Casting Willow

The actress cast to originally play Willow was Riff Regan, though she only played the part in the original pilot episode. She didn’t work out and Joss started looking for a new actress. He says the network wanted a “supermodel in horn rims” to play Willow.
Marcia Schulman (the casting director) says that the problem with casting Willow was that the character is a shy and insecure person, so is the complete opposite of the kind of person most actresses are. Alyson was cast because she brought a vulnerability to the part, as well as being funny. She also read her lines optimistically rather than in a dowdy way, which is what most of the girls who auditioned did.

   
Source:The Watcher's Guide 1 by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder
Related Trivia:
  • Casting Tara
  • Casting the Oracles
  • Marcia Shulman
  • Casting Drusilla
  • The first person to be cast
  • Casting Angel
  • Casting spell
  • Casting Connor
  • Resources:Riff Regan's IMDB biography
    Suggested by: Jess
    Added: › 21st August 2004
    Updated: › 10th February, 2005
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    3 Comments about “Casting Willow”

    1. Mysteryend says:

      Im so gald they recast Willow. Alyson Hannigan is a million times better than Riff Regan

    2. TwoToGo-Grave says:

      Alyson Hannigan is a million times better than anyone (especially to play Willow).

    3. Mysteryend says:

      Alyson Hannigan is the best!!

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