Amber Benson

format_quote I'm really klutzy. I'm always tripping over stuff. I'm always trying to not walk into the camera. I was shooting a scene in a TV show and I kept sneezing. Glenn Frey of the Eagles was opposite me, and when we were filming, he said, "Can we please stop? Amber needs a Kleenex." That was really embarrassing, and I don't mind sharing.

stars  Has had roles in movies with actors whom she would later join on the cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997): Lindsay Crouse and Eliza Dushku in Bye Bye Love (1995) and Seth Green in Can't Hardly Wait (1998).

stars  Wrote a vignette for Dark Horse Comics' "Tales of the Slayer" graphic novel, with Joss Whedon and other Buffy TV and comic writers. Benson wrote about a vampire slayer from The French Revolution period, who accidentally killed a man.

stars  Amber was to return to "Buffy" in the 7th season, (following Tara's death) playing a being posing as Tara Maclay. However, negotiations with the show fell through. Her decision not to return was at least in part because creator Joss Whedon wanted her to play a villain masquerading as her slain character, Tara. Knowing how Tara's death had upset so many of her fans, Amber did not want to further traumatize them by having the character seemingly return from the grave, but being evil. The character was retooled and the role went to Azura Skye reprising her role of Cassie Newton instead.

stars  Joss Whedon originally wanted to resurrect Amber's character, Tara, in the series finale of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). Buffy was to be given one wish, which she would agonize over for the entire episode. Finally, she would step aside to reveal Tara for the final shot.

stars  Has a three-book deal with Penguin Publishing. Her first original novel has been announced as "Death's Daughter," the story of a young career woman in New York who finds out her dad is actually the angel of death.