[Plays Buffy Summers]
We're not talking about overnight success. This megastar has been
in showbiz since she was four years old, and is a veteran of commercials,
TV and movies.
Born in New York City in 1977 (so not a teenage vampire
slayer, then), Gellar was "discovered" in a restaurant. Her first
major role was in a commercial for Burger King, and she played a
young Jackie Kennedy in the mini-series 'A Woman Called Jackie'.
Hard graft through her tender years led to a part in the daytime
drama, 'All My Children', in which she played Kendall Hart, the
conniving secret daughter of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci). Although
unknown in this country, it was Gellar's breakthrough in the States
and netted her a Daytime Emmy in 1995.
In 1996 she was cast in the role of Buffy, Warner Brother's curious
hybrid of 'My So Called Life' and 'The X-Files'. The hard-working
star has also been involved in a number of movie projects, happily
riding the current Hollywood wave of intelligent teen pics. She
was a slay-ee in 'Scream 2' and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer',
and played the romantic lead in 'Simply Irresistable' (which US
critics found simply resistable)
Other curios lurking in the Gellar back-catalogue are the voice
of the Gwendy Doll in the movie 'Small Soldiers' and a guest voice
appearance on the cartoon series 'King of the Hill'. Perhaps her
greatest big screen achievement to date was her work as Kathryn
Merteuil in 1999's 'Cruel Intentions'. This clever take on Laclos'
1782 novel has Gellar as world-weary student, bored by her upper
class existence and playing games with other people's emotions.
It came as a shock to many to see our feisty blonde heroine as a
drug-taking hypocrite. With brown hair. (Her natural colour, by
the way.)
This busy actress has also found time for some New York stage
appearances, in 'Jake's Women' and 'The Widow Claire' (opposite
Matthew Broderick). There's no let-up in her schedule: she is signed
up for the fourth season of Buffy and will make guest appearances
in the 'Buffy' spin-off show, Angel.
All images are copyright
2000 20th Century Fox.
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