Behind the Scenes

Clare is just as striking as her Goddess, Glory

Clare is also really gorgeous and has a great sense of humour! Originally from Ohio she went to college and started her career in Theatre. Her most memorable role being that of Helen Keller on a National touring of The Miracle Worker, she explains to us how she prepared for the role, "To get the double sensory depravation was the hardest part, so I would go underwater where you could really hear nothing or see nothing and then try to stimulate that feeling." She enthuses, "It was my favourite character I have ever played, I had a wonderful time." She has actually directed Children's Theatre in New York too although she is quite happy to concentrate on her acting at the moment.

She tells us, "My career has gone a lot differently than I imagined as I thought I would be a theatre girl and when the TV/Film thing started happening it really freaked me out! I wasn't used to it and I didn't know how to work in that area. It came as a total shock to me!".

Amazingly Clare had only ever seen one episode of Buffy when she went for the audition and so when she landed the part of Glory she did lots of research. When asked about her thoughts on the role she says, "I loved playing Glory, you can't dream of playing a better part!." On the first episode that Glory appears, No Place Like Home, in which she beats up Buffy, she shares with us a funny tale, "My grandmother rang my mom after seeing that episode and said, 'I didn't know Clare was that strong!' " generating laughter from the audience. She is so strong in fact that she once accidentally knocked out Sarah's stunt double with one punch! But although she knew she was powerful Clare did not know that she was a God until Checkpoint, the episode where Buffy finds out. She says, "They didn't tell me anything before they would actually write it, they were very secretive". A member of the audience asks if she would have changed anything about Glory, Clare replies, "I would have given myself the information about Glory being a God at the beginning of the season.

Pondering a moment in time with ASH

If I had had this information I probably would have played my character differently, I wouldn't have arced so much per episode, I would have made more of a gradual increase so the end was more of a surprise!" She does admit that it is great having minions and when asked what it was like to torture Spike she cheekily says, "It was great, I like to torture people...though not for real", she laughs. Given the chance of a romantic scene she would have chosen Giles [Anthony Stewart Head] as he is an, "Older Sexy Man!" So how did Clare inject Glory with that fabulous attitude? Well she admits that in real life, "The thing that drives me mad is when I don't feel like I am understood, that people just don't get me! So that is one of the things I used a lot for Glory!" Of course the amazing wardrobe must have helped, surprisingly she tells us, "I don't usually dress like that", although, "I liked wearing the red dress, the colour grew on me". It certainly looked great on her! Clare would very much like to see Glory return as she jokingly tells us, "She is not really dead." This prompts a guy in the audience to ask if she is surprised at how easy it was to kill Glory in the end, she laughingly admits, "Yeah!! Wait a minute, they don't even suffocate me! I was really bummed out about that!"

Most of us will remember her recent film role in Bring It On in which she plays cheerleader Courtney Egbert and also stars with fellow Buffyite, Eliza Dushku [Faith]. To get ready for her part she had to go to Boot Camp with the rest of the cast where they trained for 12 hours a day, she recalls, "The first week none of us could sit down, it was like, 'Oh my god I didn't know I had muscles there!' I enjoyed the role very much though," she laughs. She actually did all the scenes herself and didn't have a stunt double and even though she dislocated her shoulder she says, "I loved it!" Someone asks if Clare was a cheerleader in school and she bursts out laughing as she confides, "I actually got kicked off the Cheerleading Squad in 8th Grade because I threw a hotdog at the quarterback during a game! So yes, I was a cheerleader... for a while!" as she grins at us.

"I would like to have a bunch of kids one day." ~ Clare

In her spare time Clare likes to read and is a big P.D. James fan. She used to be an avid fan of the X-Files and ER but after moving to L.A she didn't have a television for a while and lost touch with the plot lines. She likes Peter Gabriel, and loves to play pool, she also likes hiking. She tells us that she has had some weird and wonderful fan mail whilst playing Glory and an audience member asks her what is the strangest thing she has ever been asked to sign. Everyone laughs as she says, "Somebody's chest...But I didn't mind!" she giggles.

Clare has two new films coming out, The Valerie Effect and The Rules Of Attraction (the prequel to American Psycho) and of her acting ambitions she says, "I would just like to keep doing roles that are interesting, that challenge me." As to her future she enthuses, "I would like to have a bunch of kids one day," and tells us that the thing she would like to be remembered for is, "Just being a good person I guess!" Aww..Clare we think you're a gem!

Saturday dawned bright and early, with two partied-out UK Correspondents trundling off to Heathrow to pick up the US CoA contingent. Amazingly after a six-hour flight from New York, Kristy sprinted through the gate full of energy and looking better for it than the two of us put together. Must be something to do with all the protein bars she lived off for the rest of the convention. Back at the hotel, individual photos with the VIP guests were being taken as we went to work with the photo session queue attendees; giving away free individual Buffy and Angel promo cards, and also whole packs of the new season trading cards all courtesy of Inkworks Trading Cards, Inc.The plan was to give these away as prizes to the crowd in return for their correct answers to some trivia questions. This is when we met Stacey, Kayleigh and Gareth - three eager conventioneers who saw us coming, knew everything there was to know about Buffy and Angel, and so ended up gleefully parting with our precious packs of trading cards - much to our shame!!!

Stacey, Kayleigh and Gareth - Trivia fans extraordinaire!

In the process, I got to meet Darryl Curtis - editor of the official UK Buffy Magazine, who I really wish I'd had longer to natter to at the con - must do coffee Darryl! Next up was a quick bite of lunch then on to the first of four guest question and answer panels. Over the course of both days all four guests did two talks each - one each day. In between talks and other events, the organisers showed episodes from both new series much to the pleasure of the UK audience whose new seasons have yet to start in Europe.

Later in the afternoon came the autograph signing: the queues were mercifully small, as they were done in ticket number order. All the guests were charming and very willing to personalise items brought along by the fans to be autographed. Some rather nice 10" x 8" photos were on sale for those of us who didn't think to bring anything. Again we stood in line clutching our goodies and nattering away. Nic was glued to the big screen in the main hall, and Kristy, well, Kristy had toddled off, no doubt chattering away with the convention people and attendees. As the fans got to meet and greet our VIP guests up close and personal it was a thrilling time for all present. Be sure to join us next week for the remaining panels and all the excitement of the Starfury Bad Girls Convention in Part II of Bad Girls.

CityofAngel.com would like to extend a very warm Thank you to Sean Harry for all his assistance.

Special Thanks to Titan Magazine for allowing us to share their VIP time.

Visit Starfury's Website for all the UK Con action at www.Starfury.co.uk

If you have any comments for CityofAngel.com regarding this 'Behind the Scenes' feature, we would love to hear from you. Just email us at: comments@CityofAngel.com