James Marsters on Bein' Spike, Takin' Big Risks and Feelin' That Burning Desire

Has it hit home that the show is ending?
I'm in complete denial. I'm just not admitting that it's happening.

If Joss were to write and direct a Buffy movie, would you be on board?
In a heartbeat. Hell, yeah.

Are you going to Angel next season?
That is something we are exploring, and I hope it works out. We haven't come to a final agreement yet, but there is a lot of interest from all corners to make that happen.

What has been your greatest moment on Buffy?
Frying the kid. That was fun. They let me burn a 12-year-old to a crisp. That was the second day of my job--it was the moment I knew it was going to be an interesting job.

And the biggest challenge?
The musical. You know, that started with Joss and the cast hanging out at his house reading Shakespeare and then drinking and singing and watching videos. It was a very organic process, and it felt like, We're gonna film this? When he announced he was going to do a musical Buffy and that he'd been wanting to do it for years, it was like going skydiving. The risks were gonna go way up. We were gonna make brilliant fools of ourselves--it was terrifying in the best way.

None of us were professional singers, Joss was not a professional songwriter. And we were terrified, but he put together a rough cut of the Xander-Anya dance, which was brilliant. He released those dailies during lunch, and everyone relaxed. All the fear went away, and everyone was like, I can't wait for him to do that to me!

In a perfect world, would Spike end up with Drusilla or Buffy?
Drusilla left him for a mucus demon, so definitely Buffy!

Spike has changed so much over the years--which incarnation did you like best?
I've figured it out. I'm Olive Oyl this year--the damsel in distress. Which is my favorite? There's the immediate gratification of playing the bad-boy killer. That's really fun.

But there's a deeper satisfaction in pursuing redemption. It is treacherous waters, but it is wonderful, if you can get there and say something that's real. So, in a way, I've been most excited this season. Trying to bring Spike into the moral universe that is Buffy without compromising the integrity of the show is a worthy risk.

Has that risk been frightening for you?
God, yeah. Artistically, I've never felt less secure. This year has been about letting it all hang out--basically dump the character everybody loves, reinvent him, make him cry, weep and be insane. The question we're always asking is, Will anybody care about Spike anymore? But every time I think we'll crash, we always fly.

What will you miss most?
Taking the tape home at the end of a 20-hour day and saying, "We really did that!" And just having it all be worth it.

What will you miss the least?
Nothing. Honestly, I can't think of a thing. I've been the luckiest man alive.

How does it feel that the show's ending?
Well, I don't like to speak for anyone else, but I know for me, people have asked if I'm upset or sad. Honestly, I'm really not. I joined the show three years ago, and it's just been wonderful. I like the people I work with. I think each and every episode has good storylines and has kept the audience interested.

The only way for Buffy to go out is not to be overkill. Seven years is awesome. We've done original stuff--let us go out with a bang. Change is healthy. People should be happy about something so wonderful coming to an end, as opposed to coming to a crashing halt because we're forced to.

Would you want to do a Buffy movie?
I don't like to say no. I think Dawn is an amazing character, and I have a lot left to experience with her. I'd have to see the situation as it presents itself, but I'm looking forward to going back to movies and doing a lot more of that.

You're working on a movie now, right?
It's a teen movie for DreamWorks, about four high school seniors who go to Europe--three boys and me. It's about all the funny situations they get into. I'm the funny girl who everyone thinks is one of the guys, then suddenly she's in a bikini, and she's not one of the guys anymore.

What has been your favorite Dawn moment?
The dancing in the musical. It was great. I told Joss I didn't really like to sing very much, but I would dance. He had a whole number choreographed, and I loved it. It was so much fun.

Do you have a favorite episode?
It's hard to pick a favorite. I'm lucky enough to say I've been a part of some phenomenal hours of television. Two of my favorite episodes are the musical episode and "The Body," which showed raw human emotion. That was so exciting to portray. I love a good challenge. The musical episode scared me beyond belief. I had a nervous breakdown going into the recording booth! But Joss was right there to tell me, "You can do it."

How would you like to see Buffy end?
I'd like to see some questions answered that have been brought up over the course of the show--but not all of them. I believe that leaves intrigue--just maybe the origin of people or how the Slayer is born. I'd like some foreshadowing to happen--references to new beginnings. I think it's important that Buffy go out with a bang no matter what...whether it's introducing new ideas or bringing back old ones. That's the way it should happen.

Will you keep in touch with everyone?
Definitely--we all exchanged cell-phone numbers. Sarah has always been like a sister to me.

What has surprised you most over the years?
The people. I think it's phenomenal that we're all still friends. It's very rare for a bunch of people to work this closely and for this long. Actors are really usually up their own bottoms, really. But this was really nice. We're all just really, really close.

Are you ready to say goodbye?
In a way, yes. It's always been known that it would be seven years long. No one ever thought it would stretch to an eighth. It's always been, mythically, that seven is a magic number. It's where it should be.

So, you think Buffy is ending at the right time?
Yes. It's such excellent television. I think the idea of taking all the elements that were so rich in previous seasons and giving something so substantial as the First to pin it all on is just brilliant. Taking the nerds, Warren and Jonathan, and making them a pivotal part of it is just brilliant. Joss is a genius.

What's happening with your UK show The Watcher?
Right now, it's on hold. But we are hopeful it will happen.

Would you be involved in any other spinoff?
We've talked about it. I hope Joss gets heavily involved in making a number of extremely successful movies. That's where he's destined to be, and somewhere down the line, I hope he comes over to England and makes them. Whatever it is, if we do get the chance to do it, it'll be great fun.

There's no rush on my part, and I know the fans will wait. Somewhere down the line, I reckon there probably will be a Buffy spinoff. Who knows? There's nothing scheduled, and that's the way it should be. If there was something they were racing to get out, everyone would say it's not Buffy! And, of course, it's not Buffy--it would be something else. It needs air and space.

Your character Giles seems to have changed the least over the years...
I guess that's the thing that's great about Giles--there's a rock steadiness about him. It's been good for the show, and it's good for him. You kind of know where you are with him. He's a straight shooter. It's like anybody you love or trust. When they come back, you breathe a sigh of relief.

Do you have a favorite episode?
"Passion," because it was just an extraordinary ensemble piece. Everyone was wonderful in it. "Hush" was fantastic fun to do, as was "A New Man," where I finally got to be a demon and run around in high heels. And "Once More, with Feeling" was the best ever.

How would you like to see the show end?
Honestly, the way it does. I can't tell you anything! It's a great ending--just brilliant. When I finished reading the outline, I had a big smile on my face. It's pure Joss.

So, seven seasons. Did you think it would last this long?
It was my first acting job, so I didn't think anything. I was just happy to get a job! But after the first season, I had a clue it was gaining momentum. But I still didn't know what to expect.

If Joss were to write and direct a Buffy movie, would you be on board?
Oh, f--k yeah. That's the great thing about ending it, because we could've gone two more years on our contracts. But the best thing that happened was us ending after seven seasons.

How about a Buffy spinoff?
From what I understand, there's not going to be a spinoff at all. Had there been, I would've been right there.

I hear you're working on a sitcom.
It's called The Pool at Maddy Breakers, and it's by the creator of Married...with Children, Ron Levitt. It's just an awesome show. It's a Fox show, with a fantastic cast. But the pace is completely different.

Would you have enjoyed playing Xander more if he was evil?
No, no. I had two episodes where I was evil. It's fun to play evil, and it's easy--not to take anything away from anybody that plays evil. But when you play evil, you have one goal, and that is to be mean. When you're playing compassionate, like Xander, you have to listen and be there...for me as an actor, that's much more challenging. I hope that doesn't come off as pretentious. It's so much more fun to play someone who is compassionate and insecure rather than all powerful.

What has been your favorite Xander moment?
My best moment was the musical. Joss was so f--king fantastic with what he did, especially with my number. He said he saw me as a classic actor like Gene Kelly or Cary Grant, so he put me in silk jammies. I loved just learning the dance numbers. Plus, I had just gotten married, so that time was very special to me.

Do you have a favorite episode?
The musical, "Once More, with Feeling." "Hush" was also fantastic. Pretty much any Joss Whedon episode is going to be an all-time favorite for me.

I know you can't tell me what happens on the finale, but...
No, I'll tell you. [Looks around.] Everyone dies! Lots of blood, lots of sex.

Seriously, how would you like it to end?
Still standing. All alive. And I think just to end it with the core four, as it all began seven years ago. It was yesterday for me, doing the pilot with the characters of Buffy, Willow and Xander first meeting. I'd like to end it with the core.

Who will you keep in touch with?
Everyone.

Has it sunk in that the show is actually ending?
Yeah, it's definitely starting to take effect. The crew has migrated to other projects, and we feel the change. Seven's a good run. I think it's a good time for it to be over.

If Joss were to write and direct a Buffy movie, would you be on board?
Omigosh. Well, you know, I can't imagine ever saying no to Joss.

Your character has gone through many changes--did you like playing evil or sweet Willow better?
I like being able to do both. That's the greatest part of the show, that you get to do everything--comedy, drama, action. There really were no limits. Doing the evil Willow was fun, but I had the most fun being regular Willow trying to be evil Willow.

Is it strange to look back at old episodes?
It's a little like looking at high school photos, like, "Omigod, look how weird I was!" But it's a great time. It's something I will always hold near and dear. It was such a great fun time.

Willow has had two great loves. Do you regret not being able to ride into the sunset with one of them?
Well, Willow does ride off into the sunset with her current love, but I don't know if it will actually air. It was developed. She does end with love, so it was nice.

In a perfect world, would Willow end up with Oz or Tara?
Well, I'm not gay, so probably Oz! But who would Willow want? Oh, Tara, definitely.

Who will you keep in touch with?
Tony, Emma [Caulfield, who plays Anya], Nick, Joss, a lot of crew members. I would love to take them to all of my other jobs. They're my family. I've got very strong friendships on this show. Tom Lenk [who plays Andrew Wells] is the best. Everyone needs a Tom in their life. He's such a great friend.

And we all know you're engaged to Alexis Denisof of Angel. How are the wedding plans coming?
It's very slow, because I've been doing double duty with finishing the television show and doing American Wedding. But now that everything's winding down, we'll go into full preparation mode.

Any plans to guest on Angel again?
I hope so. It would be fun. Maybe Wes will have a sex change and then be gay.

James Marsters said the finale is really going to piss people off...
Well, I hope so! It's never my intent to piss people off, but if you're doing anything well, you'll be pissing off at least half the people who love your show. We're definitely doing some things that are a little shocking, and there is a lot of closure.

Can you tell us what it's about?
We've dealt with all these potential Slayers and Buffy's attempt to lead and everyone dealing with their insecurity about their place. This season has really been about power. The mission statement of the show was, "This girl has power. Nobody knows, nobody sees it, they don't respect her, but she has enormous power." And this episode is about that and feels very specific to how she decides to use that power. That, to me, is very important.

Does Buffy end up in a better mood than she's been in lately?
Assuming she lives. I love killin' folk.

Does the ending leave the door open for more stories to be told?
We do not destroy the entire fabric of the universe at the end of the last episode. [Laughs.] Some people even live. So, there's definitely an open door for more series, a movie, you name it.

Do you think the animated Buffy and the Giles spinoff will happen?
With the animated series, there's no one out there who's got enough interest and money to make it look as good as it would have to. We don't want to make a cheesy version. The Giles thing is kind of dependent on me getting my head around it, and now that I've got a little free time, that's something I hope to do.

And what about a Buffy movie?
Would I ever do a Buffy movie? Yeah. This week? No. Sleepy!

Do you think there's a shelf life on the concept?
It may expire for studios who don't remember, but the show is about growing up and getting older and how hard that is. To me, that's always going to be there. We never tried to capture them in a bubble and make them be in high school forever.

The show is about life going on. Certainly, some time will pass, before it would happen. I know Sarah isn't really interested in doing it, and that's a change. I think everyone wants to spend a little time making their mark in other areas, and I get that. I do, too.

You've said Xander is a lot like you. Is that still the case?
Well, I have very bad vision in one eye. You know, we pretty much made the statement when Dawn said, "Maybe that's your power--seeing everything, knowing everything, being the first one to observe and report." That's basically like saying, "You're the writer--not the star." Couldn't have made him more of a writer's proxy than that.

Did you ever envision Buffy and Xander together?
It was never an intention, but it was a possibility. You come in with everything as a possibility, because you don't know who is going to have chemistry, where things are going to flow or who's suddenly going to leave. We discussed it, then other things happened instead.

Did you learn anything from other series finales you've seen?
Most of the lessons I've learned were cautionary tales. It's very hard to pay off something that has meant so much in a way that will really cover everybody. But in a way, you have to think of it as just another episode.

One cautionary tale is Miami Vice, where the ad campaign was, "They saved the best for last!" So, I couldn't wait to see it, and it was just sort of a lame-ass episode. I tried to save enough for the last episode that people would feel we went out with a bang but didn't go out banging our drum, just making our show.

How different would the show be if you hadn't been so in touch with the fans?
I don't know. I definitely gauge their reactions to things, and it's important--but at the same time, you go your own way. If you do things by consensus, it's not art. It has definitely been a factor, and they have a voice, but I can't say how different it would've been.

Were you surprised by the intense fan reaction?
Not really. I know that sounds really haughty, but I wasn't, because that's how I feel about it. The point of doing something for me is to connect with the audience, so if I feel strongly about something, then other people probably will, too.

If Sarah had wanted to come back, would there have been another season of Buffy?
No. I knew this was my last season, before Sarah made it official. She and I had talked about it a lot, and I was pretty certain this was her last season, too.

I had already told the people close to me that even if she changed her mind, I was done. And that's not for lack of love or lack of stories or anything--just pure physical exhaustion and the grind of turning out stories one by one. I was afraid I would start to slip and not care as much. Once you start doing that, it always shows.

What's next for you?
I've always seen myself being in movies, and then I started Buffy and did the best work of my life. So, whatever answer I give you, I'm wrong. I've recently become obsessed with the ballet, so I honestly can't say where it is. I want to do everything. Bumper stickers--they're cool, and people don't pay enough attention to them.