Vintage Interview: Amber Benson

Vintage Interview: Amber Benson

Aug 17

Time to reanimate the corpses of dusty interviews past in order to make way for interviews…of the future!

Well. That…didn’t sound so appealing, did it?

But, look, I promise it is appealing on many levels, because today I’m posting a circa 2000 chat with Ms. Amber Benson, a geek multi-hyphenate who seriously does it all. She makes movies. She writes books. She plays iconic characters on wildly popular nerd television series, spawning fankid passion, fanfic opuses, and rare variant action figures.

I’m posting this now because I recently conducted an all-new, all-awesome interview with Amber about her amazing new urban fantasy book Death’s Daughter, which is the first of a full-on series. That’ll be gracing Alert Nerd later this week.

But for now, let’s flash back to 2000, when Amber was just entering the collective nerd consciousness as shy, witchy Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And one fine day — before there was an Amber action figure, before Tara and Willow officially became Twillow — she talked to me about the whole Buffy shebang. Please note that I was 23 and apparently thought the enduring legacy of New Kids on the Block made for scintillating questions.

Read on, and check back later this week for the new interview, which contains lots of hyphens and little-to-no boy band content — I promise.

Tara’s Turn
Originally published March 9, 2000

Amber Benson is everyone’s best friend. Lest you think I’m overstating, just check out her list of credentials: she palled around with a psychotic Alicia Silverstone in The Crush, and hung out onscreen with fellow Buffy supporting players Eliza Dushku in Bye Bye, Love and Seth Green in Can’t Hardly Wait (blink and you’ll miss her, though — most of her scenes from the latter film were cut). In addition, she recently took time off from her hectic Buffy shooting schedule to appear in a friend’s upcoming indie flick, Hollywood, PA as Mandy, a part written specifically for her.

Let’s talk about Buffy, though, for it is Benson’s role on that show that’s inspiring heated discussions throughout fandom and beyond. She plays Tara, a mysterious witch of few words who has struck up an intense friendship with Willow (Alyson Hannigan). Though it seems inevitable that the two will get romantic, it’s been hinted that Tara may still have a few things to hide.

Amber, however, is as forthcoming as can be — while chatting with me via phone from her home in Los Angeles, she is more than willing to go off on everything from subtext to New Kids on the Block. And did I mention that she’s hysterically funny, a self-described “dork” who gleefully proclaims us buddies once she learns that we share the odd characteristic of being 23-year-old non-drivers? A true best friend, indeed.

Sarah Kuhn: You know what I have to ask you right off: what’s up with you and Willow?

Amber Benson: Well, I think that it’s OK to say now that Willow and I are a little bit more than friends [laughs]. I think it’s a good thing because we’re not going to be just a ratings thing. And Joss [Whedon] is very tight-lipped about things, you never quite know what’s gonna happen! But from what I understand, I think he really wants to play this as two people, regardless of their sex or gender, that have found each other and really care about each other. And whether it’s a sexual relationship or just a really good friendship, I’m not sure how that’s gonna progress, but I just know that we’re really, really close.

Sarah: Yeah, I’d say so. What do you think of all the subtext? Because, at this point, it’s pretty much reaching Xena/Gabrielle proportions…

Amber: [laughs] Well, I hope that eventually it becomes more than that. I think that [Xena was] kind of, in a way playing it for people to [say], “Oooh, what’s going on? What’s going on?” and be interested. Whereas I hope with Buffy, it becomes something that people can look at and say, “Wow, it’s OK to care about somebody, whether they’re the same sex or not.” That you can have a good relationship with somebody based on trust and friendship, you know? I hope it becomes more than just idle stuff for people to talk about. I hope it becomes more than just gossip fodder.

Sarah: Well, it already caused quite a stir when Joss said something on the boards about you guys being romantic…

Amber: If I’m not mistaken, he also said that it was going to be all-gay, all-naked Buffy, so…[laughs]

Sarah: He did! That was his follow-up.

Amber: Joss is a master of all that stuff! [laughs]

Sarah: OK, ‘fess up. Why did you hide the powder during that spell with Willow? Are you a demon?

Amber: You know, I have no idea! It’s very strange to not know my motivation. But, like I said, Joss is very tight-lipped with what happens, and he likes to keep it close to home. We don’t find out stuff until it’s absolutely necessary.

Sarah: So, did that development throw you a little bit?

Amber: I knew it was going to upset people! I’ve actually posted on the board, and I’ve lurked, as they say, around some of the sites. So I kind of know what’s going on in the fans’ minds. So I knew it was gonna really upset them when they did the whole hiding the powder thing. Because I think they were just starting to kind of [say], “OK, what’s Tara all about? I kind of like her…” And then I do that, and it’s like, “Wait a minute! I don’t like her anymore! She’s gonna hurt Willow!” Because everyone’s very protective of Willow. But I think everyone who’s worked for the show and has been online posting has said that Tara’s a good person. And I think she is. I know in my heart that she’s a good guy. I mean, I helped with Faith, come on!

Sarah: Yes, you were key! That was very impressive. So what’s going to happen when Oz comes back?

Amber: I hope that it’s really racy and fun! [laughs] ‘Cause I love Seth Green and I hope I get to have some really cool scenes with him.

Sarah: Do you have any speculation as to what’s in store for your character, ultimately? ‘Cause, you know, this show likes to sort of…

Amber: Surprise?

Sarah: Yeah, exactly.

Amber: Do those hairpin turns [laughs]. Well, I’m hoping I get to stick around for the whole season and hopefully into next season. And Joss has actually said that that looks good, but you never know. I mean, he may decide to turn me into some sort of horrible demon and destroy everybody. But I’m hoping that I turn out to be a nice person who is part of the whole Scooby thing.

Sarah: Yeah, you finally got to meet Buffy…

Amber: And [with] what we’ve shot so far, I have met everybody else. It’s a good thing, I think.

Sarah: So far, you’ve been kind of positioned as Willow’s sidekick. Are there any other sidekicks you might identify with?

Amber: Oh, I’m feeling very Shaggy! I’m getting the Shaggy vibe. I gotta be Scooby’s sidekick. You gotta love somebody that, in the face of danger, goes and eats! [laughs] No Robin here.

Sarah: No Girl Wonder?

Amber: No Girl Wonder!

Sarah: Now, since your character’s a witch, I was going to ask about your current pop cultural counterparts. What do you think of those Charmed girls?

Amber: I’ve only watched Charmed a couple of times, but what I liked is that it seemed to be about their relationships. I respected the fact that it was about how close they were. And I think that maybe Tara and Willow will have that kind of thing going on, that kind of close, intimate relationship where you feel comfortable with the other people that you’re involved with, and you can say anything and be anything with them, which they kind of have, being sisters and all.

Sarah: But you and Willow could totally take them down, right?

Amber: [laughs] Oh, yeah, we could kick them to the curb! We’ll take on those sisters!

Sarah: I read somewhere that you used to be really into New Kids on the Block…

Amber: Oh, God. Why did I [say] that? Yeah, when I was a kid, when I was like, 10 or 11…oh my God…

Sarah: I’m so right there with you. Who was your favorite?

Amber: Oh, Jordan, all the way.

Sarah: See, I was into Joey.

Amber: Oh, you liked Joey? It’s so funny, I just worked on this film in Pennsylvania, and one of the other actresses and I were dishing about all the things we used to be into, and she was like, “New Kids on the Block,” and [I said], “Oh my God, yes! New Kids on the Block!” It’s time to not be embarrassed by what we were into when we were young children. Because, you know what? They were huge! There had to be a huge group of us that was responsible for that.

Sarah: Oh, yeah. Well, you know, when I talked to Marc [Blucas], he said, “Oh, I was so into Bon Jovi!”

Amber: [Gasps] Oh my God, “Livin’ On a Prayer!” Oh, goodness! Well, we’ll leave it at New Kids on the Block. We won’t go into the Tiffany or Debbie Gibson aspect of my career.

Sarah: Oh, I had that, too…

Amber: All those! It’s like Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync and all that stuff now, you know?

Sarah: Yeah, what do you think of that?

Amber: You know, I actually know some of the members of both of those [groups]. ‘Cause I’m from Alabama, but I lived for two years in Orlando. And I actually went to high school with Joey [Fatone] from ‘N Sync, and I did a pilot of a kids’ TV show with AJ [McLean] from the Backstreet Boys. So I’ve met them all! It’s very strange when you actually know them. That’s a little frightening. But you know what? It fulfills this need in young girls, that you start to like boys, and you’re not gonna do well with them in real life. But then you’ve got these guys that you see on TV and in concerts and stuff, and they’re into you.

Sarah: And they’re singing just for you!

Amber: Yeah, they’re singing for you. And then you don’t feel like the biggest boy loser, you know? Because boys at that age don’t even know that girls exist yet, so they’re not interested. ‘Cause, you know, we’re so much more mature! We mature much faster, and we’re all ready for, like, a boyfriend, when we’re 11. And they’re like, still playing with Tonka Toys. So I think it kind of fulfills that need in young girls. [To someone in the other room] Wait, what mom? [pause] Yeah, that’s my mother. [sheepishly] I’m 23 and I live with my mother, who’s totally awesome. I actually live with my sister, too, but she just went away to school. But, yeah, I’m a big dork. I don’t drive and I live with my mom.

Sarah: I don’t drive either.

Amber: [To her mom] She doesn’t drive either! Alright, you’re my buddy! But my mom’s saying, [the boy band phenomenon is] also safe. She’s right — you’ve got these good-looking guys totally singing to you, and you’re not going to do anything with them.

Sarah: On that whole boy band tangent, I was going to tell you: I do these episode reviews, and occasionally, I come up with nicknames for the characters…

Amber: Oh, no…

Sarah: …and I have this nickname for Marc, Backstreet Riley, cause his character’s so wholesome…

Amber: [laughs] Yeah, he’s wholesome, he’s gettin’ it every week!

Sarah: Anyway, I don’t think I have a nickname for you yet, so I was wondering if you had any suggestions.

Amber: Well, this is what I told the people that do the yearbooks: I told them that I was The Holy Tara.

Sarah: The Holy Tara?

Amber: [sheepishly] Yeah, I’m The Holy Tara. I don’t know why I said that, and it sounds really bad now telling you, so we’ll forget that! I don’t know what my nickname would be. All I know is that Joss [says] you can’t call me “Tahr-ah.” He’s very adamant that it’s “Tear-ah.” Someone said, “Is it ‘Tahr-ah’ or ‘Tear-ah’?” and he’s like, “There is no Tahr-ah on this set!”

Sarah: Oh, I guess we won’t be making that mistake!

Amber: [laughs] Yes, everybody must understand that it’s “Teeeear-ah.”

Sarah: OK, I’ll spread the word! Anyway, I think that’s about all of my questions…

Amber: No favorite color? No favorite sports? They got me at the Buffy magazine, they were like, “What sports do you like?” And I was like, “Sports? I don’t like sports!” I watch ice-skating and soccer sometimes. But apparently, now I like ice-skating and soccer, according to the Buffy magazine. [Those] are my favorite sports. ‘Cause they’re so synonymous, you know? [laughs]

Sarah: Well, if you want to tell everyone your favorite color, you can…

Amber: No, that’s alright. [laughs] I’m perfectly fine without revealing that. That’s a very private, personal thing.

Sarah: Yeah, you’ve talked about New Kids and hot scenes with Willow and such, but there are some things that should remain private.

Amber: That’s right, like your favorite color. And what sports you like.