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60 Questions for Sarah by Lawrence Grobel When we threw Sarah Michelle Gellar an arsenal of our toughest questions, she stepped up to the plate and let fly on everything from how she expects to survive "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and what made her want to costar with a CGI dog in Scooby-Doo to why she believes in God (but not Method acting) and how she fell hard for fiance Freddie Prinze Jr. Sarah Michelle Gellar isn't your typical Young Hollywood actress. She's already been in the Industry for 21 years so she seems almost past that phase. She doesn't do any of the bad-girl things associated with Young Hollywood stars, like getting DUIs, shoplifting, doing drugs, serial dating hot-looking up-and-comers and hanging out with rock stars. But then again, Gellar, 25, has a lot to carry--she balances a grueling work week on the hit series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with an occasional feature film. She's already starred in the blockbusters I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream 2, the romantic comedy Simply Irresistible and the smart, sultry success Cruel Intentions. |
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Raised by a single mother in New York City, where she attended Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School and the Professional Children's School, Gellar knew at a very young age that she wanted to work in the entertainment industry. She began doing commercials at age four, and at six made her TV film debut in An Invasion of Privacy. When she won an Emmy for playing Susan Lucci's daughter on "All My Children," prime-time casting directors became interested in her, which is how she landed the lead on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." The series turned into a ratings dynamo and is currently wrapping up its sixth season. This month the indie Gellar made for director James Toback, Harvard Man, is getting a limited release. And this summer she's starring in her biggest movie to date, the film version of the popular cartoon, "Scooby-Doo." She plays Daphne to fiance Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Fred. Plenty of Hollywood insiders are betting that she'll have a long, healthy acting career because she has a reputation for being professional, which many actresses her age simply aren't, and she has shown some fierce acting chops, most notably as a ruthless, sexually charged manipulator in Cruel Intentions and as a drug-popping college student in Harvard Man. |
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I'm set to meet Gellar in a Culver City studio, where's she posing for this magazine's pictures. Her mom, some of her best friends and her publicist are all there. Because of her "Buffy" schedule, they rarely get to see her so they take advantage when they can. It's Super Bowl Sunday, the game between the Patriots and the Rams has just started, and Gellar, a sports fan, is missing out on the fun. Prinze, with whom she lives, is at home with their friends watching the game. Gellar takes time to check in with him and exclaims, "You were right!" when she hears the underdog Patriots are winning. She promises to bring home food and then whispers "I love you" before hanging up. She's eager to get home, but after the shoot she has to answer my questions. Her publicist tells me she's not worried that Gellar won't be able to answer them because the actress talks fast. When our interview finally starts I greet her with a "Hello, Buff..."--then I catch myself. Damned if I can bring up her real name. I've been watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reruns all week. "It's Sarah," she smiles as we shake hands. She even shakes hands fast. For the entire interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar pick up the May issue of Movieline. |