It’s been twenty years since the last episode ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer(1997-2003)aired on television. It was one of the first supernatural drama series on TV and spawned generations more like it, with the likes ofCharmedand franchise spinoffAngelfollowing shortly after. However,Buffystill reigns. For fans who grew up with the show, it’s cathartic in its allegories and provides a sense of solidarity and camaraderie. Long-time viewers feel like they’re a part of the Scooby Gang; they learn and grow with Buffy, Willow, and Xander, and discover just how much one person can fight through and still come out in one piece. Buffy is still an inspiration to underdogs everywhere.
With so much time having passed since its time on the air, we’ve seen our favorite demon-fighting actors do quite a lot of great work sinceBuffy. Audiences have seenAlyson Hanniganin the major sitcomHow I Met Your Mother, and of course,David Boreanazas Agent Booth in the crime dramaBones.Sarah Michelle Gellarwas in the spotlight earlier this year for her supernatural seriesWolf Pack, streaming on Paramount+. It was also recently announced that Audible will be releasing a new original sequel series titledSlayers: A Buffyverse Story, which is due to premiere this October. And if you’d like to know what theBuffycast is up to these days, Collider is here with a handy guide.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated on August 18, 2025.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
A young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends.
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Sarah Michelle Gellar was, to most fans, the one and only Buffy. No one could carry the fate of the world on their shoulders with that much sass and style and still draw tears from viewers when her own world fell apart. Buffy fought for seven years on the Hellmouth while losing loved ones and growing up faster than any teenager should have. Buffy was the epitome of strength, and many still revere her for that.
While onBuffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar was also involved with some prime projects, includingScream 2,I Know What You Did Last Summer,Cruel Intentions, and thefirstScooby-Doolive-action film. AfterBTVSended in 2003, Gellar continued showing up on the big screen in theScooby-DoosequelMonsters Unleashed, as well as inThe Grudge, the American adaptation of the Japanese horror film,Ju-On. Gellar had a couple of TV stints that only lasted one season, including The CW’sRinger, about identity theft and the secrets of the wealthy, and CBS’sThe Crazy Ones, co-starringRobin Williamsand following an unconventional advertising agency. Sarah Michelle Gellar is also co-founder of Foodstirs, an online shop that sells baking kits, and she has her own cookbook,Stirring Up Fun With Food.
SMG returned to the small screen earlier this year and for the first time in a long time, she was back in her element in a supernatural role.Wolf Packis a supernatural drama about teen werewolves with Sarah Michelle Gellar as the investigator on their tails.
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Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
Alyson Hannigan’s character, Willow, was probably the most loved character byBuffyfans. Willow is dorky and loyal and goes through a massive character transformation. Her development was the most prominent in the entire show. She goes from sweet, nerdy Willow to a badass witch who almost destroys the world. The exploration of Willow’s sexual orientation also gained a lot of respect from fans across the board and invited a new bill of representation into the show. Willow madeBTVSmagical and was definitely a driving force in the show’s popularity.
While filmingBuffy, Alyson Hannigan also appeared intheAmerican Piemovies. Later, Hannigan portrayed the role of Lily Aldrin in the favored sitcomHow I Met Your Motheras a series regular from 2005 until the finale in 2014. Actually, a few Buffyverse actors have made appearances on the sitcom, includingAlexis Denisof, Alyson Hannigan’s husband whom she met filmingBuffy, with the recurring role of Sandy Rivers.Seth GreenandAmy Acker, who played Fred inAngel, also appeared on the sitcom. In 2021, Hannigan starred in the superhero comedy-dramaFlora & Ulyssesas Phyllis Buckman.
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Nicholas Brendonplayed Alexander Harris, a character either loved or hated by fans ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer. Xander was the one among his friends who didn’t have supernatural powers or an extensive library of knowledge at the ready, but he relied on his passion and his powers of observation to fight the forces of evil. What made Xander special was that he wasn’t special, an underlying theme in the emotional waters ofBTVS.
AfterBuffy, Brendon landed the role of Kevin Lynch in thecrime seriesCriminal Minds. He also appeared in the 2013 sci-fi psychological thrillerCoherence, in which the passing of a comet is tied to a series of strange occurrences involving alternate dimensions and doppelgängers. Brendon is currently a professional visual artist; his latest gallery tour was in 2019 and in 2020 he released a “Fall Art Collection.”
Giles, portrayed byAnthony Stewart Head, was everyone’s favorite father figure. Although appointed as Buffy’s watcher and mentor, he played a fatherly role to everyone in the gang. For most of the show, that gang couldn’t get anything done without Giles consulting his books. His dark, demon-raising past gave an edge to his character that invited reverence and made his fighting abilities unquestionable.
BeforeBuffy, Head gained prominence in the musical theater scene as well as in a number of BBC television series. SinceBuffy, he’s starred in the BBC seriesMerlinandLittle Britain. He also had an appearance in the filmSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Streetand played the character Chiron inPercy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. His latest roles include playing Rupert Mannion in the comedy seriesTed Lasso, appearing as Lord Sheffield inBridgerton, and Bill in the British sitcomMotherland. Head will be reprising his role as Giles in the Audible originalSlayers: A Buffyverse Story.
David Boreanaz as Angel
Angel, the vampire with a soul on a path to redemption, was portrayed by David Boreanaz. He was Buffy’s first love, and to a lot of fans, her only true love. They had a volatile relationship and Angel was constantly breaking Buffy’s heart, but the love never faded. At the end of Season 3, Angel left Sunnydale (and Buffy) to pursue his own battle with evil and search for the answers pertaining to his resurrection. At the onset ofBuffySeason 4, audiences got the debut of the spinoff series,Angel, running for five seasons.
David Boreanaz had a stint on the big screen in 2001 in the slasher filmValentine, but other than that, he is primarily known for his work on the small screen. AfterAngel, he landed the role of FBI Agent Seeley Booth in the crime seriesBones,co-starring alongsideEmily Deschanel.Bonesran from 2005 to 2017. Following his role as Agent Booth, Boreanaz moved on to playJason Hayes in the showSEAL Teamuntil 2022. As of today, he is still involved in the nail polish business his wife,Jaime Bergman, started with her friends, called Chrome Girl. Boreanaz and the other husbands run the business side of things, and he is involved in the creation of the special National Hockey League colors.
James Marsters as Spike
James Marstersplayed Spike, a fan favorite for most. Spike was introduced in Season 2 as Buffy’s chaos-inducing nemesis, along with his sire and vampire girlfriend, Drusilla, portrayed byJuliet Landau. However, over the seasons, Spike went through a progressive character transformation: from enemy to informant, to ally, to love interest. There’s an ongoing heat on theBuffy-boardsbetween “Bangel” and “Spuffy” fans. Sarah Michelle Gellar herself has stated that she believes Buffy’s true love was always Angel, while series creatorJoss Whedonis pro-Spike. Spike also made a cross-over toAngel, where he remained a central character.
SinceBuffyandAngel, Marsters has had a pretty consistent career both on and off-screen. He was in the filmsP.S. I Love YouandDragon Ball Evolution. Incidentally, Marsters has worked quite a bit in theDragon Ballfranchise, voicing Zamasu in the English dub ofDragon Ball Superand various games. Along with recurring roles in theSmallvilleseries and the short-livedWitches of East End, he’s made appearances in a number of live-action and animated TV shows. Marsters has been a recording and performing musician for many years, as both a solo artist and in the bandGhost of the Robot. He has also voiced audiobooks, most notably theDresden Files, a fantasy-mystery series written byJim Butcher. Marsters most recent work is in the 2023-released puppet horror filmAbruptio, which also starsJordan Peele,Robert Englund, and more in voice roles. Marsters will be reprising his role as Spikein the Audible original seriesSlayers: A Buffyverse Story.
RELATED:‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’: Sarah Michelle Gellar Recalls “Extremely Toxic” Set Experience
Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers
Buffy’s mom, Joyce Summers, was played byKristine Sutherland. A divorced single mother, she worked hard to give Buffy a comfortable life and all the support a teenage girl could need. When she was finally made aware of Buffy’s demon-fighting extracurricular activities, Joyce marched in the “Slayer Pride Parade” with gusto, always believing in her daughter and having her back. Her love made Buffy stronger. When she was killed off the show in season five, fans everywhere wept.
Sutherland has had a few stints on TV sinceBuffy, including appearances onNew Amsterdam,One Life to Live, and 2013’sThe Following, but her main line of work is in photography, having opened her own studio after her time on the show.
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
Cordelia, portrayed byCharisma Carpenter, was Sunnydale’s most popular and hated mean girl. Everyone wanted to be her and everyone wanted her to choke on something. After many supernatural life-threatening events, which meant getting saved repeatedly by the Scooby Gang, she eventually became an essential part of the group. It was on the showAngel, however, that Cordelia really got her shine. Audiences saw a massive character shift and watched Cordelia grow into an amazing woman with nothing but love to give. For fans of bothBuffyandAngel, Cordelia went from abhorred to adored.
Charisma Carpenter has appeared in a number of TV films and shows since her role in the Buffyverse, most notably in recurring roles inVeronica Mars,Charmed, and the ABC seriesThe Lying Game. Her most recent prominent role was inThe Expendablesseries, appearing as Lacy in the first two films. From 2013 to 2016 she hosted the showSurviving Evilwhich focused on survivors of crime, herself included. Carpenter will be reprising her role in the aforementioned Audible originalSlayers: A Buffyverse Story.
Seth Green as Daniel “Oz” Osbourne
Seth Green was Oz, the cool-guy guitar player turned werewolf. He was Willow’s high school sweetheart and the lead guitarist for the band Dingoes Ate My Baby. He never really said much, but he had superpowers and a quiet kind of bad-boy vibe. Willow and Oz went through a lot together despite being a cutesy couple, and when Oz left to find answers about his werewolf tendencies, his stoicism was sorely missed.
Seth Green is known for a lot of things:Family Guy,American Pie,Robot Chicken…the list goes on. Both before and afterBuffy, fans have seen a lot of him. He’s been in major films such asJosie and the Pussycats,Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed(alongsideBuffyco-star Sarah Michelle Gellar), andWithout a Paddle. While he is still the voice of Chris Griffin inFamily Guy, his most recent projects include appearing in the filmWeird: The Al Yankovic Story(2022), and as the voice of Thunderbolt in the showStargirl.
Amber Benson as Tara Maclay
Tara, played byAmber Benson, was introduced in Season 4 (the college season). She was Willow’s first girlfriend and, to many, her one true love. Like Oz, Tara was quiet and sort of a background character, but she acquired many fans. Audiences everywhere suffered a huge loss when Tara was killed off on the show, but it brought another element to Willow’s character development and showed us her dark side. Thus, Tara was more of a catalyst for Willow’s story, but her smile, strength, and wit warmed the hearts ofBuffyfans.
Besides acting, Benson is a director and producer, and since leavingBuffyhas directed and starred in a number of her own films, includingChance(also co-starring James Marsters) andLovers, Liars & Lunatics. She’s produced a BBC animated series titledGhosts of Albion, collaborated on comics (including aBuffy the Vampire Slayercomic), and has multiple novels to her name. Benson has been very busy mostly off-screen, but her work is still highly appreciated by Tara fans. Coming up for Benson, she’ll be starring oppositeJustice SmithandBrigette Lundy-Painein the A24 horror movieI Saw the TV Glow. Benson will also be returning to her role as Tara in the upcoming Audible original,Slayers: A Buffyverse Story.
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
Michelle Trachtenbergplayed Dawn Summers, one ofBuffyfans' least favorite characters. Dawn mysteriously showed up in season five as Buffy’s bratty little sister, and it took a while for audiences to find out where she actually came from. There was a lot of sibling rivalry between Buffy and Dawn, but after Buffy learns of Dawn’s possible fate at the hand of Hell God Glory, they grow a little closer. When the Summers sisters lost their mother, Buffy assumed the role of Dawn’s parent, which was an uphill battle. While Dawn grew up over her three seasons, viewers didn’t get much character development from her. Like Tara, Dawn served as a catalyst for Buffy’s character growth.
SinceBuffy,Michelle Trachtenberg has appeared in recurring roles in numerous TV series, including hosting the Discovery Kids Channel showTruth or Scare, as well as roles inSix Feet Under,Gossip Girl,Mercy, andWeeds. Most of her acting work was in the early 00s and 2010s, but she did reprise her role as Georgina Sparks in the revival ofGossip Girl. She’s been in music videos and web series and currently hosts her own online true-crime documentary series,Meet, Mary, Murder, available on Tubi TV.
Emma Caulfield as Anya Jenkins
Anya the vengeance demon was portrayed byEmma Caulfield. She went through a few back-and-forth transitions from demon to human to demon to human again. She and Xander had a relationship that many questioned (even he questioned it when he left her at the altar) but she was a favorite among fans for her tactless, straightforward truth bombs. Luckily, Anya wasn’t killed off until the last episode ofBuffy, but it was still sad for many to see her go.
Caulfield had a role in the hit horror filmDarkness Falls, and after that had recurring roles in the showsGigantic,Life Unexpected,Once Upon a Time, andWandaVision. She is reprising her role as Sarah Proctor in theWandaVisionspin-off series,Agatha: Coven of Chaos. She will also be part of the cast of the Audible original sequel seriesSlayers: A Buffyverse Story.
Eliza Dushku as Faith
Last but not least, there was Faith, played tragically and beautifully byEliza Dushku. Faith was pretty much Buffy’s evil twin. She was a slayer who befriended Buffy and the gang, but after a few incidents that left her feeling betrayed, she went to the dark side. Faith and Buffy fought multiple times from Season 3 and on, a showcase of their volatile relationship. While Buffy tried her hand at making a breakthrough with Faith, it was Angel, in his own show, who showed her the path to redemption.
BesidesBuffy, Dushku is probably best known for her roles in the comedy filmsBring it OnandJay and Silent Bob Strike Back. SinceBuffy, she starred in the short-lived seriesTru Callingand Joss Whedon’sDollhouse, also short-lived. She’s voiced many video games and animated series, but the brunt of her work is in activism and production. She serves on the board THRIVE-Gulu, an organization that serves survivors of war, and is CEO of her own production company, Boston Diva Productions, which she runs with her brother, Nate.
