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In a press junket on Monday, June 3rd, Lillard told reporters, "There's nothing better than working for six months with people who are happy and in love and so that was a real treat. They're kind of glowing and newlyweds and that's fun."

Sarah Michelle Gellar Interview
on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Our next guest is a beautiful and talented young actress -- one of our favorites. She stars in the popular series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" which airs Tuesday nights on the WB. She's now starring in a new movie called "Cruel Intentions" -- comes out this Friday. Just getting wonderful reviews for this film. Please welcome -- Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Jay: Good to see you again.

Sarah: It's nice to be here. Thank you for having me.

Jay: Now, I heard you guys had a fire on your set or something. And I'm glad you're okay. Was anybody injured?

Sarah: Well, thankfully we had firemen. [ Laughter ] see, I love firemen. We have this small fire. We were on location. And these three fire trucks came. And the third truck comes, and it was, like, a walking calendar. It was just beautiful firemen. So we went on. We played with their hats. We played with the hose.

Jay: You mean, while the house burned down? [ Laughter ]

Sarah: What house? Oh, right, the fire, the fire. There's really, really beautiful firemen. So Alyson, who plays Willow, and I decided to invite them back to have lunch with us.

Jay: Did you set out another fire or just invited them?

Sarah: Alyson said she'd put out if they come back.

Jay: Oh, that's -- that seems fair. This presidential thing has really affected everybody.

Sarah: We were waiting for them to come back. And we kept starting all these fires all day -- you know, putting cats in trees, hoping they would come back. And finally at lunch, they came back to have lunch with us. So basically, this is a big plea, we're going to be visiting you again. Please --

Jay: You really have this thing for firemen. Is it the uniform? Is that the whole thing?

Sarah: Well, then there was a fire in the middle of lunch, like, they had their walkie talkies. And I swear to god, it was like slow-mo. The got up. They put on their little overalls. They ran.

Jay: They wear little overalls. I'm curious, they don't wear ones that fit them? They wear little, tiny --

Sarah: No! There are some good looking firemen. It's all I'm saying.

Jay: Have you ever dated a guy that had like a real job -- like a firemen?

Sarah: I usually date guys that don't have jobs.

Jay: What I mean -- would you go out with a fireman?

Sarah: Sure.

Jay: Is it the uniform? Would you want him to wear the hat all --

Sarah: Uniform -- it's the hat and the pants.

Jay: Like if you were at home and you're relaxing, would you want him to have the pants and the hat on? [ Laughter ]

Sarah: Pretty much. I think the illusion would be ruined without the hat.

Jay: Oh, I see. So if you were like, getting intimate, you still have kept --

Sarah: The hat. Okay.

Jay: Whatever works, sure, sure. Now, you have like sparkle things.

Sarah: I'm sparkly. I want to be a rock star.

Jay: Turn so people can see. Now, see, I have no idea. Are those thumbtacked into your head? How do those stay in? [ Laughter ]

Sarah: Yeah, we had a little hammer --

Jay: I don't even understand how those would stay in.

Sarah: They're a little Velcro. You just Velcro them in.

Jay: Oh, is that what --

Sarah: Do you want to put one on? We can put one in --

Jay: Sure. [ Applause ] put it on my eyebrow. Will it hurt my eyebrow?

Sarah: No, we just go like that.

Jay: Ow!

Sarah: You look good. It's not a fireman. [ Scattered cheers ]

Jay: I guess so.

Sarah: I like it. You look very rock star.

Jay: You like it? Does this work for me? Yes, I'm no fireman.

Sarah: It's the same color as your eyes.

Jay: Yeah -- oh, your movie is getting a wonderful notice.

Sarah: Yes, very excited -- "Cruel Intentions." It comes out on Friday. [ Cheers and applause ]

Jay: Does everybody from the show come see your movie?

Sarah: Well, see, this is the deal. See, I told everyone at work, if they don't come back with a ticket stub by Monday, they can't come back to work. The have to go see the movie this weekend. I was, you know, I helped by pasting up where it was playing all over -- like if it was in their area. And they said the only way they would come see -- they would come if I mentioned all their names tonight. So, I brought a handy crew list, so we could just flash all of their names. Now, you guys all have to go see the movie.

Jay: That's all the people that work on "Buffy"?

Sarah: I know, it's a lot people.

Jay: Wow.

Sarah: Okay, you all have to go now.

Jay: Okay.

Sarah: Thank you.

Jay: You know, I heard that -- now, again, this is one of these things you just sort of hear around the lot.

Sarah: Uh-oh.

Jay: But hearing you talk about these firemen, I'm starting to believe it more. Did you, like, pants a guy? You know what I'm talking about? Is this a rumor?

Sarah: No, it's true. Nicholas Brendon, who plays Xander, was acting up a little one day. So we decided to play a little prank on him, Alyson and myself. We decide to pants him on film for the gag reel at the end of the year. Only Alyson got a little overzealous and took his pants and his boxers down in front of about 60 extras on the set one day. We were doing dodge ball, and there was just Nick standing there screaming, "no, it's really cold." [ Laughter ] he was going to be so mad at me tomorrow. But, we were just getting annoyed with them him, because it's his favorite talk show stretch. Every time he goes on a talk show, he would tell this story, which now I just told. So we decide to give him a new gag. So we dumped him with water the other day -- doused him with water.

Jay: Right, okay.

Sarah: But he thinks since there was no nudity it wasn't that good of story, and he refused tell it.

Jay: So he goes around -- see, that's a great thing about being a woman. A woman can do that. If a guy does that, "hey, hey, hey." You're in the back of the truck in two minutes. [ Laughter ]

Sarah: I don't think he's going to mess with us.

Jay: No, no. Now, your new film is getting some controversy because you have -- you kiss a girl? Right? It seems to be the new thing. Guys are like obsolete now.

Sarah: Some people think girl/girl is a turn on.

Jay: No, no -- [ Cheers ]

Sarah: That's why.

Jay: I'm not arguing against it. It just seems --

Sarah: Do you enjoy it?

Jay: Kissing girls? Yeah.

Sarah: No, I mean, if two girls kissing in front of you, do you enjoy that?

Jay: It's all right. Actually, it's not big -- I'd rather be kissing the girl myself. But I'm going, "hey, hey." It's like watching somebody eat a pizza. "Hey!" [ Laughter ] you know what I'm saying. No, I mean, it's like, "hey."

Sarah: I understand.

Jay: But I know a lot of guys really go nuts for that. It's not really my thing.

Sarah: It wasn't my thing either.

Jay: I mean, is that hard to do the first time when you have a scene like that in a film?

Sarah: It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the fact that we had to shoot it in central park on probably one of the nicest days in new York city in seven years. And we had quite an audience. So there was, aside from all moviegoers, there was this huge audience people watching my first female kiss.

Jay: Okay, now, we have clip. This isn't the kissing scene.

Sarah: No.

Jay: Now, tell people -- this is a film you play -- you play like an awful person in this movie.

Sarah: Misunderstood.

Jay: Misunderstood, okay.

Sarah: Ryan Phillippe and I are brother and sister -- stepbrother and stepsister. And we made this bet that he can devirginize Annette, Reese Witherspoon's character. And he just sort of blown his chance and --

Jay: I like devirginize. That's an interesting word.

Sarah: It's polite.

Jay: Let's take a scene. Let's take a look here. "Cruel Intentions."

Cruel Intentions Clip
Kathryn: She was lying on the bed. I was -- I just didn't feel right about it.
Sebastian: You're telling me you had the chance, and you didn't? God, are you a chump. Oh, if you're heading towards her room, you won't find her.
Sarah: Where is she?
Kathryn: You don't know? She left 30 minutes ago.
Sebastian: Where did she go?
Kathryn: She apologized to your aunt and told her she was going to stay with some friends. You blew it, Sebastian. That girl came to her senses, and she'll never go near you again.

[ Cheers and applause ]
Jay: Ooh, what a little weasel.

Sarah: Bad girl.

Jay: This brings up something interesting. A while ago, we were talking to people in the audience doing this "ask Jay anything" bit. And there was a guy who said he was in this movie, the guy said he was an actor.

Sarah: Yes, he did.

Jay: His name was --

Sarah: Sean Thomas.

Jay: -- Sean Thomas. Okay. In fact, we have a clip. Now, you tell me this is the guy. I think he's just saying this to impress this girl. Show this clip.

Sarah: It's call "Cruel Intentions."

Jay: "Cruel Intentions" -- now, do you have a big part. Are you like --

Sarah: It's a good part.

Jay: Good part? Yeah, is it a sexy part?

Sarah: A little bit.

Jay: Going to be big? Maybe you'll be sitting on the chair next time you're here?

Sarah: You never know.

Jay: All right, go ahead, what's your question?

Sarah: Well, Jay, you're always saying to your prop guy, Joey -- [ Imitating Jay ] "Joey, hand me something, will ya hand me something. Will ya." But you never use -- [ Laughter ] [ Applause ]

Jay: You know, Sean -- you know. Sean, I just realized, you will never be sitting in that chair. [ Applause ] now, you --

Sarah: I have a favor to ask of you. See, I felt badly for him, and I brought him here, tonight.

Jay: Oh, here?

Sarah: Yeah. So I thought maybe, if it would be okay with you, we could bring him out. So he could sit here?

Jay: I don't know. He did that rather Cruel impression of me. Should we bring him out? What do you think. [ Cheers and applause ] all right, bring him out. Where is he? Sean? [ Applause ] what's going on?

Sarah: How you doing?

Jay: Have a seat. Here you go.

Sarah: Now, he can sit in the chair.

Jay: Okay. You have eight seconds in the seat. Have a seat. Sit in the chair. [ Laughter and applause ] all right.

Sarah: That's cool, yeah.

Jay: All right.

Sarah: You can get up now.

Jay: Sean, thank you very much. Have a seat, buddy.

Sarah: All right.

Jay: See, that happens, people in the audience get to the chair. Be right back with D.L. Hughley, right after this. Thank you, Sarah Michelle Gellar. [ Cheers and applause ]

i will add new interviews wvery few weeks

Contributed by Louisa

Star Magazine (October 18th 2000 Issue), Interview by Jeremy Mark & B.Sanderson

To some it may seem as though Sarah Michelle Gellar, 23 has it all, she's talented, successful and in a steady relationship with 24 year old actor Freddie Prinze Jr. However, as the actress - who's just wrapped shooting Harvard Man, playing a cheerleader who enlists the help of the mafia to rig her boyfriends basketball match - reveals, fame and celebrity do have their drawbacks.

Having acted since you were three. Do you ever regret having grown up under public glare?
No, for so many reasons. You have to understand that my notoriety only came about four years ago, it didn't come until I was ready to handle it. When I was growing up in New York, I worked on, you know maybe one project a year - whether it was a Broadway show or a soap opera - so I was really able to grow up completely and had a pretty normal childhood, away from the spotlight. When I was about 12 or 13, I wanted to move to LA, but my family and my agent decided it would be best for me to grow up in New York and have a full teenage life. And I am so grateful for that decision.

Absolutely no regrets?
None. Really I've seen what can happen to people who sort of grow up in the spotlight and it can be difficult. Also, I didn't grow up in a wealthy household, by any means, and it was my career that afforded me the education that I had. If I hadn't worked, I wouldn't have been able to go to the private school I went to in Manhattan. I'll forever be grateful for that.

You travelled a lot when you were younger, too?
I lived in France for three months and went to Canada for a while - all things my family would never been able to afford if I hadn't been working. I got to meet so many interesting people. I basically learned how to work hard and I truly believed that if I ever gave up acting no matter what job I did, I would have a good work ethic because I learned how to hammer myself like that.

Does fame still scare you?
It used to. Fame is a double-edged sword because it's a word that encompasses everything. A couple of years ago I was terrified of everything. Every time I went to an airport, I would shake. I couldn't walk out in front of the press without literally shaking and having tears roll down my face because it was all too much. You live your life a certain way for 20 years and the, all of a sudden, all the world's changed and you're supposed to act differently overnight and you can't. Now, a couple of years down the line, I've learned how to enjoy what comes with fame.
How do your friends deal with your fame?
My friends have been amazing through all this. I've had the same friends forever and I'm very grateful for them because it puts a lot of pressure on them as well. I'm lucky, I always say this is something I chose to do, but my friends and family aren't choosing to do it. I hate that what I do can become an invasion into their lives. I get problems at home: people showing up on my doorstep, going through my garbage

What about romance - Is it hard to find love in this business?
It's very hard to be serious. A few couples find it. Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon are very, very lucky in that they found each other so early in their careers and are entirely committed to one another. I saw that at close range when I worked with them on Cruel Intentions. It's very, very difficult for me whenever I get into a relationship because of the insane hour I work on Buffy. I can go for three weeks and not speak to anybody, which can be really difficult. It's getting better, now that I'm in a relationship and a little older.

What kind of roles would you like (or not like) to play?
I think I'll pass on playing 'a hooker with a heart of gold'! I want to play a white trash American - I don't know, I just have this desire to make fun of that, like a character from the Jerry Springer Show . I'd also like to play a nerd. I think there's a lot of nerd in me that I'd like to bring out. Also the whole big budget movie thing? I'm not sure that's for me. I mean, I look at the big action movies and I think it would be very hard to react to a green screen all the time. I think that takes a special talent.

Was it fun playing such a bitch in Cruel Intention?
People kept asking me, 'was it fun playing a villain?' but for me, it wasn't really a release. I went home a night feeling really bad. It was interesting for me to play a character with that much overt sexuality, because again, I think it's something women have in them, but not something I use.

TV producer Aaron Spelling (Charmed, 90210, Melrose Place, Sunset Beach) said he was mortified at the sexual explicitness of the movie
Has he seen his own TV shows? In 90210 they were all sleeping with each other, getting pregnant, doing drugs I mean, who is he to make a comment like that?
Obviously from what I've just said, you realise that I will never be working for Spelling as long as I live.

Buffy and the Spice Girls took off at the same time in the USA - Do you believe that girl power still exists?
Absolutely. I think Spice Girls were so popular because 'Girl Power' was a really good phrase. It's a wonderful statement that says women can handle things a be perfectly capable. That's the reason why I think Spice girls or Buffy, or Ally McBeal are doing so well. Women can really look up to these people.

Dou you like being called a feminist icon?
I hate the word 'feminist' - it brings up such horrible connotations and makes me think of women who don't shave their legs - but being called that is an honour. When I was growing up I wish there had been a character like Buffy> for me to look up to. She's not the prettiest girl in school, she's not the most popular and she's no the smartest, but she's okay who he is. The horrible thing about high school is that it's about conformity: you do what the most popular person does. It never stresses individuality, which is unfortunate because it's the time when you really should be developing who you are as an individual.

Like Buffy, you're also into martial arts
I studied Tae Kwon Do for four years before getting the show and now I sort of do a combination of everything. I spend a lot of time at the gym.

Here I'll include some of the juicier stuff I hear. No guarantee of the accuracy of what you read in this column!

Be sure to let me know what you hear and I'll add it to this page!