We weren't very far from the stage. Too far for my crappy ass camera to get good pictures, but close enough that we could see him well. They had a life size stand up of Sarah from the third season (all black in front of the gate) on stage with him. He was wearing dark colors. A black v-neck shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and some sort of dark colored pants. They look geenish-grey in the pictures. He's sort of like a little boy in a man's body, full of energy, humor. He's very considerate of his fans (he accepted gifts, gave a hug, tried to make sure people who hadn't asked questions got to ask them), obviously appreciates them. He's got a brash mouth. He seems very honest and open, willing to talk about nearly anything.
He let several people with gifts come up and give them to him at various points during the Q&A. Dare had a t-shirt for him that zero made which said "Don't Kill Me" on it since he's mentioned wanting to wear a shirt with that on it around the set second season. He was really pleased with the shirt and explained it for the people who didn't know. Then he kissed her, and she grabbed his ass because she had promised a friend she would. He blushed a little and said "You're a bad girl." Unfortunately I was too slow to catch the kiss with my camera, but I think Chelle got it on tape.
I took notes on the Q&A but they're sort of cryptic so everything is pretty much a paraphrase. One of my friends was videotaping so I may be able to get a real transcript at some point, but until then this gives you an idea.
Pretty much the first thing he got asked was what was going to happen on upcoming episodes. He refused to answer, said that Joss is a maniac for privacy. He also said that was the reason he wasn't in the title credits before now...because Joss wanted it to be a surprise. But starting this week he'll be a regular and in every episode.
Q: Whether Spike was going to kill Harmony.
A: He laughed and said "You don't like Harmony?" Everyone pretty much booed, and he protested that she was cute and that he had treated her like crap.
He said he was 28 and had been acting since the 4th grade (the part was Eeyore).
Q: Does he enjoy being bad.
A:Definitely enjoys it. It's fun to not care what you do to other people.
Q: Do you bite?
A:"Only a select few." (He was teasing with that line...lowered his voice sexily.)
Q: Something about whether he's been to a Goth club
A: He used to work in a club or go to clubs a lot or something like that, but he doesn't anymore. He said he can't stand the noise.
He talked about the fact that he was completely burnt out because he had come off a 20 hour day on Buffy, then got pretty much immediately on a plane, flew from LA to Orlando. He thought he slept on the plane but he couldn't remember sleeping.
Q: Something about David/Angel
A: He hopes the spin-off does well because that means Angel won't be back on Buffy. Everyone laughed, and he explained that David is the greatest guy, but he and Nick are glad he left (his words...Nick and I are like "Go baby!") because it leaves more room for everyone else. He said if David came back to Buffy there would be no oxygen for anyone else.
At this point Mary Ann asked to give him a present and he agreed. She said "Out of my way, folks" as she went up and everyone cracked up. While she was up there she told him he was very talented. He was very happy with the compliment, thanked her and talked for a while about talent. He said that when he first went to LA, his agent told him he was very talented and that was "a plus." Basically his point was that talent isn't everything in showbiz. He said he was very happy they had given him a cool coat and pretty hair on Buffy because otherwise his character would be dead.
Q: The Buffy movie
A: Everyone but Joss is talking about that movie. If Sarah agrees to do it, it'll probably happen. He and David have a running joke where they talk about who will play them when the movie gets made 25 years from now, and all the stars haven't even been born yet. (The same question got asked later on and he said that it's possible that it would be like Star Trek where once the show is over they do movies, and he said that's what he would prefer. It involves "less effort, more reward.")
Q: Spike's age
A: He said if he told, Joss would spank him. Heehee. But then he said it was around 120 and later in the session referred to himself as 123. (We know now...126).
Q: What was your most embarrassing moment?
A: "NO!" Everyone laughed and he said that he's not the type of person who gets embarrassed. But then he mentioned how he accidentally hit David really hard during Becoming part 2. He opened his mouth really wide in fake shock. Everyone laughed again. He said that Angel had been macking on his girl and he was in that stupid wheelchair. The prop people gave him a "soft club," which wasn't really soft but it wasn't metal. And they were supposed to have padded David. But nobody padded David, and David thought that James was just going to pretend to hit him. But James had decided he was really going to nail Angel. So "David went down."
Q: Is blonde his natural hair color? (silly question)
A: No. (Obviously.) He did say that he had white blonde hair as a child though.
He also asked if anyone bleaches their hair and asked if it hurt. Then he told about his solution for the burning...4 packets of Sweet and Low. He said that he mentions that everywhere so he's becoming the "messenger of Sweet and Low."
He said that he still doesn't have a computer, but he played around on Todd Macintosh's a couple days ago.
Q: What does he do when he's not playing Spike?
A: Someone shouted "Sleep." And he laughed and agreed with that. Then he said that he spends a lot of time on the beach. He talked about how the ocean is a natural wonder that's so accessible, and he can't believe that people who could live by the beach don't. He said everyone should live by the beach.
Then he said that he likes to go to the beach with "his girl." Everyone in the room booed. He looked a little amused/surprised and protested that we would really like his girlfriend. He said that she was the reason he got Spike. That he met her 3 weeks before he got the part. Later on he said that she's in Three Kings with Mark Wahlberg and mentioned that if anyone tells you it's cool to have their girlfriend kiss Mark Wahlberg, they're lying. Then he talked about how they were both jealous of the kissing scenes the other does, but he thinks it's more mature of them to admit it than to pretend they don't mind.
Q: Any pranks on the set?
A: He said no. Someone called him a liar, and he said that he wasn't. He said that they're on such a tight schedule that anyone who screwed up a take intentionally would not be smiled upon. He talked about how fast television moves.
Ripe Wicked Plum went up onstage to give him a certificate that made him an honorary Spike Girl. She's a very punk rock chick, and had a long black duster on so he said "You look like me." Then she gave him the certificate. It was really cute. He looked at it and laughed and said "I'm a Spike Girl." I think he got a real kick out of it. She also gave him a stake. When she held it out to him, he said "Get that thing away from me." But then he took it and held it for a while. After she left, he said again, sort of giggling, "I'm a Spike Girl."
Q: How long does the make-up take?
Two hours, sometimes for a 15 second shot. He also said that there's no squirming allowed. If he does the make-up artist gets mad.
Q: Does he do any martial arts/fighting, etc?
A: He trained in judo, but hasn't done it for a while. He's done stunt fighting onstage.
He said that when he was 13 he used to purposely fall off his bike to freak girls out. He said it worked, but he would get hurt. Then he said that you do get hurt in stunt work. He also said that stunt work isn't the same as actual kung fu.
As far as stunts, he said if his feet are on the ground it's him. His stunt guy, Steve, trained in Hong Kong and jokes that James never lets him do anything. James said he enjoys doing the stunts.
Q: How many takes did he need to get the poofter play done without laughing?
A: Said he did it in one take. It was the last take of the night and he was so tired he wanted to get it right the first time. He also said he was impressed with himself because he kept the cockney accent even when impersonating Angel.
Q: His favorite episode
A: The crossover (Harsh Light of Day and In the Dark). For a long time it was School Hard because it had the biggest body count, but he thought he did good work in the crossover so that was his new favorite.
He talked about how he hasn't been able to kill enough people. For a villain he has an "anemic body count."
Q: How did they do the scene where his head caught on fire in "In the Dark"?
A: "Lit Steve on fire." They lit Steve on fire, then put that head over his own to make it look like he was on fire (or something like that). He said Steve is a mad man and talked about how in one scene he had to fall out a window and he wanted to do it so he would have no cushion except for a bush which would deflect his fall. If he had been off the tiniest bit he could have been squashed. James talked about how he likes the stunt guys. He thinks they're cool.
Q: About his career as an actor
A: Described grade school plays (Eeyore). Then did musicals in high school. Said it was hard to transition from musicals to Shakespeare. He trained by watching good actors, doing an apprenticeship. He was kicked out of Julliard. He spent 4 years running a theater company. He talked about the benefits of doing regional theater and said that he stopped because the best actor he knew hit a peak in earning money and he felt like if this guy who was incredible couldn't make more money then he should go to LA where there was more money to be made.
Q: The accent
A: Said he didn't like it in School Hard. Did an example "You were there." And said he sounded too much like a Southern gentleman. He talked about learning the accent by practicing with someone he did theater with who was actually from England. The guy started to get interested in the job and ask him questions so he said "Fuck Off!" because the guy was a great actor and his accent was real. He said he thinks he still would have won the role because he and the other guy have really different looks, but he didn't want to chance it.
He said they were scraping the bottom of the barrel when they auditioned him because they had already auditioned tons of people and he was new in town. (I think he said he had been in LA 6 months).
He talked about doing different accents and said he got the role in two auditions. Which he thought was pretty fast. Usually there would have been more auditions. Then he said "the power" and laughed.
He called the role every boy's fantasy.
Q: Greatest fear
A: Like the embarrassment question, he said he doesn't get afraid very much. He said that can be bad at times when he SHOULD be afraid. Then he said he supposed his greatest fear was not getting everything done.
Someone asked him to sing something from a musical he was in, but he said that his voice is shot from smoking. He told everyone not to smoke, said you'll never meet a smoker who wants to be smoking. He stopped smoking for 6 or 7 years, then started again because Spike smokes. People brought up Cancer Man on X-files because he doesn't smoke in real life. And James said that he was weak and didn't have the discipline. People were making disapproving noises so he told them to "Get off!"
He said that smoking and coffee are the only things he does.
Q: What's Sarah like?
A: She's cool. Everyone on the cast is. It's a demanding schedule and everyone pulls together. He said that Sarah extends herself on behalf of others. When he first started on the show he was in a "coffin like room" which "unfortunately" had a toilet in it. So Sarah got him a trailer. He said it's the little things like that which really count and show what kind of person she is.
The only thing that makes her mad is when other people don't know their lines because she always knows hers, and she has more lines than anyone else on the show by far.
She's very professional.
He also said he likes it when she kicks his ass :)
Q: What was the cast's reaction to him when he first went on Buffy?
A: They all came running up to him like little kids "running in the sunshine" because they were all so excited to see who Spike was.
Q: about his movie Winding Roads
A: He hasn't seen it yet.
Q: the Millennium episode
A: He discovered the secret to faking tears on Millennium.
He had made himself cry for an episode of Buffy and was proud of himself, but he was too tired on Millennium to make himself cry. So they put Menthol in his eyes. He thought it was more realistic because he could concentrate on other aspects of his acting instead of just the crying.
He also brought up the fact that in that episode he got his butt kicked by another girl.
Q: Social life
A: Nonexistent. He goes to the beach, has dinner with friends, goes to premieres.
Not sure what the question was, but he talked about the first time they put the vamp make-up on him. He said he loved how he looked. He thought it was the coolest. He thought he had "never looked better in his life." But when he went to his girlfriend wearing it, she wouldn't let him near her.
Someone asked him to do a little bit of his accent so he demonstrated it. He said he's gotten pretty good at it...can pretty much turn it on and off at will.
Q: How much control does he have over his character?
A: None really. They can take ideas to Joss, but Joss says "that's cute" and does whatever he was planning. James said they love Joss' scripts though so they don't really feel the need to make a lot of suggestions.
He said again that if he gives anything away, Joss would put him in a tutu.
Q: How does he like being a villain with style?
A: Loves it. They're going to need new costumes at some point though. He said that the wardrobe department had tons of stuff like clear, plastic Sex Pistols shirts. But they just gave him the coat which was new and then run over by a tractor until it looked beat up. He loves the coat, but said they will be changing his costume some.
Q: Something about acting
A: Acting is a release. Only act if it's the only thing that can make you happy. Only act if the pleasure of acting itself is why you do it. Otherwise the rest of the crap is too much of a hassle.
Q: his role on Buffy and the spin-off
A: He'll be "making trouble." He may be in at least one more Angel episode, but there have been scheduling conflicts which are making Joss crazy. He said he thinks people will be very divided about whether Spike's new direction is a good thing or not. But he's enjoying it.
Q: What's his favorite perk of celebrity?
A: Celebrity is weird. Everyone knows him, but he doesn't know them. It puts him at a disadvantage because they know things he wouldn't normally tell people unless he was close to them. He likes people's appreciation though.
People smile more...that's the biggest perk. He doesn't get special treatment because he doesn't want to be treated differently.
Q: Someone brought up the preview where he bites Willow
A: He talked about having a "twisted kind of fun" with Willow and said they were concerned he went too far. He said we'd know what he meant when we saw the scene.
He also said to get everyone to watch the episode so that they could beat the numbers and get huge ratings whenever Spike was on.
Q: How did he drive the car in Becoming 2?
A: He didn't. It wasn't moving. It was a bunch of teamsters going like this (picture him pretending to push on a bumper)
Q: more interaction with Joyce since he gets along with her surprisingly well?
A: Since Buffy doesn't live at home he doesn't know if he'll have many opportunities to see Joyce. He talked a little (jokingly) about the possibility of him having an affair with her.
Q: Are Buffy and Spike going to shag?
A: He can't tell.
His car is a '65 Mustang. David drives a Mercedes.
Q:Did he have fun filming in FL? (I think this was about Haunted Hill)
A: Yes it was fun.
He got sent the script for The Haunting by accident. He had to read it twice even though he thought it was dull because he couldn't find his character in it. Then when he went in to read he gave the script for the rival movie to the people making House on Haunted Hill.
Q: something about playing a vampire
A: It's most fun when you're at your worst. You can be rude, etc. Being a vampire is all about instant gratification. You do what you want.
He's glad Spike only comes out at night.
Around this time, while he was answering questions, he went over the stand-up of Sarah and kissed his fingers and pressed them to the figure's lips.
Q: Was he ever Frank-n-Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show?
A: No. That rumor's circulating but it's not true. Todd Macintosh had a costume party where everyone had to dress as the opposite gender. He almost went as Frank but instead went as an Egyptian prince because then he was still a guy, but wearing a skirt.
No clue what the question was here.
Said he likes playing mean.
Q: Someone brought up him being shirtless
A: He said yeah well, Angel's gone now. < g >
He wants to get in the center of things and he was glad to take off his shirt because if you're taking off your shirt or dating Buffy you're in the center of things.
He's in a race with Marc Blucas to get buff. They're both lifting weights and stuff. Marc's nervous because everyone says he'll have to take off his shirt at some point.
Q: What's it like working with Joss?
A: Joss knows how to get what he wants. He does it with enough humor that the actors don't mind being directed by him.
Q: Favorite movie
A: Likes Scorcese. Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Bringing out the Dead, Last Temptation of Christ (He liked that Jesus was mad < g >)
Also loves MacBeth.
Q: What would he do if he wrote his own script?
A: He couldn't think up better stuff than what's in the scripts he gets on Buffy. Then he revised that statement and said he'd give himself a higher body count.
Q: What kinds of movies does he want to do?
A: Small parts in good movies is what he hopes to do. He has enough money that he doesn't have to take everything he's offered. He used River Phoenix as a model of an actor who picked good movies to be in, even if his parts were small.
Q: What actor/actress does he like?
A: Angelina Jolie. She's a really good actress, better than people realize.
Q: Is it awkward doing photo shoots?
A: They're weird but fun. You have to just go for it. Let it rip. And that's the kind of person he is. If they look bad you just veto them and take more. Whether you enjoy it depends on the photographer.
He talked about the fact that he used to do his own stage make-up, but now he has someone else who puts on his make-up and fingernail polish (even though it's scraped up). He has to go to the make-up room and it makes him feel like a girl.
At this point a woman in full Klingon costume tried to sneak up the center aisle to take a picture. He called out hey baby. She got embarrassed and tried to slink off, but he called her back.
Q: Since he goes to the beach, is it a problem since he's playing a vampire?
A: They urge him not to suntan. If he does they have to spray paint his arms (cause he gets a farmer's tan) with this foul stuff that he hates. That's the biggest deterrent for him that keeps him from tanning. He hates the spray stuff.
Q: Who was his sire?
A: Angel
Q: What's his dream role?
A: Macbeth. There's no good movie version out. He loves the blood and the lust and the passion of it.
Q: What role on TV would he like to play?
A: He tried to repeat the question and accidentally talked into the water bottle he was holding instead of the mic. He looked at what he was holding in surprise when it wasn't amplified. Everyone cracked up, and he said that this was the answer to the most embarrassing moment question...when he talked into a water bottle.
Then he answered the question. He said he wouldn't want to play James Dean or someone like that because you'd always be the person who wasn't as good as James Dean.
Then he said he'd like to be Malcolm MacDowell in Cat People.
He also said that he had auditioned for a role in Harsh Realm (possibly the lead, but I'm not sure). He said he almost got it, and if he had he wouldn't have done Buffy. But he's really glad he didn't get it since the show got cancelled after 3 episodes.
Q: Who's older him or Dru?
A: Dru, but not by much.
Q: What genre of movie would he like to do?
A: Any type or style. Action is cool. It pays best and you get to "punch people."
No clue what the question was but he said he likes rare steaks not blood.
Q: Something about comic books
A: Something about Frank Miller
He started talking about how he got kicked out a Peter Hall production of Macbeth. He said he disagreed with the director on some of his ideas about how the character should be portrayed. They were having the disagreement at a production meeting and since he owned a copy of Macbeth, he had brought it along with him. So he pulled it out to prove his point. The director was not pleased.
At the end he recited a speech from Macbeth...the one with "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" in it. It was really beautifully done...he has the perfect voice for it. Yum.