FROM
OUT OF THE ETHER COMES A NEW DAWN
 When Buffy the
Vampire Slayer returns this season, the mysterious arrival of her
younger sister, Dawn, may leave you scratching your head - and wondering
if series creator Joss Whedon has lost his own. With the same mom,
house and last name as Buffy, it's as if Dawn has always been part of the
family - and the Scooby Gang.
Sounds goofy,
right? Well, not to Michelle Trachtenberg, the 14-year-old
firecracker who scored the much-coveted role of Dawn on the WB vamp
hit. As Buffy's psychic sidekick, Trachtenberg will be sniffing out
evil; she's had plenty of practice in Harriet the Spy and Inspector
Gadget. She's also a longtime Buffy buff and pal of Sarah
Michelle Gellar (they were costars on All My Children), so she's
not just excited about her new role, she's bursting at the seams.
It
sounds like getting the Buffy role was dream come true.
Oh my gosh, yes!
I've been a big fan of Buffy for a long time. The show has
such a great cast and crew. And I love Joss, he's really fun.
When they called up to ask me if I wanted the part, it was like, of
course! It was a no-brainer.
Have
you been watching the show since the first episode?
Yes.
Totally. On my first day on the set, I was saying to myself, Oh
right, this is the Initiative. I knew every set, where everything
is, where it goes. It was like, I know what's behind this
door. I knew the whole thing. And, life, if you ask me a Buffy
trivia question, I'll not only give you an answer, I'll give you some of
the history.
Can
you tell us anything juicy about your role?
I develop a sisterly
relationship with Buffy.
So
we're heard. How do you show up?
I develop a sisterly
relationship with Buffy.
C'mon,
we won't tell anyone. What happens?
I develop a sisterly
relationship with Buffy.
Okay,
change the subject. Did knowing Sarah help you get the part?
She was very
supportive. I'd been on the set a few times to visit her - and I met
Joss and everything. So, when I heard about the part, I jumped on
it. Sarah was definitely helpful.
Sounds
like you guys have stayed close.
Yes, we're good
friends. We like a lot of the same things, like Harry Potter
books. Sarah turned me on to them.
Speaking
of turn-ons, we hear you've got a crush on Nicholas Brendon, who plays
Xander.
I develop a sisterly
relationship with Buffy.
Right.
But what do you think about Nicholas in real life?
Oh my gosh! He's
a cutie pie. He's just so cute. I met him on the set, and he
was like, "Hi, how ya doing?" And I was, like, dying.
He's really tall. And did I mention he's a cutie?
Now
that you're being tutored instead of going to school, do you feel like
you're missing out on the high school experience?
Definitely not.
I still see my friends. We go to the mall, the movies, we do the
email thing, listen to music. I'm just like any other 14-year-old.
Last
question. If Buffy and Inspector Gadget got into a fight, who would
win?
Inspector Gadget has
all kinds of cool doodads and stuff, but Buffy's got her strong
sidekicks. She'd beat his butt any day.
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