Buffy to continue without SMG?

POSTED BY: Haken
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 19:53
VIEWED: 7835
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ZICSOFT

Friday, July 12, 2002 4:00 PM

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That's right, chosen. I'm not in the film industry, I'm not an actress, but I do know this: Nobody's holding a gun to SMG's head telling her to be in movies like "Simply Irresistible" and/or "Scooby Doo" (which, btw, I maintain are a waste of her significant talent). She ain't starvin', since I'm sure she's making a decent wage from Buffy and Maybelline, etc. So why can't she hold out for a really good movie?

Well, I'm not likely to see either of these movies (if SMG had played Velma, the part she originally tried out for, I might be tempted to see Scooby Doo). But you know, when she signed up to be in them, neither had she. These movies were just scripts, or even treatments, possibly quite different from what actually came out.

And what do you know about metaphorical guns-to-the-head? It's not just about money. It's about dealing with pressure from studios, agencies, and a lot of other people who work in a very nasty business -- and whom she will have to please if she wants to keep working after she leaves Buffy. I don't know what specifically motivated SMG to make the choices she made -- but they're pretty damn common choices. Look at the utter crap Patrick Stewart has been in. Look at Jamie Lee Curtis (Jamie Lee Curtis!), making yet another Halloween movie.

And consider, how many good roles are there? Especially for blandly pretty starlets whose resume consists of soap opera, makeup commercials, and a TV show with a silly name.

Fact is, Hollywood does not give young actresses a good shake. I can't count the ones I've been fans of who've had their moments an then basically disappeared from view. Molly Ringwald. Ally Sheedy. Linda Kelsey. Michelle Meyrink (have you seen Real Genius?). Kristine DeBell. It's a long list.

PANDORA

Friday, July 12, 2002 7:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Zicsoft:
Well, I'm not likely to see either of these movies (if SMG had played Velma, the part she originally tried out for, I might be tempted to see Scooby Doo). But you know, when she signed up to be in them, neither had she. These movies were just scripts, or even treatments, possibly quite different from what actually came out.

Oh, come on, Ziccy... drop the straws and quit grasping. The very idea of playing Daphne in a Scooby Doo movie should be enough for someone who wants to garner respect for her craft and her career to say "no". As far as Simply Irresistible, I'll give you (though I heartily doubt) that it may have been Oscar material when she agreed to do it. However, that still doesn't explain "I Know What You Did Last Summer", "Scream 2", or "Scooby Doo". I sincerely doubt that the original drafts that she read of these scripts were Oscar material.

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And what do you know about metaphorical guns-to-the-head? It's not just about money. It's about dealing with pressure from studios, agencies, and a lot of other people who work in a very nasty business -- and whom she will have to please if she wants to keep working after she leaves Buffy. I don't know what specifically motivated SMG to make the choices she made -- but they're pretty damn common choices. Look at the utter crap Patrick Stewart has been in. Look at Jamie Lee Curtis (Jamie Lee Curtis!), making yet another Halloween movie.

And consider, how many good roles are there? Especially for blandly pretty starlets whose resume consists of soap opera, makeup commercials, and a TV show with a silly name.

I don't know... seems like other young women her age seem to be able to find them, even if they have to turn to the *gasp* independent circuit (oh no, less money!). At this point, you're right, she'll be hard pressed to get a role of quality, because she's allowed herself to be typecast as a bimbette, and few people in the film world are going to recognize her talent now because she's obscured it with her 'blandly pretty starlet'-ness.

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Fact is, Hollywood does not give young actresses a good shake. I can't count the ones I've been fans of who've had their moments an then basically disappeared from view. Molly Ringwald. Ally Sheedy. Linda Kelsey. Michelle Meyrink (have you seen Real Genius?). Kristine DeBell. It's a long list.

Fact is, it seems like the women you've listed weren't stellarly talented. Ally Sheedy, who actually is quite active in the independent film circuit from what I understand, allowed herself to be just another member of tbe Brat Pack, choosing movies highly unwisely. To paraphrase Nate, she started making the right choices for her career a little late in the game. SMG has something raw that needs to be shaped, but instead she's coasting on the success of Buffy and the financial successes of the cheesy movies she's been in. Again, I'll name for you Michelle Williams, Jordana Brewster, Katie Holmes (who while she's been in her share of cheese, has made real efforts to be in serious works as well), Christina Ricci (sure, she's respected now, but she was Wednesday in the Addams family to start, remember), and a number of others. These women took risks, were in movies that didn't stand to be blockbusters, and their craft is improving. Will they be Meryl Streep when they grow up? Maybe not. But maybe they can be Lili Taylor, and if you really care about art, that's not a bad place to be at all.

Pandora
demand more.

"Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies
and the baby looked at me." -Ralph Wiggum

ZICSOFT

Friday, July 12, 2002 7:44 PM

Hey there! I'm not a big fan of the Addams Family movies, but they didn't quite suck either. I particularly like Christina Ricci in them. Matter of taste I suppose.

Which makes me think that you're judging actors solely by the movies they've been in, which you judge solely by whether you personally liked them or not. Pretty subjective.

MILLERNATE

Friday, July 12, 2002 7:52 PM

*sigh* I guess you and I are just doomed to disagree no matter the situation . Oh well, once more into the breach and all that...

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Well, I'm not likely to see either of these movies (if SMG had played Velma, the part she originally tried out for, I might be tempted to see Scooby Doo). But you know, when she signed up to be in them, neither had she. These movies were just scripts, or even treatments, possibly quite different from what actually came out.

Yes but if she was really serious about becoming a great actress she wouldn't sign to do Scooby Doo. This has nothing to do with the fact that it was just a script but more a recognition of an obvious pattern. Namely, that if *every* single effort at taking a cartoon into live action in the 90s (and possibly the 80s if you hated Popeye) has resulted in braindead films then it is purely common sense to assume that the next film of this type will also be braindead. I'm in some agreement with you on Simply Irresitable as I'm willing to believe that, as a script, it might have come out far better than what we got (and admittedly the movie wasn't *that* bad).

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And what do you know about metaphorical guns-to-the-head? It's not just about money. It's about dealing with pressure from studios, agencies, and a lot of other people who work in a very nasty business

I'm sure the agency is happy enough with her. As for the studios? If various other people from TV are in position to turn down braindead roles then I'm sure Sarah is as well. Out of the various people from WB shows that I can recall only James Vanderbeek (star of the loathsome Dawson's creek) has shown as bad an eye for projects as Sarah (I mean even Katie Holmes got to be in Wonderboys for crying out loud). So I'm sure she is getting just as many good offers as they are. The question is why isn't she taking them instead of making junk like Scooby Doo (film elistism rules!

).

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-- and whom she will have to please if she wants to keep working after she leaves Buffy. I don't know what specifically motivated SMG to make the choices she made -- but they're pretty damn common choices.

No they aren't. Even Ryan "worthless" Phillippe has made better choices then her (something that I will get back to in a moment). Edited to add (since I forgot to get back to this): If Mr. Phillippe can get a decent sized role in Altman's Gosford Park then why can't Ms. Gellar seem to get anything good?

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Look at the utter crap Patrick Stewart has been in. Look at Jamie Lee Curtis (Jamie Lee Curtis!), making yet another Halloween movie.

I won't address Curtis though when she was Sarah's age she made *excellent* choices (thus her making another Halloween movie could be a result of the scarcity of roles in Hollywood for Women over 40 that are not Meryl Streep). Stewart on the other hand I can say something about. A brief look at imdb shows the following since 1998:

Lion in Winter, The (2003) (TV) .... King Henry II

Well he's playing Henry the II and he has an executive Producer credit for the same. I'd say this is somewhat presitigous considering.

Water Warriors, The (2003) (voice)
X2 (2003) .... Prof. Charles Francis Xavier/Prof. X

A sequel to a movie that was pretty okay the first time around. I'm not saying this is truly worthy of him *but* it is a better vechile than anything Sarah has chosen (with the possible except of Cruel Intentions).

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) .... Captain Jean-Luc Picard

YEs another Trek sequel. On the other hand he might have felt some obligation or been under contract to do them.

King of Texas (2002) (TV) .... John Lear

Fairly well regarded adaptation of King Lear. Not great but it certainly wasn't horrible (though it wasn't Kurosawa's Ran either).

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) (voice) .... King Goobot

A voice role in a successfull picture that got nominated for best Animated Feature at the Oscars
X-Men (2000) .... Professor X/Professor Charles

MILLERNATE

Friday, July 12, 2002 7:59 PM

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Hey there! I'm not a big fan of the Addams Family movies, but they didn't quite suck either. I particularly like Christina Ricci in them. Matter of taste I suppose.

Which makes me think that you're judging actors solely by the movies they've been in, which you judge solely by whether you personally liked them or not. Pretty subjective.

Well we are talking basically about someone's career path here (especially since it seems that we are basically in agreement on Ms. Gellar's talent) and in doing so all we can discuss *are* they're previous roles and films. I'm not saying that Ms. Ricci didn't show talent in the Adams Family movies but I *will* say that they would act as a hinderance in trying to get "serious" work. Much more so than appearing on an acclaimed dramatic TV series (silly name or not).

Nathan
"Being popular and well liked is not in your best interest. Let me be more clear; if you behave in a manner pleasing to most, then you are probably doing something wrong." - Janeane Garofalo, from "Feel this Book"
edited because I can't type right

PANDORA

Saturday, July 13, 2002 12:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Zicsoft:
Hey there! I'm not a big fan of the Addams Family movies, but they didn't quite suck either. I particularly like Christina Ricci in them. Matter of taste I suppose.

It's not a matter of whether or not I liked the Addams Family (which I did quite a bit, as it happens). It's more a matter of the esteem that the Addams family would have to the people who would make the films that Ricci *would* want to be in (the Ice Storm, the Opposite of Sex, etc), which is low, low, low. Summer blockbusters based on old TV shows are not considered art. In the film world (and this I know from being a review-a-holic and a pop-culture junkie), such movies are looked at (at best) as sort of the Britney Spears or *Nsyncs of the industry, whereas better films (such as the Ice Storm, etc) are looked at as the Tori Amoses, Tools, and other such artists who are critically acclaimed for the quality of their music and lyrics, but don't have as much commercial success.

My point is that if you're in something like the Addams Family, you're probably at even more of a disadvantage than someone who's on a highly successful and well-made television series. Also, taking into account Ms. Ricci's look, which is highly unconventional, we know that SMG is not at some kind of physical disadvantage.

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Which makes me think that you're judging actors solely by the movies they've been in, which you judge solely by whether you personally liked them or not. Pretty subjective.

Your assumption is incorrect. I happen to like a lot of really bad movies. I actually didn't hate Scooby Doo- I'm rather indifferent to it. It was a bad career move for SMG regardless of my feelings toward it. The same goes for all of her other work since starting Buffy, with the exception of Cruel Intentions, which despite being mainstream, was well made and fairly respectable as far as films go. I think if anyone's being subjective here, Ziccy, it's you.

Pandora

"Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies
and the baby looked at me." -Ralph Wiggum

HAKEN

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 12:14 AM

Here's more info concerning a Buffyless Buffy.

From SCIFI.COM

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Joss Whedon, creator of UPN's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, told SCI FI Wire that he's leaving open the possibility of carrying on the show after next year, even if star Sarah Michelle Gellar decides not to renew her contract, which expires at the end of year seven. Meanwhile, regular cast member Emma Caulfield, who plays Anya, told SCI FI Wire that she intends to leave the show after the end of the seventh season, which kicks off Sept. 24, but added that every other cast member has already signed up for year eight.

"I'm game for almost anything," Whedon said in an interview, when asked if he'd go on without Gellar. "It's an incredibly strong ensemble. It's a very strong mythos. It's a huge universe we've created and an incredible cast of actors. So there are definitely opportunities for different kinds of shows."

Earlier, Buffy executive producer Marti Noxon told SCI FI Wire that she thought the show could continue without Gellar in the lead. For his part, Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) said that he thought season seven would be the show's last. Gellar has made plain her desire to move on after the show's seventh season ends, whether the show goes on or not after that.

Similarly, Caulfield said she's gone after next year. "Uh-huh," she said in an interview. It's "my last year. It depends on whether or not the show goes beyond a seventh season. Sarah has not signed on. The rest of the cast has signed on for an eighth season. I have not. I'm leaving. I'm done. It's just time, you know? It's been five great years. But it's sort of like, I use the analogy of, like, high school. ... Four years. It's time to graduate, you know? It's time." Buffy airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

BOBKNAPTOR

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 5:16 PM

Speaking of Patrick Stewart...
Anyone remember the movie Jeffrey? He was one of my favorite characters in one of my all time favorite movies, and he gives, I think the best quote of the whole movie:

"Can I do this? or do I look like a Gay Superhero?"

______________
I'm like a superhero or something.

PANDORA

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 5:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bobknaptor:
Speaking of Patrick Stewart...
Anyone remember the movie Jeffrey? He was one of my favorite characters in one of my all time favorite movies, and he gives, I think the best quote of the whole movie:

"Can I do this? or do I look like a Gay Superhero?"

______________
I'm like a superhero or something.

Boooob... of COURSE I remember Jeffrey! Love it, too... :D

Me love Patrick Stewart as gay man. Must rent film to watch again...

Pandora
Bob, have I mentioned you're the bomb lately? Well, you are.

"Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies
and the baby looked at me." -Ralph Wiggum

BOBKNAPTOR

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 5:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pandora:

Boooob... of COURSE I remember Jeffrey! Love it, too... :D

I'm hoping that is pronounced Baaaaaahhhhb and not Boob.

Quote:
Originally posted by Pandora:
Bob, have I mentioned you're the bomb lately? Well, you are.

Thanks, Pandy.

I think you're pretty swell yourself. Seems like we have pretty similar taste in movies. If you were local, I'd ask to take you out to one.

______________
And how long have you known that your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?

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