Being A Beautiful, Heavy, Lesbian
Witch Rocks... er, Rocked!
"Having her killed like that was just awful"
EXCERPTS OF THE CHAT AT BBC-CULT DEC. 19 2002
visitor_robj: Has playing a lesbian on Buffy changed your own view on the subject?
Amber Benson: It hasn't changed my view at all. I've always believed it doesn't matter who you sleep with. What's important is how you treat people.
Xixili: I'd just like to say that I think you are a great role model on television, what do you think of that status?
Amber Benson: It means you can't be bad anymore (just kidding). I think because this was the first lesbian lon-term realtionship on television, you had to be really careful how you played it. I wanted to make it not just about the sexuality but about two people having a relationship. (...)
visitor_clo_marsters: How do you feel about the outrage there has been about Tara's death?
Amber Benson: I wasn't excited about it happening either but I realise that Joss was dealing with an addiction storyline which was allegorical for other addictions. I think he wanted to address that with Willow. The only way that Willow was going to hit bottom and to change for the better was to lose her most loved one.
visitor_Crystal: Do you plan to return for any guest spots on season seven Buffy? The fans miss you!
Amber Benson: I don't know. We'll see what happens.There's been some talk and Joss really wanted me to come back...but I've been doing a lot of other work in the meantime and trying to work out my schedule is hectic. They also wanted Tara to go bad and I'm not comfortable with that. I think Tara's death was so painful for fans and I wouldn't want to make it even worse.
David: If you were writing your big exit from the whow, how would you have chosen to have left?
Amber Benson:
I kept saying she should be drawn and quartered! If I was going to write the big exit, I would just have her go away like Oz went away. Having her killed like that was just awful - so sad. But I understand that for the storyline it had to be done that way.
visitor_Carlo: Hi Amber, I'm a big fan. (...) I love how you progressed Tara as a character. Do you ever think about how you could have progressed if you stayed longer on the show?
Amber Benson:
I think she would have become more and more confident. I think finding her soulmate made her a more confident and secure being.
"I want to make sure if Tara comes back, it's for good reason"
WANDA AT E!ONLINE NOV. 01 2002:
A few weeks ago, Amber was kind enough to invite me to a screening of Chance, the (not yet distributed) independent film she wrote, directed, produced and starred in. And if there's ever a question about whether the "Grr...Argh" tribe is tight-knit, let this be your answer: James Marsters (Spike), Andy Hallett (Lorne), Buffy writer David Fury and Buffy boss Joss penned the opening song. And Amber even has a makeout session with the real-life wife of Nicholas Brendon (Xander), Tressa DiFiglia. Talk about keeping it in the family. [...]
"I wrote Chance because I loved playing Tara," Benson said, "but I needed something else to do. As much fun as it was, sometimes I felt like an appendage just stating the obvious when Giles wasn't around. But it was inspiring to be on set because they are doing such good work."
Which leads us to what every Buffy fan is dying to know: What are the chances Benson will come back to the show? "It's been up for discussion," she admitted. "It's just kind of, like, what my schedule is and what they want to do with the character. I've become really protective of her. I want to make sure if Tara comes back, it's for good reason. And I know Joss cares about the character and the relationship that Tara and Willow had--or, I guess, continue to have, sort of...So we'll see."
"I don't think you ever die on Buffy."
DREAMWATCH, NOV. 2002 EDITION:
What's it been like playing Tara and getting intimate with Willow (Alyson Hannigan)?
Amber Benson: I found myself in very compromising positions with Willow! It's been an interesting year, I tell you. 'Modesty clothing' with another girl in bed is definitely interesting. That's stuff that makes you look like you're not wearing any clothing under the blankets of a bed. We were taking it to the next level, so I think that's kind of cool.
Do you feel the change in networks last season helped the show have more freedom to do things like that?
Amber Benson: I guess we have less censorship. Not that the WB was really tough on us, it was just they had an idea of how they wanted the relationship to progress. I think we had a different idea. On UPN, it's cool that they let us reach the more intimate level.
[...] Has being an important character in 'Buffy' affected your life and career?
Amber Benson: Well, it's been interesting. The character that I play is a lesbian and I've never tackled that before, so it's been interesting on that level. Really it's like playing any other character, except I get letters from young girls instead of young guys!
Did you know about that aspect of the role when you were cast?
Amber Benson: No, I didn't. It kind of progressed. When I first got it, I wasn't sure if I was going to be here for very long. I thought maybe it'd be a couple of episodes... Then, all of a sudden, they're like: "You and Alyson have this chemistry. We were thinking maybe..." And I'm like "What are you guys talking about?" Then I started watching the episodes and I'm like: "Oh my God. She and I look like we're about ready to visit the bedroom!"
[...]After being written out and coming back, do you know how long you might stick with the show?
Amber Benson: They're so tight-lipped upstairs. You never know anything in advance! It's the kind of show where people do die on the show and go away, then they come back! They die again and then they come back and have children! Anything can happen. I don't think you ever die on 'Buffy'. You're always coming back in some incarnation.
[Please note: By now, Joss Whedon has announced that Amber will NOT return.]
Interview: Jenny Cooney Carillo
MUCH MUSIC AWARDS, June 16, 2002:
Interviewer: Nice to see you. You look lovely. Usually when we have someone on the red carpet, we talk about the season, what comes next. Your character's dead.
Amber Benson: I know, shot through the heart.
Interviewer: Is that some karmic payback, shot through the heart? [Ivanova's comment here would be rated a very strong R, so she refrains. Barely.]
Amber Benson: Well, you know, when you play a lesbian witch you've gotta get killed in this fun kind of exciting way, so the heart was the way to go...
Interviewer: Will they bring your character back, in some crazy dream, you know... It's not humans all the time.
Amber Benson:
You never know. Buffy's died and come back, so hopefully....
(...) Amber Benson: I didn't know going in to Buffy that I was going to be portraying a lesbian character but I think if I had known it wouldn't have bothered me in the least just because as an actor you want to play a cool part. And I'd never played somebody who liked women before so for me it was really cool. I also think because it was really the first REAL longterm lesbian relationship on network television in the states that we were doing a service to the world I think. Because there are so many young women and young men out there that feel unhappy or uncomfortable or insecure about their sexuality because they don't have any role models.
Interviewer: What's it like working with Alyson?
Amber Benson: It's been really interesting because, you know, I've never stuck my tongue in a girl's mouth before so... [laughing] so it's been interesting to portraying a lesbian character that's in love with a witch on the show. We've gotten to do really cool things. I've been really lucky, I've gotten to play this part.
(On stage) Host: Amber, your character died at the end of last season. Is she coming back from the dead?
Amber Benson: Oh, I'm definitley coming back as a dog. (nods) Ruff! Ruff!
Find out more about the show at the official page.
WANDA ABOUT HER TALK WITH ALYSON HANNIGAN : buffylvr222 asks: Did you ask Alyson about Tara's death? Is she livid?
Wanda replies: I did ask her about the backlash to Tara's death. She responded: "Well, I'm glad they care. That's awesome. But you know, that's our show. And nobody's ever TRULY gone ... [this, btw, is wrong] Still, I totally understand. But that's just Sunnydale. Nothing lasts forever and if it's good, it's probably going to go bad."
jenilnie asks: What else did Aly say?
Wanda replies: I asked her how she felt about Joss' comments that next season would be lighter, going back to the first-season feel with Buffy once again a heroine. "Well, that's better than Buffy DOING heroine. That would be ugly. But actually, I really liked last season
I think it's nice for the show to progress and not be so much about just high school and la la la.
But if we're going back there, I like that, too. (laughs.) Joss, note politically correct term and do not fire me. No, I really enjoyed last season. (...) Actually. I heard something about some reviewer saying that the show had gotten really depressing and I thought, well, we ARE a drama. I just like all of the levels. And I'm just along for the ride. I'm so lucky to be on the show. It's ridiculous." DREAMWATCH, AUGUST 2002:
Interviewer: What has been the reaction to Willow and Tara’s relationship?
Amber Benson: It’s very supportive. People have just been so sweet about it, and it’s just really affected people in such a positive way. People that were in the same sort of situation - it showed them that they weren’t alone, especially kids that were fighting with whether or not they could come out. They sort of felt like they weren’t the only people in the world going through this, so that has been great.
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