, what she’s talking about is… in fact we have a…about three, four years ago, we were looking…Sarah’s been looking for a place for a long time to have a center to her work which is something called TellingtonTouch which is a way of working with animals with behavioral problems and working in a non-traditional way that helps them look at whatever they’ve got {…} And, um, there was an article in one of the English papers awhile back – dogs at Ground Zero were being worked on by some TTouch practitioners and somebody wrote an article about it and it found its way to England and, uh, they said what a shame it wasn’t available in England. It’s like, duh. It’s been here for a while now. So anyway, there was another article in The Observer, which is a very, very posh paper, talking about Sarah’s work and you know, our involvement and Tilley Farm, which is our farm, and all of that and a docu - several documentary companies actually expressed an interest. But one stood out, Tigress Productions, who are responsible - I don’t know if you’ve ever seen those great shows about {…} with various celebrities hanging out with the animals of their choice, like Julia Roberts and the orangutans {…} various things like that. They’re responsible for those. They came and said they would like to do, initially six half hour shows and we went great, cool, {…} and when are we going to start? “Well, next month actually.” So we’ve been doing it, been shooting it for the past, oh, I don’t know, long time, but it starts in England {…} it starts in England in a couple of weeks time, the 22nd of June, Sunday afternoons at teatime. I guess, I hope, that maybe Animal Planet or one of those, you know cable stations pick it up or maybe BBCAmerica. You never know. I beg your pardon? (to someone in audience) {…} But yeah, we had a slight bit of hiatus in the middle of it when they came to show some of the rough cut and it had gone from being the work that Sarah’s done, you know, how it’s basically…it’s TellingtonTouch, it went to sort of a very efficient, little woman, look at how she’s cute with animals which wasn’t quite what we had in mind. But it’s better now. All better. And I’m doing the narration. (NOTE: more info on Talking to Animals is here.)
(Question about singing and Music For Elevators)
Thank you very much. (some clapping) They’re clapping and I can’t hear you now. (there was more to the question) Well, thank you, well…I’ve been, you know…rock n roll {…} No, I used to have a little potential, I used to be in a band and all that stuff and I chose at a certain point in my life that acting was kind of were I was going and you know, not to sort of confuse things by way of being a rock n roll star as well. Somewhere done the line – I’ve never lost my love of music and I’ve never lost my love of singing. My opportunities were sort of more like musicals like Rocky Horror and Chess and god help me something called Around the World in Eighty Days. If you ever find a copy of, what was it? What was it called? (someone from the audience called out In The Depth Of Night) Thank you very much. {…} There’s a particularly attractive picture of me on the front with a very large zit on my forehead. It’s like, thanks guys for the photo approval. And an ill-fitted top hat as well. Not a good idea. But anyway was one of those – I think…I seem to remember the motto of the show was – and I digress but I will get back to you sorry – the motto of the show was “Today Buxton”, which was where we started, “Tomorrow, London” and then somehow it got “the future the rest of the world” or London and then the rest of the world, well we never got beyond Buxton basically. Thank god. But anyway, so when this strange little record company called CMH, two very sweet girls from CMH came to me and said would I be interested in making an album with George Sarah? And I didn’t know who George was and I listened to some of George’s stuff, met up with George and we found out we had some common interests. We hung out for an afternoon and we came up with sort of the basis for sort of three or four of the songs that ended up on the album. And I said yes. And also, I thought, you know, that if you work with a small, independent record company you get away from all that crap that goes with the rock n roll industry and all that goes with the record industry. No. I was wrong. I think my manager might be somewhere in the room and if you ask him, he’ll tell you too. Just that, the two girls, who are no longer with the company, I don’t know where they are, but they are idiots basically (there was some surprised reaction from people in the audience at this statement) What? It’s really not shocking. They ARE. I was at a German convention a couple of weeks ago and the fans are saying “We’d really like to get a hold of it, the album, but we have to get it as an import which is costing us like 30 or 40 bucks a pop.” And it’s like, this is insane. And people have been writing and trying to get – dealers have been trying to get a hold of it to sell at retail and they can’t get it. Duh. And I also {…} my share yet. I got a very, very small advance {…} lived with it {…} and they wouldn’t give it to me. Because I wouldn’t, they {…} there were various people from the show and I {…} the idea was that I wanted to do an album that was basically with everyone I’d ever met {…} well not everybody because that would be {...} But anyway, {…} the record company are insisting that I get them to sign these release forms saying they have been paid nothing and they would expect nothing. I was going, no way. I mean, I’ve done a few free {…} myself and no. You just sing and you say great and you get your copy of the album and you walk away, you don’t have to sign anything. {…} they won’t give me the money. The best thing about it was we got a statement recently saying basically that they were not paying me money against this advance that I haven’t had. {…} I digress. Bottom line is if somebody else asked me to do an album, yes, I’d do an album. And I love singing, so…But it’s not one of those deals at the moment. Life is so hectic, there’s so much going on, but I don’t know. There’s no time to sort of get in the studio to do it but I’d love to, you know, yeah. I’ve got to think of some more songs.
{…}
(Does he have a favorite Buffy episode?)
Do I have a favorite Buffy episode? Several of them, unfortunately, I’m sorry, they did go on and on. It used to be…it used to be Passion (said in a breathless voice). I was at a convention early on when we were sort of all doing it together and we were at a {…} and somebody asked that and I said Passion and I was sitting next to Joss and he said “That’s just because you were in it a lot”. But it’s not. It was the first time…they… I mean - the first time they really crossed the line was when Flutie got eaten. But that was the first time they really, really crossed the line where someone that people really loved and cared about just got killed and you just didn’t expect it to happen. And it was just sort of (gasps). And everybody in it was just crackin’, I mean, everybody just across the board. There was one moment I’m very fond of... I had nothing to do but I did kinda. When I’m telling Buffy on the telephone and Michael Gershman, who was directing it, hooked up a land line between us and I was able to talk to her on the phone. A really powerful moment when she and Willow get the news and I could hear it on the phone, very emotional. Then came Hush (lots of applause) {…} Joss was always...you know…enjoys…he liked to screw around with the medium {…} And then of course, Once More, With Feeling. (more applause) From the first moment we met, Joss and I basically talked about when we were going to do a musical episode. And I’d be...every season “When are we gonna do it. When are we gonna do it?” (said in a fast, little kid way ) “No we can’t because it’ll look like we’ve run out of ideas.” And then when he finally sent through the CD, one summer he’d been working on it all summer and he sent through a CD with him, at the piano, singing and Kai, his wife is singing and it was like (gasp), we’ve got a musical. And I put it on and played it and…we got it at breakfast and {…} And I finally thought the nightmare...the dreams episode was cool, what was it? (audience shouts out Restless). Thank you. That was pretty cool too, that was pretty cool. When Joss said, “I’m sorry, I have to tell you, you’ve got the…your dream is the exposition again (makes a face) but you get to sing it.” (applause and cheers) And he was originally going to have me sort of by a white piano but I was like “But Giles has got, like, this serious thang about rock n roll. It’s gotta be with a band.” Then Four Star Mary got involved and I had to…and we hung out {…} so that was very cool. So that was…
(Someone asked if he and Amber could sing their duet from Once More, With Feeling)
Huh, whoa. Well, I don’t know how we’d do that but we could maybe try and look at doing it tomorrow. I don’t know, we don’t have any - (interrupted by the applause) That means I’d have to remember the words… (an immediate offer is made of someone’s OMWF script book, to cheers from the audience) Huh, um… (laughing) To be honest, I would really love to sit down with her and go over it first just to be – you know- because it’s like {…} Certainly not me. I have to tell you, I am the man that, you know - when I was doing Chess, every night there would be {…} almost every night, there would be a moment when I {…} I would see that the {...} in charge of a 40 piece orchestra {…} away going (mimes someone sleeping). Because he knew once you’ve lost your place, you’re screwed and it’s like, you know, you start a bit of the show and you’re halfway through and suddenly it’s like – (singing) da, da, dum… (trails off in the manner of someone who is forgetting) and he’s not helping because he’s (mimes sleeping again). Anyway, not my forte, okay? As Mara will attest, I did a little…little…nice little acoustic set in Bath , where we live, for a charity gig and sang one of the songs off my album on the guitar. I was singing away and...awww, I forgot me place. I had no idea where I was, right in the middle of it and it was a love song to Sarah too. (sympathetic awws from audience). I felt a complete jerk and then they said “Oh nevermind, just clap anyway” and I said “Nooo, not really” What can you do? So anyway, the thing is, I think Amber is here tomorrow, isn’t she? Yeah, we’ll work it out. The other thing is, it’s one thing, I don’t mind singing a cappella but I don’t know what Amber – (someone says that there is a piano) Oh, and you think I can play it? (giggles) You’ve got answers for everything. You’ve been working on this for months, haven’t you? Well, we’ll have a chat about it. We’ll see, we’ll see. I don’t have a huge, huge problem with it…but we’ll see about tomorrow…
(Someone said they had asked James Marsters about working with Tony and he was very complimentary.)
He was lying.
(I couldn’t make out the next few parts from the audience)
There are no better words.
(Yet more to question)
If he what?
(more)
(laughs) I guess you just had to be there.
(more)
Well, I don’t know, he’s like, you know, like me. He’s a part of me like Giles is a part of me. It’s like, there has to be you in it otherwise it really doesn’t ring true. Sorry, the question was, I kinda lost the way, but there was a bit about my bottom and James thinking about {…} my bottom and a bit about me not needing a sock. What for? {…} Then we had…then we had….(giggling through this part) Then we had the question which is kinda like where did James, the character I play – isn’t that weird now? His name’s James too. Um, where he comes from and basically, I’ve no idea. I always do some research and I met with this mad, fuckin’ dentist. Very sweet guy. (giggling fit) But he used to turn up for work on a motorbike and he had these leathers. He used to wear these leathers underneath his white coat. Weird {…} And he was very much…he really wasn’t James because James was…kinda…I was playing this guy who was completely in awe of …of Nigel Haver’s character but I have no idea where he came from. (something was said from audience) Thank you, thank you, it was fun. I must admit we laughed everyday, we really did. (another comment from audience) Thank you. Now I’ve got to get to the bottom of why James was embarrassed by {…} I’ll find out later. Can’t wait. Anyway.
(What is your impression of the entire Buffy phenomenon? You were there from the beginning. You were there for the last episode. What is your impression of the entire seven seasons? - I could actually hear this one clearly)
What’s my impression of the Buffy phenomenon? Um, it’s...I mean, I can only sum it up by my saying that right from the beginning that Joss was, we were doing the presentation, which was the half hour version of the first episode and it wasn’t, it felt like it was going {…} it wasn’t going brilliantly because he had the crew from hell, working on this. None of whom wanted to be there. All of whom were {…} that hadn’t been picked up by other shows so they all had kind of a bit of an attitude. The first assistant, a very, very interesting, very nice sort of woman – no, she wasn’t very nice actually. But it was very strange, she was nursing her baby at the time…um…on set….while she was telling us what the schedule would be…{…} Not that I have anything against a woman nursing, I think it’s the most beautiful in the world. But no {…} But I digress. And basically, I said to him, we were waiting, me and Sarah and him were waiting together to do the library scene when I first see Buffy and we were in the bizarre old courtroom set {…} the library hadn’t been built. And it was a great library set, I mean, it had this spiral staircase that she did a handstand, a handspring off that was really cool. It was the one good bit of the first {…} But I said, this feels to me, the script’s just phenomenal, is this going to go? I’d just done a show called VR.5, I really thought was crackin’, but it didn’t go. Fox dropped it like a hot…you know, hotcake...or banana or something. Hot banana, yeah. (makes a face, making fun of himself). So, basically, I though it was a definite goer and he said, “Yeah, it’s gonna go.” He said it’s not gonna be because the TV companies get it...WB doesn’t get it…Fox definitely don’t get it. No, he said the fans will get it, it’s gonna be huge, it’s gonna be worldwide. It’s gonna slowly, slowly build. It’s not gonna be an overnight success. But he said the fans will pick it up and it will…word of mouth will just spread and spread and spread and he was right. I still get little chills, just because he is, I don’t know he’s just such an extraordinary man and has such {…} I asked him – now I’m not spoiling anything because everyone has seen the last episode, apart from me - but I asked him…um ahhh…my last sequence actually which was the fight and no one was there but I fell off the stairs and really hurt my elbow (in a playing for sympathy voice – which he got of course). Stupid, I was - (acts out swinging a sword and then falling off stairs) But just before that happened, I asked “When did you get the idea to - when did you have the idea to sort of spread the Slayerness and he says ”Oh, about a year and a half ago.” and I said ”So everything since then has been moving toward that?” “Oh, yeah. It’s all been planned” I don’t know. I take my hat off to him. He’s the most extraordinary, extraordinary man. And I for one am extremely pleased that there wasn’t an immediate follow-up to Buffy because…for two reasons. One, I thinks it wouldn’t have stood an unearthly because everyone would be watching to see if it was Buffy and it couldn’t be. I think there will be something, somewhere down the line, maybe a years’ time, there’ll be something...that will spin-off from it. I pitched him a brilliant idea (cheers from audience) {…} It’s the first time he’s ever gone, “Yeah, that’s really good” and he told Tim Minear about it and he’s talked to a couple of people about it.. Um, the other thing is that he really, really, really needs to make movies. I think the world is starved of Joss Whedon’s abilities and I think we need to see some movies (applause)
How am I doing for time? {…} Anybody in the back who’s feeling neglected because you can’t be seen because I’m blind as a bat. Yes, you’re not really in the back but you in the red.
(This question was asked by the woman sitting next to me so I heard it quite clearly)
(How did you feel about Giles’ character in season seven because there was some discussion on some of the forums that I’ve been on that Giles seemed colder or that there was more of a strain between him and Buffy. And it wasn’t even just with the episode where Giles went along with Wood trying to kill Spike, I think it was kinda building to that -)
He deserved it. If I had a daughter figure and someone…she’s apparently in an abusive relationship, I’d fucking want to kill him too. {...} But anyway, the colder thing, was kinda, I guess there was a bit. I had two or three episodes I think we were carrying the red herring of whether Giles was the First or not and it was really hard to do because, the thing...you can’t touch anything, you can’t touch anybody, you can’t – you can lean if you want (he acts out leaning). Um, you can’t pick up any props and they really enjoyed that because {…} I figured the best way to play it was to play…um…can’t fathom…taken aback by what was coming. I knew what was coming and I knew my role in it and I knew how important it was bringing these, these Slayerettes over. So it was kinda…What I was playing was this slight distance, slight I’m not going to get involved, I’m not going to get emotionally a part of this because I can’t afford to. But I think it might have – and then straight on from there we got on to a point with Giles and Buffy kind of set up against each other so…{…} What can you do? Did anybody buy the fact that I was the First? (No’s from audience) Well, then, {…} Bloody hell, you might have written in and told me. I could have stopped doing it. Never mind, Joss, I’m just going to pick up this teacup. (acts out doing just that)
(Question about how long it took him to learn to walk in heels for Rocky Horror)
When I was preparing for Rocky Horror, how long did it take to learn to walk around and have a go at the stairs? Well, I was given a pair of four inch heels and it’s difficult to just put them on and have a go, you know, you know what I mean? Looking for the moment. And there was a moment when Sarah walked into the bedroom and she said “What are you looking furtive about?” and I was hoovering...vacuuming the bedroom, and I stepped out from behind the bed…um, she was very disturbed. Fairly shortly after that, she also caught me wearing her cardigan. She said, “This has got to stop now!” But, one of the things I was proud of was that I was given the opportunity to reinvent Frank’s wardrobe. {…}basically it was very tied to him. He was clomping about in big ole platforms and things {…} it’s very difficult to move gracefully in platforms and um – thank you for pointing that out - so part of it was, I wore a very nice teddy {…} My idea was that it’s actually sexier not to quite see everything, that you can’t know what’s going on. Because my whole thing is that Frank has to be attractive to both men and women {…} I’ve seen a number of Franks have a bash at it and they were just like…they were either doing it too camp or they were doing it too butch which just didn’t quite work for me. And I think…Tim Curry was brilliant (applause) But I didn’t want to do Tim Curry. I’ve also seen a couple of people do that as well. No, I wanted to do my own thing. So the principle thing is I wanted to be really active around the set, it was a beautiful set with lots of levels and things and there was a staircase that went from stage level right up to the {…} God knows how many treads that is but it was the size of …it was a big theatre. And so I had this little ankle boots made, very nice, they were patent leather. They came up to…about halfway up the calf. (Someone asked if he still has them) I beg your pardon? (the question is repeated) Yes, of course I have them. {…} VH-1, the karaoke thing, when I turned up, they said, “You better go see our designers”. No, no, no, I brought my own costume. But, you know, I’ve – three and a half was basically the maximum I could go to have, sort of, maximum kind of mobility. I fairly legged it around the stage and it worked a treat. I used to take the staircase, three treads at a time. My bottom looked very good at that time. {…} (someone from the audience shouted: "Still does.") Thank you very much (giggling)
Does anybody quite right at the back feeling – but you’re not quite right at the back you see, we might get back to you but is there anybody…I see you waving there...yes, go on then…
(Question about Ripper)
Ripper? Yeah, basically, about the same time…just before I fell off the stairs and fighting off baldies, Joss also said…he’d just come back from the tea table...craft services and he’d been trying to kind of work out a storyline for Ripper if he’s ever going to do it. (at this point, several audience members started to leave because they had to get to another activity) Was it something I said? {…} made you crawl on the floor. {…} So um, yeah, basically the last time we talked about it, Joss had said that he wanted to…if he’s ever going to do it…you know, I ain’t gonna hold him to it, I hope he does but he came up with a storyline that is beautiful. He wanted to do something which wasn’t another series like Angel where every week there’s a baddie that has to be…he didn’t want to get into that, he wanted to get into Giles’ persona, the man in a way that he hadn’t been allowed to really on the show (cheers and applause) The show was called Buffy and not Giles. And that’s actually the way he pitched it to me originally {…} I was a bit spare, you know {…} it is called Buffy and not Giles but how would you like to do a show called that. (demonstrates his astonished reaction) What!? But anyway, he came up with this beautiful idea. He’s talking about doing a two hour movie. So bottom line is if somebody picks it up and says, “Let’s make a series out of it,” then maybe. But, it’s…the way I look at it anyway, I’d rather do something that is really quality and doesn’t stretch him, because there was a time in the last season when he was stretched in three directions and it’s difficult to see, you know, the guy, he puts his heart into it, heart and soul and so when you see him running around - and he just had a baby {…} So anyway, yes, god knows when…there is a storyline which I think is beautiful, which kinda needs…a bit of an element missing, but he’s gonna come up with it, he’ll come up with it. I’m never going to say “What about the show you said you’d do.” (in a mock whiny voice) But I think {…}, I think, you know, bottom line is he needs to get out and do movies and {…}
I guess we’ve got time for one or two more {…} oh bugger {…}
(question)
Is there any difference between me and Giles? No. That was quick. No, like I said, there’s always a part of you in everything you play. (laughs at something said by audience member) But no, bottom line is, bless his heart, he’s extremely repressed and I don’t think I am. (lots of audience agreement with that)
Okay, one more. Do we dare try to get one more from the back because I can’t hear anything or see anybody? Go on, you stood up just as I said that, you in the black. No, you’re not in black but you are in shadows. Whatever.
(What advice would he give to someone becoming an actor)
(He couldn’t hear the question asked by a young girl and a guy repeated it for her) Thank you, very well translated. You would have to {…} bloody hell. Let’s go out on a high note, after the laughs and the jokes and everything. What advice would I give someone starting in the acting business? Well… (he strikes a thinking pose) Bottom line, if you’re doing it, you need to do it, just do it. Don’t let anybody tell you, you can’t do it. Don’t let anybody say that you’re bad or that you don’t have potential. If you feel the need and the drive to do it, just go for it. Because you will spend your entire career being told, no, no, no, then maybe you’ll get a yes. If you have any doubt, about yourself – actually that’s bollocks because we’re all insecure anyway or we wouldn’t do it. Where else do you get the chance to be someone else, all the time? I don’t like myself, I’ll be someone else. But, ummm, the one thing I would say is don’t be dilettante about it, don’t become half-assed about it because you won’t stand a chance. You’ve got to have the drive, you’ve got to have the need. So basically, “There’s nothing else I can do.” You know, bottom line is, if there’s nothing else you can do, better do that.
Guess that’s it.
