http://www.dumb-inc.co.nz/delusions/articles/james11.html

Readers Q&A
by Carolyn Stewart

big hit August 2001

To celebrate James Marsters making it into the Top 5 in big hit's annual Babe of the Year poll, he decided to do you guys a favour. That's right, while he was in Australia for the Friends of Science Fiction convention, our Spikey agreed to answer YOUR questions. Eeek! Read on as he tells our Carolyn all about SMG, fake blood, Aussie fans and Katie Holmes!

BH: You've come in 5th in our Babe of the Year poll, which is voted by big hit readers who are also very loyal Buffy fans. you've beat guys from Josh Jackson to Brad Pitt. what do you have to say about that?
JM: (James suddenly blushes) They have good taste! Damn! Get out of here - I beat Brad Pitt? Fight Club really hurt him, didn't it? They paint me up real pretty on the show. I do my sit-ups, like a good boy. (laughs). I don't know what to say about that, man. That's wonderful. It makes a guy feel very sexy that people that he's never met before are dreaming about him. That's just amazing.

BH: What's the best bit about Aussie fans?
JM: Their combination of randiness and skill. They can get really dirty and not offend you. I love that! And the pride of your country. English people are like that too, they can get really nasty but they can do it at a four-star hotel. It's a beautiful thing. they also seem to be a bit apologetic about their country, whereas Australians seem to be very proud, but not to the point of arrogance that you sometimes find in my country.

BH: What was the highlight of the 100th birthday celebrations for Buffy?
JM: The birthday celebration for Buffy was a cake, - which I didn't get to eat - a photo op for the press and six interviews, and that was the celebration. We went back to work. (laughs) For me, the two high points of the experience were working again with Joss. Us getting directed by Joss is kind of rare because he's too busy. And also fighting with Joel Grey up on top of the 20-foot platform made of metal at 2am. He kicks ass, man. He's been kicking ass since 19-what? And still he moves. The dude moves, wait 'til you see him kick my ass.

BH: If you were on a deserted island with one of the Buffy cast, who would it be and why?
JM: (laughs loudly) Marti Noxon, because although she's married, maybe the wedding vows could be foregone. She's really cute. Plus, she's very interesting and we could make up stories together. It would be a nice combination of intelligence and beauty. No offence to her husband, who is probably going to take a baseball bat to me now.

BH: What does the fake blood taste like?
JM: I would rather eat toads than swallow any more of that stuff! All it is is strawberry Quik, it sends you into insulin hell. There is a medic standing by with a syringe because for that shot, you have to drink the mug in the Master, which is the big shot that encompasses all the action, the mug for your close-up, for your double-shot and each shot takes two or three takes to achieve. So you are chugging a big, big thing of strawberry Quik. I can't believe I still have a sweet tooth. Strawberry Quik doesn't sound that bad and I don't mean to whine but people have been known to pass out from it.

BH: If you you could be a vampire, who would be your sire?
JM: That's a good question. Spike? That's the thing. I'm not that up on vampire lore. Lestat, but I would have to set him straight on that whole homosexual thing, which is fine - nothing against, but I don't swing that way. If we could get that straight, we'd have a rolling good time.

BH: Do you prefer boxers or briefs?
JM: Neither.

BH: Who would you trust or turn to with a life death situation?
JM: I think that's something one must keep for oneself. I think that have to be myself [to decide]. Wow! These are very interesting questions by the way.

BH: I believe SMG is really short - does that make any kissing or fighting scenes difficult?
JM: No. Not at all. It's just that she makes me look tall... which, you know, I love that! When she was paired opposite Angel and Riley, she had to stand on an apple box to kiss. Also, Marc Blucas is a very handsome guy but because when you shoot from each character's perspective, but when you shoot Marc, you shoot from Buffy's perspective, which is right up Marc's nose! So, he's like, "My nostrils! there's my big nostrils again!" He hated that because it's called being shot high-to-low and it makes you look taller. They often shoot me high-to-low to make me look taller... oh, by the way, I am 6'5". (laughs hysterically) Yeah, but they have to accentuate even that enormous height.

BH: In one of the episodes, Spike says something about the Dawson, Pacey and Joey love triangle and that Joey doesn't really love Pacey. Who do you think Joey should end up with?
JM: Joey is Katie Holmes? she should get the hell out of Dawson's Creek and come over to Sunnydale! Come on, baby! Make Buffy a little bit jealous. I wouldn't mind that. Katie, come visit!

BH: Is it awkward pretending to suck peoples necks?!
JM: (laughs) I spit all over the girl's necks because I try to make it look like I really am chewing and so I'm always wiping their necks off and apologising. No-one's seemed to mind so far but no. Man, it's sexier than hell. You basically get to neck with a total stranger. It's not awkward at all, just a little sloppy.

BH: Do you think it's a little weird that David Boreanaz is scared of chickens? Does anyone else in the cast have weird phobias?
JM: I didn't believe that David was scared of chickens. Someone mentioned it to me and I thought it was a joke! I did not know that. You say that Emma [Caulfield] told you that she tied frozen chickens to David and made him cry? I would never tie chickens to David. I love him too much. I mean, I would never really have thought to tie chickens to him anyway, but now I know that I will really steer away from it. Of the rest of the cast, Sarah doesn't really particularly like graveyards. It makes it tough. She has to overcome a real fear every  time we shoot graveyards... which is all the time. That is my definition of courage, overcoming fear and the hero is not a hero because he doesn't feel fear, that's an idiot. A hero is someone who is afraid and acts anyway so she heros it up every Friday night when the tombstones are out and we're walking around. She has to get buried under earth sometimes in a graveyard where the decomposing bodies have been seeping into the soil for hundreds of years. It's a freaky thing. (laughs and shakes his head). chickens.

BH: What was Sarah and Freddie's engagement party like? Who was there?
JM: Wasn't invited. Don't know. But no offence, they were, I believe, in Australia. Sarah's a good friend and I'm sure  it was a wonderful party. She throws great parties. I've been to many of her parties and she's just brilliant at them.

BH: Have you spoken to Freddie and Sarah while they've been here?
JM: No, I haven't. they've been shooting a movie and I was shooting two movies. We've both been just beyond-busy. I've got all of her numbers - her cell number, her manager's, her house number but she's so busy. I mean, she doesn't want to talk to me... she's on vacation! Really.

BH: Do you like Tim Tams?
JM: They're chocolatey and you drink them through coffee, right? I love chocolate. Tim Tams are like Kit Kats... only better!

BH: In five words or less, what brought you to Sydney?
JM: (puts on his Spike voice and counts on his fingers) Out for a walk... bitch!

BH: In Buffy you have a scar above your left eye, is that real and if so, how did it happen?
JM: It's real and fake. When I was in college in Queens, I went out with $140 in my boot and I got mugged. I've been mugged five times. I dropped my bag with old comic books in it and I was hit with brass knuckles. Todd McIntosh our make-up artist on Buffy got a wicked smile and accentuated what is already there.

BH: With Buffy going to UPN and angel staying on the WB, what does this mean for the crossover episodes? Will there be none?
JM: Yeah, that's a real problem. I think the best stuff on angel is when Buffy goes over there. I've told Sarah this, that when Buffy is saying to Angel, "There's not enough time. There's not enough time." I said to Sarah that she was so beautiful in that scene because she was real. She wasn't worried about looking glamorous or anything like that, she was very real. I tell you, if I was the head of the network I wouldn't have let them take Buffy away from Angel. I really hope they drop Angel and then we'll stick it after Buffy in the US and nobody will tell the difference.

BH: Do you wish you could go back and co-star on Angel?
JM: You see on Buffy, we talk about our feelings a lot, but on Angel we blow people up before asking any questions, I really want to go back there... and, plus, I hate the guy! (laughs) David's going to kick my ass for saying that.

BH: If you could write an episode for Spike, what would happen?
JM: Kill people and bag babes! It would be the most boring show to watch!

BH: Are you "love's bitch"?
JM: I'm love's bitch in real life. Totally. I believe in romance.

BH: If you could play one role, past or present, what would you choose?
JM: Macbeth because it is an exploration of evil. It is ripe. It's a role waiting to be done. If Kenneth Branagh is idiot enough to try it, I'll bury him. He's old. I'm a decent writer. I just need someone with a lot of money to fund it!

BH: How does it feel getting spanked by Buffy nearly every episode?
JM: Surprisingly exciting. Then I went over to Millennium and I got my ass kicked by a girl there. Right at the end she cracks my head open!

BH: Describe Sarah's kisses in one word.
JM: [pauses] Sarah has this boyfriend who's in Australia right now. She has a fiancé now and he's jealous. You know, my girlfriend is jealous. I'm jealous. My girlfriend is an actress so I get all jealous when she has love scenes. It drives me crazy, man. I can't stand it. It's hard. Seriously, it's all about lighting and becomes a scene like any other. You start on "action and you end on "cut". [pauses] I've got a girlfriend, you know. She knows Kung Fu!