Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Anthony Head sadly died this past week at the age of 72 due to pneumonia, and many are feeling the loss. Various fans of the supernatural drama series have taken to social media to extend their condolences and pay tribute to head. At the same time, Sarah Michelle Gellar has paid tribute alongside others like David Boreanaz and Charisma Carpenter. Now, James Marsters and Alyson Hannigan, known for playing Spike and Willow, respectively, have spoken out and shared some touching sentiments.

Even today, James Marsters is well known for his performance as brooding vampire Spike, who initially started as one of Buffy’s best villains before becoming an ally. Considering Marsters’ own continued affection for the show and his co-stars, I’m not surprised by him honoring Anthony Head with a sweet Instagram post. Marsters shared a humorous photo of himself and Head along with a caption that began with the admission that there’s now a “hole in the world” due to his former co-star’s passing:

Head played the role of the cerebral Watcher, Rupert Giles, throughout the entirety of Buffy’s seven seasons, specifically serving as a regular throughout the first five and a recurring star throughout the final two. Giles regularly dishes out wisdom to the young members of the “Scooby Gang” and forms a surrogate father relationship with Buffy. Given all of that, it warms my heart to see Marsters talk about learning from Head and refer to him as a “steady presence.” I would’ve expected nothing less from the late British performer.

Alyson Hannigan also had the privilege of working with Head on the show and becoming acquainted with him in real life. Following the confirmation of Head’s death, Hannigan took to Instagram to share a photo of herself and Head, and she dropped a truly heartbreaking caption:

I’m not sure what’s sweeter: the caption or the photo that the Willow Rosenberg portrayer shared. The snapshot shows Hannigan and Head smiling in what looks like a truly warm moment. Check it out:

Head’s passing also hits hard considering the other losses the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast and fandom have experienced in just the last year or so. This past March, Nicholas Brendon – who played Xander Harris – died due to natural causes at the age of 54 and, in the aftermath, various Buffy alums paid tribute. And, in 2025, Dawn Summers actress Michelle Michelle Trachtenberg passed away due to diabetes complications brought on by a liver transplant. With that, Trachtenberg was posthumously honored as well.

It’s hard to argue with Marsters’ assertion that Anthony Head leaves a “hole” in the world, and I can imagine he’ll surely be missed for years to come. Still, based on the sentiments that have been shared about him, Head’s legacy of kindness, laughter and support will remain well remembered for years to come.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer family has sadly lost yet another member, as it was reported this past week that Nicholas Brendon passed away at the age of 54. Brendon famously played the role of fan-favorite character Xander Harris throughout all seven seasons of the supernatural series. Since the news was announced, fans have been sharing tributes to Brendon and, now, many of his former Buffy castmates are doing the same. That includes Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz and others.

Gellar – who played the eponymous Buffy Summers – shared a tribute to her friend and co-star by way of an Instagram post. As part of that, the actress shared a sweet throwback photo of her and Brendon. Additionally, Gellar shared a sweet message within her caption:

Angel actor David Boreanaz shared his tribute to Brendon on Instagram as well this weekend. In addition to sharing a photo, Boreanaz also penned a lovely message that spoke to not only who Brendon was as an actor but who he was as a person:

Nicholas Brendon’s family formally announced his passing on Friday, explaining that he died in his sleep from natural causes. Per the statement, Brendon “found his passion in painting and art” in recent years and “loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.” Brendon’s loved ones also remembered him as a person who was “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create.” Also, on Friday, Alyson Hannigan – who played Willow Rosenberg on all seven seasons of Buffy – wrote this on Instagram:

Hannigan’s post also included a still from Buffy, which showed her and Brendon’s characters physically embracing each other. As for Anya Jenkins actress Emma Caulfield, she shared an interview clip of Brendon on her Instagram story. She also shared a sentimental caption:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streamable in its entirety with a Hulu subscription) remains a much loved piece of pop culture, and Brendon’s performance as Xander is a standout part of it. Within a show filled with drama, high stakes and otherworldly entanglements, Brendon helped ground the show through his humorous and relatable portrayal of Harris. All in all, Brendon – along with the writers – made Xander an amiable and invaluable ally for Buffy.

Nicholas Brendon’s passing hits hard, especially considering it’s only been a little over a year since the death of Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Dawn Summers on Buffy. While Brendon’s death may be another development that’s hard to process, I’m hopeful that his legacy will live on through those who love his portrayal of Xander as well as his other work. We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to Brendon’s family and friends during this time.

Many were shocked to learn about the death of Michelle Trachtenberg. The beloved actress, who made a name for herself on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, died at the age of 39, and many of her co-stars and colleagues were quick to post tributes. This includes stars like David Boreanaz, Alyson Hannigan, Kenan Thompson, Ed Westwick and more who worked with the actress as she grew up on screen.

Many from The Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast posted about their love for Trachtenberg. Playing Dawn Summers, the performer appeared in 66 episodes of the classic series, and to this day, it’s one of the roles she’s best known for. Her co-star and Angel actor, David Boreanaz, took to his IG stories to post a tribute for her, writing:

Buffy's Willow actress, Alyson Hannigan, also used her Instagram to post about her love for the late actress. Uploading some throwback pictures from their time on the series (which you can watch with a Hulu subscription), she also wrote:

Spike actor James Marsters also wrote a heartfelt message about his Buffy co-star on his IG. Posting a close-up selfie of him with Trachtenberg, he reflected on the actress's life and the time he spent with her, noting that “she died much too young.”

If you’re like me, one of the shows you might know Trachtenberg best from is Gossip Girl. In the 2000s, she played the evil legend Georgina Sparks in the Gossip Girl cast and appeared in 28 episodes. So, to honor her legacy as well as his work with her on The CW show, Chuck Bass actor Ed Westwick took to his IG Story to write:

Many other stars from projects Trachtenberg worked on posted their condolences, too. This included Kim Cattrall, who played the actress’s skating coach in Ice Princess (which you can watch with a Disney+ subscription). As someone who grew up on this movie, this tribute made me very emotional, as Cattrall wrote the following on Instagram alongside a photo from the film:

Michelle Trachtenberg was one of many child stars who grew up on Nickelodeon, and while there, she worked alongside Kenan Thompson. Posting a video from those days and an image of them standing together, the Saturday Night Live star wrote on Instagram:

During her early career, the late actress also starred in Harriet the Spy as the titular spy. In a statement to Poeple, her on-screen mom, J. Smith-Cameron, shared some of her memories from working on that film with her as well as her shock about this news:

Melissa Joan Hart also posted about working with Trachtenberg when she was very young. The two performed together on Clarissa Explains It All, and Hart had nothing but fantastic things to say about the actress’s talent that had been clear as day from a very young age:

Overall, the love being shown for the actress is immense, and it’s truly tragic that she died at such a young age.

At the time of this writing, we don't know why or how she passed away, but as we learn more about what happened to her, we’ll keep you updated.

We here at CinemaBlend send our condolences to Trachtenberg’s family, friends and loved ones during this time.

Over the course of its six-season run on NBC, This Is Us featured an extensive cast, as the story spanned multiple generations and introduced a plethora of characters who were close to the Pearson family in one decade or another. Alyson Hannigan was not amongst its guest stars, but it turns out her house played a really big role, despite her initial apprehension to allow the tear-jerking drama to use it as a filming location.

The How I Met Your Mother star once opened up about how her home became the cabin that Kevin Pearson (Justin Hartley) designed and built for his mother — the home where Rebecca (Mandy Moore) ultimately died. In 2021, Alyson Hannigan told Sirius XM’s The Michelle Collins Show (via ET) that before they’d moved in, the house was regularly used for film shoots. Despite turning down studios who requested “at least twice a month” to film there, the actress and her husband reconsidered after learning This Is Us’ director was a neighbor of theirs. Hannigan said:

I have to agree, the drama that aired from 2016 to 2022 was pretty great, that that cabin became almost a character in itself for what it meant to Kevin and for the fact that it’s where all of the Pearsons gathered in Rebecca’s final days.

However, one can understand why the American Pie actress wouldn’t be too enthusiastic about inviting a film crew into the home she shared with husband Alexis Denisof and their children Keeva and Satyana. Alyson Hannigan even said they “know what productions do to locations,” and what a picturesque location it was! If you don’t remember what the Pearson cabin looked like, refresh your memory with this spread on Instagram:

It seems like it all turned out for the best in the end. Alyson Hannigan told the podcast that in addition to fixing any damage sustained during filming, the production went above and beyond in returning the home to mint condition. She said:

With that cabin being the setting where so many Pearson mysteries were introduced and then finally solved in This Is Us’ 2034 timeline, I don’t think I could ever think of anyone living there other than Rebecca and Miguel (Jon Huertas). It was a really emotional time, guys, don’t you remember all of those wild plot twists?

If you want to relive the Pearson saga, all six seasons are available to stream with either a Netflix subscription or Hulu subscription. Also be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are headed our way.

Alyson Hannigan may have been a breakout star on the small screen with her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and How I Met Your Mother, but you can’t forget when she played band camp nerd Michelle in all of the American Pie movies. Considering how raunchy the comedy film series is, Hannigan worries about the day her kids will watch American Pie and why Taylor Swift isn’t exactly helping.

The American Pie cast member has two teenage daughters- Satyana (15) and Kiev (12) with Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Alexis Denisof. While Alyson Hannigan already felt awkward having her kids watch a younger version of their father in a 1987 George Harrison music video, she admitted to US Magazine that she’s already worried about the day they finally watch her American Pie movie. Plus, it doesn’t help if the Taylor Swift song "So High School" references the raunchy comedy. In her words:

I can understand the awkwardness of not wanting your kids to see their mother in a sex comedy film. Other than the fact that the ‘90s movie didn’t age well with a glossed-over scene of a high school girl being secretly filmed performing sex acts, it would be a tad awkward for Alyson Hannigan’s kids to see their mother shamelessly say dialogue like “I stuck a flute up my…” you know.

Even though the sex scene Michelle has with Jim in the first movie isn’t graphic, all of the other movies expand her character more with longer, more explicit raunchy scenes like having sex in the band room in American Reunion and performing fellatio on Jim under the table in American Wedding. Definitely a lot of R-rated moments you’d prefer your teen daughters live without seeing their mother doing.

It’s easy for diehard Swifties to be influenced into seeing movies the Grammy winner references in her songs. Taylor Swift has done so before referencing The Notebook in “Bye Bye Baby” and The Wizard of Oz in “Loml.” As for the “So High School” lyric “Watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night,” you can’t help but want to know why the teen sex comedy would make a good date night movie to see with her boyfriend Travis Kelce.

One interesting fact to learn about Alyson Hannigan is that she’s a total Swiftie. Back when she was on Dancing with the Stars, her wildest dream of season 32 to have a Taylor Swift Night came true when she got to dance to a Cha-Cha version of the best-selling artist’s hit single “You Belong With Me.” You can tell she and her dance partner Sasha Farber got a real kick out of that number.

With Alyson Hannigan being such a Swiftie herself, you can imagine how funny and excited she was hearing Taylor Swift shoutout to American Pie in “So High School.” While listening to the Tortured Poets Department album in her chosen solitude, she got to Volume 2 of the pop album “freaking out” to hear one of her memorable movies being referenced in one of the tracks. While her family was unfazed by the reference, the People’s Choice Award winner still shared her freakout with one of her friends about technically being part of a date night with T-Swift and her beau.

Whether Alyson Hannigan’s teen daughters feel the urge to watch their mom’s American Pie movie of these days, that’s a moment that the talented actress claims she’ll “dread the most” and isn’t ready for. But if those kids fall under the spell of Taylor Swift’s “So High School” reference about watching the sexy cult classic, then everyone in the household will know all about Michelle’s time at band camp. Keep an eye out on our 2024 movie releases so you don’t miss a beat on the latest movies coming to theaters or streaming.

This one time, at band camp… Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something else. But, nearly 25 years ago, American Pie hit theaters and a sex-centric, teen comedy franchise was launched. Multiple generations have since enjoyed the raunchy adventures of Jim Levenstein, Michelle Flaherty and their friends. And among those that the films have struck a chord with is the one and only Taylor Swift. The music icon’s love for the IP is so strong that she even shouted it out in one of her newest songs. Michelle actress Alyston Hannigan – who’s a noted Swiftie – is more than aware of the sweet nod. Just recently, she humorously and excitedly recalled how she learned about it, and it seems her family was “less enthusiastic” at the time.

Universal Pictures’ classic film series was name-dropped in “So High School,” one of the tracks that present on the second volume of her album The Tortured Poets Department. During the song, the Grammy winner muses, “I'm watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night / Your friends are around, so be quiet.” In the grand scheme of the piece itself, but it’s a firm testament to the cultural impact of the film. (It’s also a nice reprieve from some of the more heartbreaking lyrics on Swift’s album.)

Alyson Hannigan recently caught up with Vulture, during which she answered a bevy of behind-the-scenes questions related to the 1999 flick. Eventually, talk turned to the tribute featured in the “Blank Space” performer’s latest album. To say that Hannigan was pumped about it would be a serious understatement. During the interview, the actress reminisced about waiting for the midnight release of TTPD and eventually learning about the second volume, which includes the shoutout. What’s really chuckle-worthy here, though, is how her family factored into all of this: 

I imagine that a number of Swifties would love to be in the American Pie cast member’s shoes right now. Well, more specifically, they’d surely be envious of the fact that a film Hannigan was in was honored by Taylor Swift. Aside from that though, I’m not sure they’d want to face the wrath of an unhappy family that’s been forcefully woken up by someone “freaking out” over music. Still, it’s very easy to understand why the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum would be so hyped.

I imagine that a number of Swifties would love to be in the American Pie cast member’s shoes right now. Well, more specifically, they’d surely be envious of the fact that a film Hannigan was in was honored by Taylor Swift. Aside from that though, I’m not sure they’d want to face the wrath of an unhappy family that’s been forcefully woken up by someone “freaking out” over music. Still, it’s very easy to understand why the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum would be so hyped. 

American Pie, which cast member Thomas Ian Nicholas originally thought was a porno, has impacted the cultural zeitgeist in a way that few films before or after it have. Even today, you may still find someone who references Steve “The Stifmeister” Stifler or yells “MILF.” And, of course, who could forget Jim’s infamous pie scene, which caused a freakout for actor Jason Biggs. There are four movies in the main franchise and, as it stands, a series of five DTV spinoffs have been produced. It’s hard to say whether another true sequel might ever be produced or if fans would even be interested in more. But, if you’re on the fence, Seann William Scott’s comments on the matter, might sway your opinion. 

Whatever the case may be in regard to the franchise’s future, it’s just so great that the series still receives love from people, including Taylor Swift. Alyson Hannigan and her colleagues should be proud of the mark they’ve left on pop culture. I’m sure Hannigan’s family is also proud, though I’m not sure if they’ll ever let her forget that she woke them up amid the album drop.

Those who’d like to check out American Pie can buy or rent it on Prime Video, and there are plenty of other great R-rated comedies you can stream. You can also find newer titles within that genre on the 2024 movie schedule.

Another season of Dancing with the Stars has come and gone. During the Season 32 finale, the judges crowned the inaugural recipients of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, -- Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy. The supersized DWTS finale saw five finalists competing for the trophy for the first time ever. Among them was How I Met Your Mother and Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Alyson Hannigan. The actress put on great performances during the competition, and she's now showing off her fabulous weight loss, which she attributes to the series.

DWTS contestants put in a lot of work when they're on the show, as there's a lot of training and dancing that comes ahead of those stellar performances we see from them. Alyson Hannigan showed the results of all the hard work with a side-by-side she shared on Instagram. She revealed she lost 20 pounds of “both weight and emotional baggage” during her time on the long-running show. She attributed it all to her partner, Sasha Farber, for helping her shed her insecurities and getting her to the “confident and strong place” she is today. Check out the post:

The actress has not only became a surprising fan-favorite on Dancing with the Stars, but it sounds like the experience more or less changed her life. While she was previously dubbed a “drama queen” on DWTS, that didn't discourage her, as she went all the way to the finals and came in fifth place. This reveal lends truth to the notion that dancing is not only a form of expression, but it can help an individual grow as a person. One would think that the star will never forget her time on the show, given how it's apparently helped her grow as a person. 

When Alyson Hannigan spoke to CinemaBlend about her goals in October, she expressed her happiness to be improving weekly and wanted to continue doing that. She noted that “learning how to learn has been really fascinating.” She probably didn’t expect to make it so far, nonetheless, find herself in the finals. It was entertaining to watch her improve from week to week, and she also had some pretty memorable routines, such as her Buffy and Twilight-inspired Monster Night dance.

DWTS Season 32 was widely buzzed about -- and even before it actually began. Julianne Hough was confirmed to replace Tyra Banks as co-host, and she and Alfonso Ribeiro co-hosted perfectly throughout the season. Also, the series returned to ABC after it was exclusively available for Disney+ subscribers for two season, though it still aired simultaneously on the streaming platform this year. The final change was the timeslot switch from Tuesdays from Mondays for the 2023 TV schedule.

Looking back, it was entertaining and inspiring watching Alyson Hannigan absolutely kill it every week on Dancing with the Stars. And what's even sweeter about all that now is that the experience proved to be transformative for her. While a new crop of celebrities will be competing on Season 33, it won't be surprising if Hannigan decides to keep up with her dancing routine as a way to stay active and happy. I don't know about you, but I'm excited for her -- and would even love to see her on an all-star season.

During this week’s episode of Dancing With The Stars, How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan and her dance partner Sasha Farber nabbed themselves a place in the show’s finale after jiving to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. But, in a funny exchange with Season 32’s new host, Julianne Hough, the sitcom actress got super confused about how the 35-year-old could have been in one of the best movies of the ‘80s.    

And, hey she’s right. Hough was a toddler when 1984’s Footloose came out. What Hannigan must have been confused about during the hilarious moment was the fact that the DWTS host was in the 2011 remake. Check out how the interaction went as the co-host stood with the actress and her partner awaiting their scores for the jive: 

Sasha Farber: “Weren’t you in the movie Footloose?”
Julianne Hough: “Indeed, I was.”
Alyson Hannigan: “Were you a baby?”
Julianne Hough: “I was a baby.” 

Alyson Hannigan looked rather surprised when her dance partner pointed out that their host had been part of Footloose during the “Semi-Finals” episode. The actress must not know there was a remake as she hilariously asked Hough if she was “a baby” in the movie. But in true professional fashion, the co-host brushed off the comment, admitting she “was a baby,” likely referring to the fact that she was just 23 when the film came out. 

Now in Hannigan’s defense, the 2011 remake of Footloose flew under the radar when it came out. When it arrived in theaters, its box office was overshadowed by Shawn Levy’s Real Steel, which won the weekend instead and barely cracked the top 100 highest-grossing movies worldwide of that year, in 98th place (per Box Office Mojo). The original Footloose on the other hand was the seventh highest-grossing movie of 1984. While the original Footloose starring Kevin Bacon is more popular, the remake actually has its big fans.

Even so, after Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber spent the week practicing the jive for “Footloose,” one would have thought that Julianne Hough’s remake might have come up somewhere given her legacy with Dancing With The Stars. Oh well. If anything, the moment was an instance of humbleness for Hough, who won two seasons of DWTS before being a judge for the show and replacing Tyra Banks this season following her exit after three seasons as host.

This Tuesday, December 5, Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber will compete for the title of Dancing With The Stars champions against reality star Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov, The Bachelor’s Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach and Marvel star Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, the latter of which had a perfect score in the Nov. 29 episode. You can catch up with DWTS now either with a Disney+ subscription or Hulu subscription. 

Spoilers ahead for the Monster Night episode of Dancing with the Stars.

Dancing with the Stars took a spooky turn on Halloween with Monster Night, which put the celebrities through their hardest training yet while also decking all the dancers out in spectacular costumes. There were plenty of memorable moments, ranging from the slight scare when it appeared that Xochitl "Little Marvelette" Gomez's partnership with Val Chmerkovskiy had resulted in injury to Lele Pons' story about a gigantic Halloween bash. One of my favorite dances of the night was Alyson Hannigan's, which channeled Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight in a performance that I think deserved more points.

While Hannigan appeared in more episodes of How I Met Your Mother than Buffy, I'd say that she may be more iconic in pop culture for playing Willow in the supernatural drama than Lily in the sitcom. For her paso doble with pro partner Sasha Farber on Monster Night, the actress wore a set of vampire fangs and donned a wig that I would say is Willow-esque! Viewers were bound to feel the Buffy vibes with Hannigan wearing fangs, but it was the song choice that had me thinking about the Cullens. Hannigan and Farber danced their paso doble to "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse.

That song undoubtedly had Twilight fans thinking about the iconic scene of the Cullens playing baseball with a thunderstorm blowing in. I'm no expert on the franchise, and even I was flashing back to the scene that sent cast members to cat school! Buffy meeting Twilight all but guaranteed that Hannigan would have one of the most memorable dances of the night:

Alyson Hannigan actually got a lot of love from the judges (including The Rookie: Feds star and former DWTS celeb Niecy Nash as a guest judge), and even her first 8 of the season from Bruno Tonioli. Still, she only received a total score of 29, which placed her just above Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold, who came in last. Hannigan did get a bonus two points from the dance marathon, and enough votes from fans to make it to the next round! 

Her dream of making it to a potential Taylor Swift night hasn't been dashed, and I think she's learning to embrace her "drama queen" persona. Still, I would have gotten her to at least 30 if I'd been on that judges panel. Sadly, the DWTS journey had to end for another pair, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Mauricio Umansky was eliminated along with pro partner Emma Slater. 

There are still plenty of stars in the running for the newly-named Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, so be sure to keep tuning in to new episodes of Dancing with the Stars Season 32 on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. If you prefer streaming to watching network TV, you can also watch on Tuesday nights with a Disney+ subscription.

Spoilers ahead for Motown Night of Dancing with the Stars Season 32.

Dancing with the Stars moved on from Latin Night with some classic tunes for Motown Night, which included everything from The Temptations to The Contours to The Jackson 5. It was also the end of the DWTS journey for model Tyson Beckford and partner Jenna Johnson, who were eliminated after earning a score of 20 from regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli as well as guest judge Michael Strahan. The judges in fact got a lot of boos during Motown Night, but I kept thinking back to what some of the celebrity dancers have said about their partners.

The judges weren’t handing out top scores to every pair, with only Grammy-winner Jason Mraz (who came into DWTS with low expectations) with pro Daniella Karagach and Vanderpump Rules alum Ariana Madix with pro Pasha Pashkov earning 9s on Motown Night. Like earlier episodes of Season 32, the audience watching live in the theater would loudly boo whenever the judges dropped some particularly negative feedback, with Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba getting the most heat. 

I’m not the only one who has noticed, as fans on social media were buzzing about the boos, and not necessarily to agree with the audience drowning out the criticism. Many of the celeb contestants have spoken about taking the comments from the judges to heart and using them to improve from week to week, with Alyson Hannigan crediting the notes for helping her approach to Latin Week… and shouting out Bruno Tonioli for calling her a “drama queen.”

Of course, who stays and who leaves on Dancing with the Stars isn’t entirely up to the judges, and viewers voting from home can also determine the star who remains in the running for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Plus, even if the judges aren’t always overflowing with compliments to get cheers from the audience, there has been lots of love between the celebrities and their pro partners. 

When I spoke with Jason Mraz earlier in Season 32 after his reveal about his reptilian extra vertebra, he credited partner Daniella Karagach as “an amazing teacher” and a “great choreographer” who “is definitely a superwoman.” He also shared the piece of advice that he got from his partner before their first dance that helped him tie for second place in the premiere: 

Xochitl Gomez came to DWTS after joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as part of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, and she was partnered with two-time winner Val Chmerkovskiy. When I spoke with the 17-year-old actress ahead of Latin Night about her “Little Marvelette” nickname courtesy of Bruno Tonioli, she had plenty of praise for her partner and how he handled dancing with Zendaya years earlier:

Gomez also had some insight on Chmerkovskiy early on beyond what he accomplished as Zendaya’s partner. She shared: 

How I Met Your Mother star Alyson Hannigan was actually sick on the morning of Motown Night, to the point that it wasn’t guaranteed that she’d feel up to performing at her best with Sasha Farber to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” She only had good things to say about working with him after their big improvement in scores from the first night. On top of sharing her dream for a Taylor Swift Night, Hannigan said about her partner:

While it remains to be seen if the crowd will stop booing the judges while they give their feedback to the performers as Season 32 continues, it’s nice to know that partnerships are going so well. The next episode is going to be Disney 100 in celebration of Disney hitting its 100th anniversary, and it should mean plenty of fun and nostalgia for Disney fans, even if it will also mean the end of the DWTS journey for one celebrity.

Tune in to ABC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of Dancing with the Stars in the 2023 TV schedule, or watch streaming via a Disney+ subscription.

Dancing with the Stars has already said goodbye to two celebrity competitors for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy so far in Season 32, but How I Met Your Mother alum Alyson Hannigan is still going strong in the wake of her Latin Night tango with pro dancer Sasha Farber. The pair will foxtrot to Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for Motown Night on October 10, and Hannigan spoke with CinemaBlend to reflect on being called a "drama queen" by judge Bruno Tonioli as well as performing live.

Alyson Hannigan was one of the most improved from Week 1 to Week 2, going from a score of 13 for their salsa up to a 19 for their tango. The judges complimented her and Sasha Farber for delivering on the tango, and specifically noted that the sitcom veteran truly got into character with the sensuality and drama needed for the dance. Of course, Hannigan is arguably best known for delivering laughs in How I Met Your Mother, so how did it feel for the actress to be called a "drama queen" by Bruno Tonioli? I asked that very question, and she shared:

The longtime DWTS judge definitely meant "drama queen" as a compliment, and he's never short on fun descriptions of the celebrity dancers. Jason Mraz, who originally had "low expectations" for his time on the show, was described with partner Daniella Karagach as "two coral snakes writhing under the tropical moonlight" by Bruno Tonioli, and Tonioli is responsible for giving Xochitl Gomez her "Little Marvelette" nickname. He gave Hannigan his stamp of approval for bringing drama to the tango!

When I spoke with Hannigan ahead of Motown Night, I noted that she looked much more confident in Week 2 than Week 1 (both available streaming with Disney+ subscriptions), and she confirmed that she "definitely" felt that in her second performance with Sasha Farber. She continued:

Getting a bump of six points from week to week certainly proved that taking the judges' notes paid off for the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress. Hannigan also credited her daughter and Season 31 champion Charli D'Amelio for inspiring her approach after her first score. She explained:

While it remains to be seen how this method works for Alyson Hannigan for "AIn't No Mountain High Enough" on Motown Night, it has been a success for her so far. Plus, the process of taking notes helped her feel "comfortable" while she rehearsed, as she said: 

Considering that the actress is credited with more than 350 episodes of television between just How I Met Your Mother and Buffy without accounting for all of her other roles, it's no wonder that she was more in her element when she realized that her notes could be like a script for her. Dancing with the Stars airs live on ABC, so I asked what it has been like her to perform live rather than off of a script. Hannigan said: 

It remains to be seen if she'll channel her inner drama queen again for Motown Night, but "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" seems like the kind of song that could reveal yet another side of Hannigan as a dancer. The foxtrot definitely isn't another tango, but you can revisit her Latin Night performance here: 

Tune in to ABC on Tuesday, October 10 at 8 p.m. ET for Motown Night of Dancing with the Stars Season 32, or stream with a Disney+ subscription. Alyson Hannigan also shared her hopes for a Taylor Swift Night later this season, so be sure to vote for her if you want to see her advance!

Dancing with the Stars is heading into Week 3 of Season 32, with two celebrity dancers already eliminated. How I Met Your Mother and Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Alyson Hannigan is still in the running for the newly-named Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, and she spoke with CinemaBlend after her Latin Night tango resulted in some fantastic scores from the judges. Hannigan opened up about her hopes for the rest of the season, including one that involves Taylor Swift. I'm already thinking that Swift's "Wildest Dreams" would be a great song choice for her, if she gets the chance!

Alyson Hannigan and pro dance partner Sasha Farber weren't quite on top after Week 1, when their salsa earned a score of 13 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. After taking their notes, the pair delivered a Latin Night tango that earned them a six-point bump up to 19. This made them one of the most improved duos of the week. The actress-turned-DWTS dancer shared that she's "so happy" after improving so much from Week 1 to Week 2, and explained a big goal moving forward:

Considering that most pairs didn't get a boost as impressive as six points (and some even dropped from Week 1 to Week 2), Alyson Hannigan's plan to keep improving is already working for her and Sasha Farber. Learning a complicated new dance each week is no small task, and she's moving on to a foxtrot for Week 3 with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's iconic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for Motown Night.

When I spoke with her on October 6, with a few days to spare before the next episode, she shared her thoughts on whether gaining more confidence on Latin Night will carry over to her foxtrot:

Like fellow competitor Jason Mraz with partner Daniella Karagach, Alyson Hannigan has discovered that there are always new challenges even after getting a great score. After all, the celebs don't get to just master one dance and then do that one live every Tuesday! She is definitely learning from week to week, however, as she went on to explain:

A foxtrot will be a different kind of dance for her after starting out with a salsa and moving on to a tango, but if her improvement from Week 1 to Week 2 is any indication, then she and Sasha Farber are a great team. Dancing with the Stars is of course known for fun theme nights, which have ranged from Disney Night with spectacular costumes to a thrilling James Bond Night to a spooky Horror Night. Alyson Hannigan weighed in with an idea for a possible theme night that she'd like to see in Season 32, but has not been confirmed: Taylor Swift Night. The actress said: 

While it remains to be seen if Dancing with the Stars does air a Taylor Swift Night, fans should have a lot to look forward to with Motown Night on October 10. In addition to Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber performing a foxtrot to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," other iconic songs will include "My Guy" with Xochitl "Little Marvelette" Gomez (who got her nickname from Bruno Tonioli) and Val Chmerkovskiy, "My Girl" with former Bachelorette Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev, and "Do You Love Me" from Grammy-winner Jason Mraz (who originally had "low expectations" for DWTS) and Daniella Karagach. 

As for how well Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber did in Latin Week to be one of the most improved pairs of Season 32, take a look at their tango:

Tune in to ABC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of Dancing with the Stars Season 32, or stream with a Disney+ subscription. Jamie Lynn Spears was the latest celebrity to be eliminated from the hit show, and Motown Night on October 10 will be the end of the road for another celebrity. 

Actress Melanie Lynskey has had a long, successful career that spanned both film and television. She’s having a serious moment right now thanks to her acclaimed work in Showtime’s Yellowjackets, which recently ended its second season. Although it turns out that she could have another iconic TV role on her long resume. Because Lynskey revealed she was nearly cast as Willow on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. What’s more, she explained what went wrong.

Full disclosure: Buffy is my favorite show of all time. So it’s mind-blowing to learn that Melanie Lynskey almost played everyone’s favorite witch Willow. The role famously went to Alyson Hannigan, who played her for all seven seasons of the series. The Ever After actress recently did an interview with Evan Ross Katz, where she shared the true story about her Buffy experience. In her words:

Well, there you have it. While we’re arguably in the golden age of television now, there was a time when ending up on the small screen was not ideal for film actors. Melanie Lynskey was seemingly influenced by this as Buffy the Vampire Slayer was being developed, and originally didn’t want to transition from film to TV. And as such, she originally didn’t want to audition for the role of beloved Scooby Gang member Willow. Although admittedly it’s hard to imagine anyone but Alyson Hannigan in the role. And in the end Lysnkey would go on to star in Two and a Half Men, and (of course) Yellowjackets.

But the story behind Lynskey and Buffy doesn’t end there. Because despite her reservations, she was eventually convinced to try out for the developing project. Later in that same interview, she revealed how the unaired pilot changed her mind, and made her want to join in on the fun as Willow Rosenberg. As she shared:

Talk about emotional whiplash. While at first it seemed like Melanie Lynskey could easily play Willow thanks to her relationship with Joss Whedon, it didn’t exactly go down that way. And to her recollection, it was her clothing choices in the audition that resulted in her missing out on the role. Although she has no ill-will, especially towards actress Alyson Hannigan.

Knowing all of this, it’s somewhat surprising that Lynskey didn’t at least pop up in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a guest capacity. The show ran for seven seasons, and Joss Whedon was the showrunner throughout. So there were 144 episodes where she could have had a role, either as a human or demonic creature. Now I've got FOMO.

In the end things probably worked out for the best. Hannigan gave an iconic performance as Willow, while Melanie Lynskey went on to a number of exciting projects. And she’s finally a full-fledged TV star thanks to Yellowjackets. Lynskey also recently appeared in The Last Of Us, playing a character made especially for the show.

Buffy is available to stream on Hulu, while Yellowjackets airs on Showtime. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch. 

When it comes to some of the best coming of age films, one of the first ones that always comes to mind is American Pie. While it’s not as emotional as other movies in the same genre, such as the Hailee Steinfeld-led The Edge of Seventeen or The Perks of Being a Wallflower, this film series has cemented itself as one of the funniest coming of age movies out there - and that’s only continued with its subsequent sequels. 

With such a large ensemble, one might wonder where the American Pie cast is now after more than twenty years since its 1999 premiere. From Jason Biggs to Natasha Lyonne, this is what they’ve been up to - and what they’ve starred in.  

Jason Biggs (Jim)

Hands down one of the most known cast members of American Pie is the main man himself, Jason Biggs, who played Jim - you know, that character that goes hand-in-hand with apple pies everywhere. Biggs himself since his big role in American Pie has been quite active in both movies and TV. 

In regards to movies, he’s starred in several hilarious comedies, such as Saving Silverman, Boys and Girls, Over Her Dead Body, My Best Friend’s Girl and more, while also simultaneously appearing in other American Pie sequels. 

Television has been where Biggs has really shined. For a couple of seasons, Biggs was a part of the Orange is the New Black cast on Netflix, playing Larry Bloom. He’s also a part of the comedy, Outmatched, as part of the main cast, and has guest-starred on several shows, such as The Good Fight, Deadbeat and more. I’m sure it’ll only be a matter of time before he pops up on TV once again. 

Alyson Hannigan (Michelle)

Remember that one time at band camp? Michelle sure does in American Pie, played by Alyson Hannigan. Since her role in the teen comedy, Hannigan has made a name for herself in Hollywood. 

With movies, she reprised her role in several of the American Pie sequels, but other than that, she appeared in the Disney+ original movie, Flora & Ulysses, the comedies, Love, Wedding, Marriage and Date Movie, and more. 

Like Biggs, TV is where Hannigan has stood out the most. After American Pie, she went on to have two major main roles in very popular shows - continuing playing Willow Rosenberg as part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast, and playing Lily Aldrin in How I Met Your Mother. Recently, she’s taken on roles such as the host of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, a main voice role in Fancy Nancy, and several guest appearances on TV shows. 

Seann William Scott (Steve Stifler)

Playing Steve Stifler in American Pie was Seann William Scott, and just like his co-stars, Scott has done a lot in both movies and TV. With movies, he’s appeared in several hilarious comedies such as Dude, Where’s My Car?, Mr. Woodcock, Road Trip and more, as well as stepping into other genres, such as the horror film, Final Destination, or the sports comedy, Goon and its sequel. 

Scott has also proven himself to be a talented voice actor as well, voicing Crash from the Ice Age film series for several of its movies. Scott also had the main role of Wesley Cole in the TV series, Lethal Weapon, and will play Father Joe in the Fox TV series, Welcome to Flatch.

Eugene Levy (Jim's Father)

While Levy's fame has only grown in recent years, it wasn’t long ago that one of his most hilarious roles was playing Mr. Levenstein in American Pie, otherwise known as Jim’s father. 

Since his appearance in the film, Levy has appeared in a variety of movies and TV shows. While he reprised his role for several American Pie sequels, he appeared in movies such as New York Minute, Curious George, Taking Woodstock, Goon, Finding Dory and more. He's also well known for his work (appearing in and co-writing) on numerous Christopher Guest movies (Best In Show, Waiting for Guffman, etc.). 

Arguably, Eugene Levy’s biggest work since his time in the American Pie series was co-creating the hit comedy, Schitt’s Creek, alongside his son, Dan Levy, and being a part of the Schitt’s Creek cast. However, Levy has also appeared in other shows as well as a guest or a recurring character, like Package Deal, Greg the Bunny and others. 

Tara Reid (Vicky)

Another famous face from American Pie is Tara Reid, who played Vicky in the series. After her role in the original movie, Tara Reid reprised her role for a couple of the American Pie sequels, and went on to star in a lot of comedies and independent films. 

Some of these include Josie and the Pussycats, Van Wilder, My Boss’s Daughter and more. Reid had a main role as April Wexler in the TV film series, Sharknado, from 2013 to 2018. Reid has also guest-starred in many shows whether as herself or a character, such as the Amazon original series, The Boys, Hell’s Kitchen and more. 

Chris Klein (Oz)

Moving on, now we have Oz from American Pie, played by Chris Klein. Since his appearance in the first film, Klein has popped up in many roles in both movies and television. With film, he reprised the role of Oz in several of the American Pie sequels, as well as appeared in movies such as The United States of Leland, Just Friends, Caught in the Crossfire, Game of Aces, Ron’s Gone Wrong and more. 

Klein has also made a career for himself in television as well. His most recent role is playing Bill Townsend in the Netflix original series, Sweet Magnolias, but he’s appeared in many other shows. For example, he played Cicada in the CW original show, The Flash, for Season 5, voiced Dash in TRON: Uprising, appeared in The Good Guys, had a recurring role in Wilfred and many other parts. 

Natasha Lyonne (Jessica)

Natasha Lyonne as Jessica in American Pie will always be one of my favorite roles in a teen comedy, because she just knocked it out of the park. Since her appearance in the movie, Lyonne has made a name for herself, both in movies and TV. 

Lyonne, in terms of movies, has made a living appearing in comedies and independent films, such as Sleeping with Other People, Hello, My Name Is Doris, the body horror movie, Antibirth, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and more. 

Television, however, is Lyonne’s bread and butter in my opinion, as she has appeared in several amazing shows. Like Biggs, Lyonne was a part of the Orange is the New Black cast as Nicky, and then went on to have her own show on Netflix, titled Russian Doll, which was nominated for Primetime Emmy awards. In addition to that, she’s also appeared as a guest star or recurring character on many other TV shows, like Girls and Portlandia. 

Mena Suvari (Heather)

Heather has always been one of my favorite characters from American Pie just because I really liked her relationship with Oz, and she was played by Mena Suvari. Since her appearance in the role, Suvari has reprised the character for a couple of the sequels, as well as made a name for herself in movies and TV. 

The same year that American Pie came out, Suvari turned heads in the Academy-Award winning movie, American Beauty, showing her talent as an actress. Afterwards, she would appear in several other movies such as Loser, Sugar & Spice, You May Not Kiss the Bride, The Opposite Sex, The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, and many more. She also had a role in Ron’s Gone Wrong, voicing B-Bot. 

Suvari has also appeared in many TV shows. Some of her more prominent roles include playing Edie in the HBO limited series, Six Feet Under, portraying the Black Dahlia in American Horror Story: Murder House (which she reprised in American Horror Story: Apocalypse), appearing as Maria Abascal in South of Hell, and playing Kathleen in American Woman.

Shannon Elizabeth (Nadia)

Next up, we have Nadia, one of Jim’s love interests in American Pie, played by Shannon Elizabeth. Since her appearance in American Pie, Elizabeth has reprised the role of Nadia in a couple of the American Pie sequels, as well as appearing in other movie roles. Some of her most known are the Christmas movie, Love Actually, the parody film, Scary Movie, the action film, The Outsider and more. 

Elizabeth has also had some prominent roles in television, including playing Brooke in That ‘70s Show and Tiffany Sherwood in Cuts. She’s also had guest appearances in shows like Melissa & Joey, What Not to Wear, and more. 

In 2018, she was a houseguest on Celebrity Big Brother. And in 2019, she returned to her role as Justice for Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. 

Eddie Kaye Thomas (Paul Finch)

Next up, we have Paul Finch in American Pie, played by Eddie Kaye Thomas. Since his appearance in the first movie, Thomas has appeared in many movies, including the sequels to American Pie years later. Some of his other great roles have included playing Andy Rosenberg in the Harold & Kumar comedy film series, appearing as Michael Petunia in Petunia, and playing Dave in Alex & the List, among other smaller films. 

In television, Thomas has had numerous roles. He played Russell in Brutally Normal, Mike Platt in Off Centre, Jeff Woodcock in ‘Til Death, David Kaplan in How to Make it in America, and Tobias in Scorpion. Talk about someone who is busy in the TV industry. He’s also had guest appearances in shows like This Is Us, Outmatched, The Prodigal Son and others. 

Thomas Ian Nicholas (Kevin Myers)

Thomas Ian Nicholas played Kevin Myers in American Pie, and has reprised this role in a couple of the American Pie movies. Some of his other roles that he has appeared in were playing Bill Woodlake in Halloween: Resurrection as part of the Halloween franchise, Sherman’s Way, The Chicago 8, Adverse and Zeroville, as well as smaller film appearances. 

Nicholas has also popped up in several TV shows, from guest parts to recurring roles. This includes having a recurring role on Party of Five, a recurring appearance on Red Band Society, a main role on the animated TV series, Gormiti, some guest roles in shows like Medium and Grey’s Anatomy and more. He also had a guest appearance on the reality cooking show, Hell’s Kitchen. I for one can't wait to see what he does next, whether that be in movies or TV.

Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler’s Mother)

Last but certainly not least, we have Jennifer Coolidge, who played Stifler’s mother in American Pie. Coolidge has had quite the film career while also appearing in a couple of the American Pie sequels. 

She was a part of the Legally Blonde cast, and has appeared in many hit comedy movies such as Zoolander, the Cinderella movie, A Cinderella Story, Austenland, and more, as well as popping up in more serious roles such as Promising Young Woman. One of her most recent appearances in a movie was the Netflix original film, Single All the Way. 

Coolidge has also made a career out of television as well. While appearing in many TV shows as a guest, she’s also had main roles in series’ such as Joey, the teen series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Gravity Falls, The Fungies!, and most recently, the HBO anthology series, The White Lotus. Talk about a stacked resume - and I can't wait to see what she does next. 

You know, I think it’s time for another American Pie reunion. Maybe not as part of the 2022 movies but soon. Anyone up for a sequel? As long as these fantastic actors are in it, I think I’ll love the heck out of it. I also think this just makes me want to eat apple pie - you know, without the giant hole.  

Everyone's mileage varies when it comes to the annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which have been more extra than usual in recent years thanks to hosting choices (or a lack thereof) and the pandemic. This year's televised ceremony on CBS was no different, as Cedric the Entertainer gave viewers some enjoyable moments (like that opening tribute) mixed with some truly baffling attempts at comedy (the non-timely fly callback). Even though the telecast is still happening at the time of this writing, I can already say with confidence that the funniest few minutes of the night went to the "No Emmy Support Group," featuring Jason Alexander, Scott Bakula, Zooey Deschanel, and Alyson Hannigan, along with a couple of special guests.

Check out the hilarious sketch below, and try not to freak the hell out wondering how none of the actors in the video have ever won an Emmy award.

I love that this wasn't a room full of celebs being faux-candid about not having been recognized for their efforts across the past few decades of television, and that it almost immediately went from "Woo, Scott Bakula!" to a metaphorical measuring contest between Bakula and Jason Alexander. ("The Contest" reference intended.) Considering Alexander has shown off his acting chops in dramas here and there, I kinda hope Bakula follows up on his years at NCIS: New Orleans with an offbeat comedy where he can lean into those instincts. He could get a sixth mansion going that route.

In the years since Seinfeld ended, it seems wild to think that Jason Alexander lost out on Emmys to his co-star Michael Richards, but that's how it goes, I guess. He obviously lost to other actors as well, so we can't hold too many grudges. But hey, since HBO Max is doing a dramatized version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, what if somebody created a dramatized version of George Costanza's life? I feel like either Paul Dano would kill it in that role, with Michael Shannon as Kramer. But seriously, that shouldn't happen.

And with ABC's upcoming The Wonder Years reboot premiering soon, it was quite the timely appearance from O.G. star Fred Savage, who has somehow never won an Emmy either for his work as Kevin Arnold — he was nominated twice, in 1989 and 1990 — or for his directing work. Now, while Dr. Phil McGraw doesn't have any Primetime Emmys on his shelves, he has technically won Daytime Emmys, so he was the reigning champ in the room in that respect.

While there are obvious optics issues with having a Black host talk to a room full of white actors about their Emmy woes, we'll just recognize that and move on, since the segment itself didn't dig into those topics. And Cedric the Entertainer did get confirmation in another silly moment that it isn't impossible for him to win an Emmy next year. Speaking of...

Maybe Jason Alexander will win a Guest Star Emmy for his upcoming work on ABC's The Conners. Maybe Zooey Deschanel will win for her hosting work on The Celebrity Dating Game. Fred Savage could win for directing The Wonder Years' reboot pilot. Maybe Alyson Hannigan and Scott Bakula will win for something that hasn't come out yet. Anything can happen!

While waiting to see if any of that happens, check out everything heading to TV soon with our 2021 Fall TV schedule.

Apparently not every superhero story available on Disney+ is ripped from the pages of Marvel Comics. However, Squirrel Girl does have a few things in common with the heroic protagonist of the streaming platform’s latest original movie, which Alyson Hannigan stars in. The former How I Met Your Mother actress is not only member of the Flora & Ulysses cast you are bound to recognize.

Based on the Newbery Medal-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo from 2013, this family film from director Lena Khan follows a 10-year-old girl named Flora who is struggling to come to grips with her parents’ divorce. Her much-needed choice of escape is reading comic books about costumed avengers, which soon becomes a part of her reality in the unexpected form of a squirrel whom she names Ulysses. After discovering that her new furry, woodland friend has been gifted with superpowers, they then embark on adventures that, while rarely leaving the backyard, are nothing short of exciting.

Like most other films of that (technically) fall under the superhero genre, Flora & Ulysses, available to stream on Disney+ as of Friday, February 19, boasts a cast of many beloved A-listers and lesser known, promising talents alike. See if you can remember where you may have spotted some of its main performers in our breakdown of their best-known work up to this point, starting with its central (human) heroine.

Matilda Lawler (Flora Buckman) 

One-half of the titular duo in Flora & Ulysses is first leading role for Matilda Lawler. The young actress, who also made her Broadway debut at 10 years old in 2019’s production of The Ferryman, made her screen acting debut that same year on a Halloween episode of Evil - a hit supernatural crime procedural on CBS. She would revisit that genre in the 2020 sci-fi film The Block Island Sound and will again (but with far more grounded themes) when she plays Mackenzie Davis’ younger self in Station Eleven - an upcoming miniseries set in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

John Kassir (Ulysses)

Providing the chirps and squeaks of Flora’s loyal, super-powered, furry friend Ulysses is John Kassir, whose voice you have surely heard in something, such as Disney’s live action 2016 remake of Pete’s Dragon (in which he played Elliot), animated series like Adventure Time (in which he played multiple roles), and video games such as the Final Fantasy franchise, to name only a handful. You may have also seen his face here and there on crime series like CSI: Miami or in a 2000 made-for-TV Three Stooges biopic in which he played Shemp. However, the actor’s most iconic role is The Crypt Keeper, whom he voiced for seven seasons on Tales from the Crypt and wherever else the character has appeared since.

Alyson Hannigan (Phyllis Buckman)

Long before playing Flora’s mother in Flora & Ulysses, Alyson Hannigan dealt a lot with beings much like the Crypt Keeper on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Willow Rosenberg. Not long after the hit supernatural series’ end, the American Pie franchise star made comedy a more definable part of her career when she was cast as Lily Aldrin on How I Met Your Mother. Outside of hosting Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Hannigan has since kept her feet in both waters, appearing in the 2018 horror-comedy You Might Be the Killer, playing Kim Possible’s mother in a live action adaptation of the Disney Channel cartoon, and marrying Mira Sorvino in Dodie & Cheryl Get Hitched, which is now in pre-production.

Ben Schwartz (George Buckman)

It was Ben Schwartz who brought Sonic the Hedgehog to life in 2020’s big screen adaptation of the popular video game franchise, but he is experiencing a role reversal by starring opposite a CGI animal as a single father in Flora & Ulysses. The Emmy-winning comedian first gained mainstream appeal as fan-favorite recurring character Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on Parks and Recreation before becoming a series regular on the Don Cheadle-led Showtime dramedy House of Lies and lending his voice to the likes of Bob’s Burgers, Robot Chicken, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He also found success on Netflix playing Rutabaga Rabitowitz Bojack Horseman, a media relations handler on Space Force, and collaborating with his improvisational comedy partner Thomas Middleditch on a trilogy of live specials.

Danny Pudi (Miller)

Ben Schwartz also plays Dewey on the latest DuckTales reboot, in which Huey is voiced by Danny Pudi - who is channeling the Darkest Timeline’s iteration of Abed Nadir to play the villain of Flora & Ulysses. After Community’s final curtain call in 2015, the Chicago-native would play an insurance agent at a company specializing in superhero-related accidents on Powerless, an unrecognizable alien in Star Trek Beyond, and has many more voice acting credits, including Disney Junior’s Mira, Royal Detective. This latest family film is his second collaboration with director Lena Khan after her 2016 feature-length debut The Tiger Hunter.

Kate Micucci (Rita)

Another DuckTales star appearing in Flora & Ulysses is Kate Micucci - also a prolific voice actress additionally known for playing Sadie in Steven Universe, Clayface in The LEGO Batman Movie, and Velma in several Scooby-Doo iterations for years. She has also cemented herself as one of the most acclaimed comedic voices of her generation as one-half of the folk parody duo Garfunkel and Oates and acclaimed films such as Don’t Think Twice. You might have also seen in her recurring roles on sitcoms such as The Big Bang Theory and Raising Hope and with her Flora & Ulysses co-star Alyson Hannigan on a Season 2 How I Met Your Mother cameo.

Bobby Moynihan (Stanlee)

Believe it or not, there is a fourth DuckTales veteran in the cast of Flora & Ulysses: Bobby Moynihan, who first followed up nine years on Saturday Night Live with the short-lived sitcom Me, Myself, and I in 2017. However, he at least got to be a part of the Star Wars universe with multiple voice roles in multiple related projects, unlike his The Book of Henry director and friend Colin Trevorrow. More recently, the actor plays the titular weed-dealing manatee of the animated series Loafy, plays the communications director for Ted Danson on Mr. Mayor, and will star as Paul Revere in the upcoming musical comedy America: The Motion Picture.

Anna Deavere Smith (Mrs. Meescham)

Actress, writer, and producer Anna Deavere Smith has never voiced a role on DuckTales, but has been in many political dramas, on both the big screen (Dave and The American President) and the small screen (The West Wing and Madam Secretary). The Flora & Ulysses star has also delved into medical TV shows like Nurse Jackie, a few legal dramas (most recently For the People), sitcoms like Black-ish, and even an episode of the Arrowverse hit Legends of Tomorrow in 2016. Her other notable film credits include the Academy Award-winning Tom Hanks drama Philadelphia, director Peter Berg’s 2007 thriller The Kingdom, and, more recently, Can You Ever Forgive Me? opposite Melissa McCarthy.

Nancy Robertson (Tootie Tickham)

Before Flora & Ulysses, the last time Nancy Robertson starred in a Disney-produced adaptation of a beloved children’s novel was in 2010’s Ramona and Beezus, starring Selena Gomez and Joey King as Beverly Clearly’s iconic sibling duo. The Canadian actress is best known as Wanda Dollard on Corner Gas, one of the most popular sitcoms originating from the Great White North (also created by and starring her husband Brent Butt) that has since spawned a movie and animated reboot - both of which she reprised her role for. She also recently lent her voice to The Willoughbys, a hit animated film released exclusively to Netflix in 2020.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (William Spiver)

Before Flora & Ulysses, the last time Benjamin Evan Ainsworth teamed up with a character named Flora was in The Haunting of Bly Manor, Mike Flanagan’s Henry James-inspired follow-up to his Haunting of Hill House miniseries on Netflix. The young British actor only has two other credits to his name at the moment, including an episode of the long-running U.K.-based soap opera Emmerdale Farm in 2018 and the Italian-produced short film The Recycling Man, in which he plays a wheelchair bound boy desperate to save a young woman from the titular villain in a dystopian society.

Emma Oliver (Six-Year-Old Flora)

We also meet Matilda Lawler’s character at a younger age, played by Emma Oliver, who started acting at 5-years-old and, two years, is already one of the busiest child stars of her generation. She made her debut on the recent revival of The X-FIles, followed by playing a younger version of Alexandra Breckenridge’s character on Virgin River and landing a part on Supernatural’s final season in 2020. Flora & Ulysses is also Oliver’s second time working with Ben Schwartz after a brief role in Sonic the Hedgehog, but you can also see her on TNT’s series adaptation of Snowpiercer as Winnie.

It is not always that you see a smaller family film based on a children’s novel with jam-packed with prime talent. Yet, Flora & Ulysses revels in its is star-studded cast, as you can see from the list above. If you have already had the pleasure of streaming Flora & Ulysses, who do you believe gave the best performance?

This poll is no longer available.

Alyson Hannigan’s Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer remains an iconic character within action and supernatural storylines almost 20 years after the series’ finale. ‘90s and early ‘00s kids and teens had the WB show at a time when TV was beginning to explore kick-ass girl power in new ways. Nowadays, Hannigan is raising two daughters of her own with her Buffy co-star and husband Alexis Denisof and plays the mother in Disney+’s latest movie, Flora and Ulysses.

These days there are a lot more female heroes on TV to look up to than when Alyson Hannigan played Willow on Buffy, but the role is still an important part of the actress’ life. When speaking to Hannigan ahead of Flora & Ulysses, I asked about her relationship with showing Buffy to her family. Here’s what she said:

Who wouldn’t want to see their mom be a badass witch if they could? Alyson Hannigan’s daughters are eight and eleven, so it’s understandable why she may have waited up to this point, but they are certainly getting close to the target age. Hannigan is concerned about the supernatural elements of the show, but above all else she doesn’t know if she’s ready yet to unveil her most famous project. She continued:

OK, solid point. Alyson Hannigan’s Willow had a dark period in the series after her true love Tara died in the series. She turned to dark magic and turned against the team, donning black eyes and dark hair. As the actress told CinemaBlend, she thinks her kids would need therapy after gazing upon Dark Willow. But, her daughter is already rocking a similar look at the hands of her older one’s makeup skills. Check it out:

She totally just pulled that off. I’m sure someday Alyson Hannigan’s daughters will check out Buffy, but for now they get to be a part of watching her new Disney movie Flora & Ulysses. The streaming release is about a young girl who finds a super-powered squirrel, who she goes on an adventure with her separated parents, played by Hannigan and Sonic the Hedgehog’s Ben Schwartz.

At the moment, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast is getting more attention than usual since Charisma Carpenter shared accusations of harassment and on-set misconduct regarding the series’ creator Joss Whedon. It should be noted that this interview with Hannigan took place the weekend before Carpenter spoke out and cast members have started speaking out in support for Carpenter’s claims just within the past week.

Flora & Ulysses begins streaming on Disney+ on February 19.

There are a lot of great perks that come with starring in a movie or TV show, but one of the best has to be the fact that some actors are able to take keep props after they wrap. This is especially true when it comes to the stars of long-running TV series. Alyson Hannigan, who played Willow Rosenberg on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for six seasons, recently revealed that she got to keep quite a few props, and she’s found a creative way to use them.

Alyson Hannigan recently explained that she received props from Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s graveyard set, which she actually uses for her Halloween festivities:

I’m sure actors can find a variety of ways to best use items from their former projects, but Alyson Hannigan’s use of Buffy’s graveyard props may be one of the best. Though with so much use, there’s bound to be wear and tear, and the actress further explained to EW that this is the case for her annual props/decorations:

Not many of us probably own authentic props from TV shows or movies, but we can all relate to having old holiday decorations we’ve been using for years. It can honestly be hard to replace them due to sentimental value, which is more than likely how Hannigan feels about her Buffy memorabilia.

Actors are actually more sentimental about props than you might think. Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston keeps several props from the acclaimed show on display in his home and doesn’t mind showing them off when given the chance. Jensen Ackles recently wrapped his last bit of work on Supernatural but was excited to say that he was able to drive off with the show’s famous Impala.

These instances just go to show that many actors are big fans just like us and can appreciate being able to hold on to such incredible props. So if I were Alyson Hannigan, I would do what I can to keep those props safe.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu.

It has been more than 20 years since American Pie hit theaters in the summer of 1999. Jason Biggs led the R-rated ensemble comedy as Jim Levenstein. Fast forward two decades, and Biggs is reuniting with his co-stars on his new Fox series, Outmatched. Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kaye Thomas are both guest-starring on Outmatched. Hannigan played Michelle Flaherty in American Pie, while Thomas took on the role of Paul Finch.

Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kaye Thomas are both guest-starring on Outmatched. Hannigan played Michelle Flaherty in American Pie, while Thomas took on the role of Paul Finch. The two American Pie guest stars will be playing husband and wife, which Jason Biggs and Hannigan ended up playing as the American Pie franchise progressed. Check them out in their Outmatched parts below:

American Pie has some scenes that would not be accepted today. However, this promo from Outmatched appears to totally be cool. Am I the only one who laughed out loud when Maggie Lawson’s Kay said, “down to friend?" in the footage? I am not sure if Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kaye Thomas’ characters are really hitting it off with Lawson and Biggs’ characters.

At one point in the Outmatched promo, the American Pie stars try to leave early in their “friend date.” Things should take some sort of positive turn, depending on who you ask. The kids of Jason Biggs’ Outmatched character apparently take umbrage with their parents’ relationship with their classmates’ parents. They think Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kaye Thomas’s characters are “bad influences,” per EW.

It does appear that Alyson Hannigan’s character will throw back a red solo cup shot in the Outmatched episode. Is that in the middle of the day? It's hard to say if it comes before or after the "friend date."

There is one way to know for sure, and that is to watch the Outmatched episode when it airs Thursday, March 12. You have to suspect that Outmatched may work in a few inside jokes related to American Pie. Sort of like what Last Man Standing has done with Toy Story jokes in the past.

Either way, it is another big screen reunion win for the small screen. Seann William Scott has lined up a pilot at Fox, so maybe he can eventually swing by Outmatched. It would be neat to see Stifler and Jim sharing a scene. You just never know. Television is a rather limitless place right now. Hopefully, Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kay Thomas are setting the trend.

Time will tell what ends up happening. It will not be too much longer before fans of American Pie get a chance to see three of its cast members reunite on the FOX sitcom. New episodes of Outmatched air Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox. The comedy is not the only show airing new! There are also this winter and spring’s premieres.

Kids, in the fall of 2005, CBS premiered a series that would satisfy fans of comedies centered on twenty-something New Yorkers after the Friends cast took their final bow. That show was How I Met Your Mother, which was cleverly framed as the story that Future Ted Mosby (voiced by Bob Saget) recalls to his son and daughter about how he met his wife, only to end up primarily being a chronicle of his bizarre misadventures with his friends as they struggle to navigate adulthood.

Since the sitcom ended in 2014 (to a polarizing response from fans), it has been quite thrilling to see what the cast has gone on to achieve – starring in and even creating an eclectic variety of projects on both the big and small screen. On that note, let's take a look at what the How I Met Your Mother cast has been up to since Future Ted reached the end of his story.

Josh Radnor (Ted Mosby)

Before he was cast serial hopeless romantic Ted Mosby, Josh Radnor’s biggest role was as a high school tour guide in the Not Another Teen Movie cast in 2000. These days – even after directing himself in two acclaimed indie movies (2010’s Happythankyoumoreplease and Liberal Arts from 2012) and leading NBC’s answer to Glee, Rise (which was cancelled in 2018), the central HIMYM character remains his most iconic to date.

More recently, Radnor became a regular on the Amazon Prime original series, Hunters – which proved controversial for its over-the-top depiction of hunting Nazis in the 1970s – lent his voice to the Netflix animated series Centaurworld in multiple roles, and was in the Fleishman is in Trouble cast for FX in late 2022. Two of his latest movies premiered at 2023’s Woodstock Film Festival – Three Birthdays and Ramona at Midlife – and another called All Happy Families was screened at the Chicago Film Festival the same year, according to Deadline.

Cobie Smulders (Robin Scherbatsky)

Being a Canadian who found breakthrough success on TV marks the extent of how Cobie Smulders relates to Robin Scherbatsky, who was one of the first HIMYM characters to cameo on How I Met Your Father – Hulu’s in-universe spin-off. While she was still playing a former pop star with commitment issues on the sitcom, she began her tenure in the MCU as Maria Hill, which tragically ended with her appearance in Disney+’s Secret Invasion cast as the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Some of her most notable credits outside of those definitive roles include Taran Killam’s 2017 directorial debut Killing Gunther, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the title role; portraying Ann Coulter in the third season of FX’s American Crime Story; and playing Tegan and Sara’s mom on the twin singing duo’s autobiographical series, High School. Smulders even has a few other comic book roles under her belt (having led ABC’s short-lived adaptation of the noir graphic novel series, Stumptown, and voiced Wonder Woman for 2019’s The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part) and, according to Screen Daily, will be seen next in a fantasy rom-com called Cupid & Me and a thriller called Sharp Corners.

Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson)

Robin’s one-time husband, Barney Stinson, was the role that revived the career of Neil Patrick Harris years after starring as a teenage licensed physician on Doogie Howser, M.D. and shortly after playing a hilarious, fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle in 2004. Since saying goodbye to the arrogant, womanizing, and still, somehow, likable scene-stealing character, the five-time Emmy winner has led a very eclectic career that includes a pivotal role in David Fincher’s Gone Girl, winning a Tony for Broadway’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and playing Count Olaf in Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, which he also executive produced.

It does not stop there, as Harris would also star in the Matrix Resurrections cast as the main villain, The Analyst; joined the Star Wars universe with a role on the Disney+ animated anthology series Star Wars: Visions; led the Uncoupled cast for Netflix; and played Nic Cage’s agent in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Following his How I Met Your Father cameo and villainous role in the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials cast, Harris returned to theater as the director of the Kennedy Center’s production of tick, tick… BOOM! in February 2024 (via Broadway World) and is still attached to a biopic that will star Ashley Judd as anti-gay rights activist Anita Bryant.

Jason Segel (Marshall Eriksen)

Following his short time in the Freaks and Geeks cast, playing Ted’s best friend – “ahem” ONE of Ted’s best friends – and Lily’s true love, Marshall Eriksen, on HIMYM was Jason Segel’s biggest step toward mainstream success. Another determining factor of this was showing up in some of the best Judd Apatow movies, writing and starring in one of the best romantic-comedy movies in recent memory (2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall), and pulling the same double duty for 2011’s The Muppets.

Segel’s portrayal of David Foster Wallace in 2015’s The End of the Tour was the first of many great, underrated dramatic performances that clued the world into his diverse acting talent – also including the likes of Our Friend, Netflix’s Windfall, and HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The newly signed UTA client (according to Deadline) recently received an Emmy nomination for his lead role in the Shrinking cast for the acclaimed Apple TV+ dramedy series he also co-created with Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence. Also, in late 2023, reprised his Despicable Me movies character, Vector, for an Illumination animated short called Mooned, which showed before Migration.

Alyson Hannigan (Lily Aldrin)

Similar to Harris and Segel, Alyson Hannigan’s HIMYM character – Marshall’s aspiring artist wife, Lily Aldrin – is not her first major TV role, having previously starred in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast as Willow. She also first gained a comedic reputation from her memorable role in the original American Pie cast as that one girl from band camp, Michelle, whom she would reprise thrice more.

With the exception of the Shudder exclusive slasher, You Might Be The Killer, and Lifetime’s 2019 biopic, Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story, Hannigan’s career has only looked brighter in tone in more recent years as the host of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, starring in Disney’s  Flora & Ulysses cast as the title character’s mother, and doing the same thing for Disney Channel’s live action feature-length adaptation of Kim Possible. She also appeared on an episode of Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. – Disney+’s reboot of Harris’ aforementioned breakout show – and in a 2023 Comedy Central original movie Office Race.

Cristin Milioti (Tracy McConnell)

HIMYM’s main ensemble was a quintet for the first eight seasons, until Cristin Milioti was brought in as a series regular in the title role of “The Mother,” whom we would learn in the series finale was named Tracy McConnell. Shortly following this breakthrough casting, the actor appeared in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street cast as Jordan Belfort’s first wife and, following the series’ end, played the female lead of another romantic sitcom with a unique storytelling gimmick for NBC called A to Z, which was cancelled before it finished its first season.

Luckily, Milioti would have plenty more great opportunities coming her way, from appearing on Fargo Season 2, leading one of the best Black MIrror episodes (“U.S.S. Callister”), and falling in love with Andy Samberg over strange circumstances in one of the best movies on Hulu, Palm Springs, to name a few. While her sci-fi series Made for Love is nowhere to be found on Max anymore, she will be returning to the platform as Carmine Falcone’s daughter, Sofia, in the cast of The Penguin  – which paused production in November after she suffered a concussion on set, according to OK! As you wait for that upcoming DC TV show, you can see her comedic mystery thriller The Resort with a Peacock subscription.

No matter what feelings you may have about the series’ controversial conclusion, the cast has made the best How I Met Your Mother episodes worth revisiting and has made the show a beloved staple of sitcom iconography. The way their careers have evolved since is a testament as to why we welcomed them into our homes and hearts in the first place. Ted Mosby probably would have been super jealous of us since we got to find our true love with his show before he found it himself.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast is one of the biggest fan-favorite ensembles in the history of modern TV, and it's likely that the show's fandom will forever call for official TV reunions and revivals. Though that may never happen, most of the principal cast DID reunite this past weekend at Wizard World Portland. Check out Charisma Carpenter's pic of the eleven-member strong reunion below.

On Sunday afternoon, Wizard World's Portland con played host to this reunion for some of Sunnydale High School's most elite students, among others. Unfortunately, the two big stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz were not on hand for the weekend reunion, but they were some of the only show vets that were absent.

Let's namecheck everybody who was there. We obviously have the actress who shared the pic, Charisma Carpenter, who played the conflictual Cordelia, a character that left the flagship series after Season 4. We also have the actress who starred as Buffy's bestie Willow Rosenberg, Alyson Hannigan, who recently appeared in the live-action Kim Possible TV movie on Disney. Fans could also see Amber Benson, who played Willow's love interest Tara Maclay, as well as Hannigan's real-life husband Alexis Denisof, who appeared on the show as ally Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.

Naturally, Spike was also on hand, or at least actor James Marsters was. The current Marvel's Runaways star got caught in the middle of a smooch sandwich between his former co-stars.

Not that the list ends there. Wizard World spectators also got to see Nicholas "Xander Harris" Brendon on the stage, along with Dexter vet Julie "Darla" Benz, The Gifted star Amy "Angel's Winifred Burkle" Acker, James "Clem" Leary, Clare "Glory" Kramer, and Iyari "Kennedy" Limon.

Even Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon got in on the fun. Though it sadly was not on-site in Portland, but rather on Twitter.

Will this west coast reunion be enough to bring all of the original stars of Buffy and Angel back for more? Well, we know the concept is getting a reboot of sorts, which might actually be a continuation, and that several of the stars are interested to see what happens with it. (Most want Joss back on board, to be expected.)

However, no one should ever put any money on original stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz returning in full for any new Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV shows. They've both backed away from any involvement, although Boreanaz did have some kind words to say about it in general.

Plus, Gellar and Boreanaz DID reunite just a couple of weeks ago, sharing a pic of the meet-up on social media.

For now, we know we're not getting a new Buffy show filling out the midseason schedule, but perhaps the future will give fans something more concrete to look forward to.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most beloved genre series of recent memory, and it has naturally come up time and time again as a potential revival with the original cast. The original cast has seemed unlikely to sign on for a revival en masse for a while now, but original head honcho Joss Whedon is now executive producing a new show with what seems to be a new cast. Original series actress Alyson Hannigan, who played Willow on Buffy, shared her thoughts on the revival, saying this:

Alyson Hannigan was clear in her chat with E! News that she doesn't have any inside info on the new Buffy, but she's optimistic that it will be worth watching as long as Joss Whedon is on board. Buffy never would have become the show that it did (and Whedon undoubtedly would not be a household name who went on to direct two of the biggest movies in one of the biggest film franchises in history) without him at the helm. Whether you love him, hate him, or have never seen a single one of his projects, there's no denying that he brought a beloved show to life. Could he do the same with a second Buffy?

Only time will tell. The reboot sounds like it will be a revival insofar as it will be set in the same universe as original recipe Buffy and her pals, but it won't necessarily include any appearances from characters fans already know and love. At least one actor has said that he's on board for a revival, although there would be some serious complications given his character's status as an un-aging supernatural being.

The fact that the new Buffy sounds like it will be a revival rather than a total reboot likely means that a certain Stranger Things star is out of the running to tackle the Willow character, as she suggested on social media. That said, maybe she could play Willow's daughter or other relative. Stranger things in Buffy have happened than Willow having a daughter, and it would open the door for Alyson Hannigan to appear without signing on as a regular or even recurring actor. It's 2018! There are ways for Willow to have a daughter if she decided she wanted one. Maybe she could appear on Buffy a la John Stamos in Fuller House.

Before we start counting on Alyson Hannigan appearing in Buffy 2.0 -- which is likely quite a ways off anyway -- we can at least note that she's much more open to a new show in her series' universe than the Charmed stars were about the upcoming CW show. Hannigan will probably be busy with other projects, including the live-action Kim Possible movie and a very unexpected show.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest and greatest in Buffy news. For some viewing options while we wait, swing by our fall TV premiere schedule.

With San Diego Comic-Con ending for the year, plenty of exciting and unexpected announcements have been made by studios, delighting fans in the process. One of the most shocking announcements to arrive over the weekend was the upcoming Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot. Creator Joss Whedon will help craft the new narrative, but a new actress will be playing the title role, taking on the mantle from Sarah Michelle Gellar. Since there's a new Buffy in town, does that mean we should see new version of other characters like Xander, Giles, or Willow? While it's currently unclear what to expect, Stranger Things actress Shannon Purser (aka Barb) has a Buffy role she'd like to play. And she's making her feelings known.

Does anyone else have chills? While Shannon Purser has been keeping busy in the time since Barb was brutally killed by the Demogorgon in Stranger Things Season 1, playing the new version of Willow Rosenberg in such an iconic property has the potential to be a significant career move for the actress. We'll just have to wait and see if Joss Whedon and new showrunner Monica Owusu-Breen plan on having a brand new cast, or somehow combining both in order to recast Buffy and continue with the show's previous continuity.

Shannon Purser's Tweet is actually kind of brilliant, because she seems tailor made to play a modern Willow in the still developing Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Barb in Stranger Things is still what audiences most closely associate with the actress, and that character has quite a few similarities to Buffy's BFF. Both are socially awkward red heads with a penchant for good grades and rule following. And although Barb ended up being Demogorgon food, Willow was able to mature into a powerful witch and lesbian woman throughout Buffy's seven season run.

The newly announced Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival shocked the show's original fans when it dropped. While whispers of a return to Sunnydale have never truly stopped, it seemed an impossibility due to Joss Whedon's busy schedule and the complete lack of interest from Sarah Michelle Gellar. Buffy without its title character didn't make sense, but now the property will be able to continue without SMG being forced back into long days, night shoots, and tons of fight sequences. The new Buffy will recast the role with a black actress, although no names have been announced.

Meanwhile, Shannon Purser has been keeping busy over the past few years. She's got a recurring role in The CW's Riverdale, playing tertiary character Ethel Muggs for a handful of episodes in the first two seasons, as well as the freshly cancelled musical series Rise. She's also starring in an upcoming Netflix original movie, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser.

You can catch Shannon Purser in Sierra Burgess when it is released September 7, 2018 on Netflix, and CinemaBlend will update you on all new Buffy news. In the meantime, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite show.

She is known for her work in comedies, but How I Met Your Mother's Alyson Hannigan is about to change that up quite a bit. The actress will be trading in levity for gravity, thanks to a new role on an established series. Hannigan has joined the second season cast of the crime drama Pure, and her character is something else. To understand Hannigan's role, you have to know the premise behind it.

Pure follows Ryan Robbins' Noah Funk, a newly-elected Mennonite pastor who leads the charge to rid his community of drugs and sever its ties with the traffickers that have entangled themselves in it. Unfortunately for Noah, his actions only draw him deeper into the drug trafficking mayhem. So where does Alyson Hannigan's character fit it into all of this? Where you would probably not expect her to be given her most popular roles. In fact, the actress is playing a person on the wrong side of the law.

Alyson Hannigan will star on Pure as the clever Esther Dunkel. A lapsed Mennonite whose boyfriend is a lawyer, Esther has been helping him pump a ton of the cartel's money through the local bank. With the authorities zeroing in on her, Esther decides to plan her escape. Will she slip away from the cops? If Esther is as resourceful as she is described in the official character description, then it sounds like she has a strong chance. This is "pure" speculation, but she will possibly set up her boyfriend to take the fall.

Pure sounds compelling and Alyson Hannigan taking on a role that is so different only adds to the allure. You can totally see where she has the acting skills to play this sort of character so it will be intriguing to see what she does with it. Hannigan will begin filming the role exactly one month from now on July 27. Joining Hannigan as new Season 2 cast members are Hell on Wheels' Chris Heyerdahl, Ransom's Zoie Palmer, and Orphan Black's Victor Gomez.

In addition to watching Alyson Hannigan in Pure, you will be able to see her in a lighter capacity as Kim Possible's mom in the upcoming live-action Disney Channel original movie. Wondering when you will get to see Hannigan in Pure? Well, it is not exactly around the corner.

It may be a while before fans in the U.S. get to see Alyson Hannigan take on this dramatic role. The first season of Pure will not premiere on WGN America until early 2019. The second season starring Hannigan will hopefully not be too far behind. For more information about Pure, check out the series' official website. For new and returning television shows you can anticipate watching in the meantime, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.

As fans may recall, a few months ago Disney Channel announced that its mega-popular animated series Kim Possible would be returning. The twist is that it would receive the live-action treatment courtesy of a brand new original movie. Fans curious to find out who will bring the characters to life have gotten more answers, as the movie just cast How I Met Your Mother's Alyson Hannigan in one of its most pivotal roles.

The actress will be playing Kim's brain surgeon mom aka Mom Possible aka Dr. Ann Possible. Talk about perfect casting! Alyson Hannigan is going to totally nail this! Hannigan's spot-on casting should put any fears that the live-action movie will not be able to bring the characters to life, a major sense of relief. Kim's mom is not the only member of the Possible family to join the ensemble.

Connie Ray has been cast as Kim's grandma, Nana Possible. Casting for Kim's rocket scientist dad James and her younger twin brothers, Jim and Tim, is still in the works per TV Line. Kim and her best friend/partner in stopping crime, Ron Stoppable, have already been cast. Newcomer Sadie Stanley will play live-action Kim, and Goldbergs' actor Sean Giambrone will star as Ron.

Joining the cast as new high school student, Athena, is Ciara Wilson. While Kim's childhood frenemy, Bonnie, will be played by Erika Tham. There wouldn't be a "sitch" for Kim to solve if she didn't have some villains to face off with and that's where some other exciting casting news comes into play. Taylor Ortega will play Shego, while 12 Monkeys' Todd Stashwick will bring villain Drakken to life.

Disney Channel is taking a huge risk trying to bring Kim Possible to life when the cartoon is the only way fans know the characters. Plus, crafting fantastical scenes with animation is a lot easier to do than it is with a live-action movie. Hopefully, the cinematographer will be shooting with a slightly surrealistic take that gives the show a sense of hyper-reality. Of course, The Flintstones was brought to life without really doing that.

The movie is set to arrive in 2019, so fans have a while to wait. As Kim would say, it is "no big." There are still some lingering mysteries, such as the involvement of computer wizard Wade, and Ron's pet naked mole rat, Rufus. The plot of the live-action movie is being kept pretty under wraps. We can probably surmise that it will follow in the series' footsteps as Kim works to save the world against impossible odds.

Pass the time awaiting the Kim Possible movie by getting pumped for what's coming up on TV. For the new and returning shows set to arrive over the next few months, check out our guide to TV's summer premieres. To gain better insight into what to expect when summer ends, check out CinemaBlend's 2018 network TV rundown to find out which shows have been cancelled and renewed.

Jimmy Kimmel's late night talk show just recently hosted the mega-ensemble for the biggest movie on the planet, Avengers: Infinity War, which had a lot of very excited eyeballs glued to it. And Kimmel may soon be drawing some viewers to a completely different TV show, as it's been revealed he has joined the cast of ABC's new comedy pilot Man of the House, which also has How I Met Your Mother vet Alyson Hannigan as its lead star.

Fans of Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live! each weeknight don't have to worry that Kimmel is leaving late night TV. He's slated to contribute to Man of the House as the off-camera narrator, so he shouldn't have much trouble juggling his work on the new sitcom and his late night show. Of course, Man of the House is still in the pilot stages, so there's no saying at this point if it will go to series and keep Kimmel busier than ever. That said, Man of the House has a lot going for it with Alyson Hannigan and others in the cast.

Man of the House stars Alyson Hannigan and Leslie Bibb as divorced sisters who move in together despite their many differences for the sake of raising their kids. The story centers on young Bradley, who is the only guy in the household with his mom, his aunt, his sister, and his cousin. Between the women ruling the house at home and the masculine world of football at school, Bradley should have an interesting life. Bradley will be played by Jake Short of A.N.T. Farm and Mighty Med fame. Jimmy Kimmel will voice the adult version of Bradley, which is a narrative device Hannigan will be familiar with after her years on How I Met Your Mother.

The sitcom hails from Frank Pines of Baby Daddy and Vijal Patel of The Mayor. The pilot is inspired by Frank PInes' real-life experiences as a young man raised by his mom and his aunt. THR reports that Pines and Patel are on board as writers and executive producers. It's obviously too soon to say if Man of the House could become ABC's next hit series, but the odds are pretty good that the project will make it past the pilot stage with names like Alyson Hannigan, Leslie Bibb, and Jimmy Kimmel attached. While star power does not a hit show make, it could be enough to get the show on the airwaves long enough for audiences to take a look.

We'll have to wait and see. For now, you can find Jimmy Kimmel on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC as host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! If you're still in the market for other shows now and in the not-too-distant future, swing by our summer TV premiere guide. If streaming is more your style, take a look at our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule and our 2018 Amazon Prime rundown.

How I Met Your Mother has become known as one of those shows whose ending could never live up to its stellar reputation. After years of meticulous build-ups, the series finale of the hit CBS sitcom basically clicked fast-forward through several important life events -- blowing passed the death of the titular "Mother" to end with Ted and Robin together after her divorce from Barney. This dramatic shift proved incredibly jarring for fans, and that dissatisfaction was apparently also felt by HIMYM star Alyson Hannigan, who felt that the Barney-Robin romance was a mistake. among other issues. The actress explained:

How I Met Your Mother shocked its core fanbase when the perma-flirt Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky got together. Their marriage was a novel enough idea for the show to try out in its final set of episodes, but the relatively short length of the finale didn't give the writers enough time to flesh anything before revealing that Robin and Barney ultimately got a divorce after only three years together. The story might have worked on the page, but on screen (with very specific time restrictions), it just didn't pan out the way it needed to.

Alyson Hannigan elaborated further about her dissatisfaction with the How I Met Your Mother finale to News.com.au and explained that far too much vital material from the script ended up removed from the final version of the story. She continued:

Imagine how much more satisfying that finale would've felt if we had been allowed to mourn The Mother properly. It's almost universally agreed that series capper was too economical with its storytelling, cutting far too many corners to come to a swift and satisfying end. In fact, although How I Met Your Mother ran for an incredibly commendable nine seasons on CBS, there's an easy argument to be made that the events from the finale alone could've warranted a tenth batch of episodes. There was simply too much drama that the cast and crew were forced to gloss over, and the final payoff didn't feel earned as a result. And it isn't just viewers that think so.

Of course, there might be an opportunity for the How I Met universe to atone for this particular sin, as the upcoming spin-off (aptly titled How I Met Your Father) is once again back in development. The project is expected to star an entirely new cast of characters, but the folks behind the upcoming project can at the very least learn from the mistakes that bogged down How I Met Your Mother's final episodes, along with fielding questions about bringing the original show back for more.

We will bring you more information related to the upcoming How I Met Your Mother spin-off as new details become available to us. For more particulars concerning this summer's small screen debuts, check out our 2017 summer TV premiere guide!

This poll is no longer available.

How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan has finally found her next big scripted TV project and it’s going to be based on a film from the 1990s. Hold on to your television sets, folks. It’s time for another reboot, and this time the focus will come from the 1996 comedy The First Wives Club.

A Deadline report says that Alyson Hannigan has signed on the the TVLand show The First Wives Club. In a twist on the film, the TV show will feature a younger cast and be set in current day San Francisco. Hannigan will play one of a trio of women, who were all friends and classmates in the ‘90s, who reconnect after finding out that another college friend of theirs has died in a freak accident. When they all realize that their romantic lives are at confusing crossroads, they stick together to help each other navigate the challenges ahead.

Alyson Hannigan has signed on to portray Maggie, who’s an English professor at a local university. The former aspiring poet is incredibly intelligent, but has started to feel stuck in her flagging marriage. The death of her college friend leads her to take some bold steps to change her life, including leaving her husband and trying to approach life with more gusto than she has in a long time.

The plot of the original First Wives Club, which was based on a 1992 novel of the same name, was a bit more specific. The movie followed three middle-aged women, played by Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler, who decide to get revenge on their ex-husbands, all of whom left each woman for younger women. The movie received mixed reviews, but became a surprise hit, making over $181 million dollars worldwide on a budget of around $30 million. Alyson Hannigan’s role will be akin to the part Keaton took in the film.

After spending nine seasons on How I Met Your Mother, it’s become the project Alyson Hannigan is best known for, but the actress has appeared in several well-known television shows and movies. She got her start at age four by doing commercials, and went on to first make her mark in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She’s also used her talents in the American Pie film series, Angel, That ‘70s Show and Veronica Mars, among other shows and films.

Well, after being off of our televisions for a couple of years, it will be nice to see Alyson Hannigan return to the airwaves. There’s no word yet on when the show will debut on TVLand, but we’ll let you know when we have any new information. Until then, you can check out our summer TV premiere schedule.

To some TV fans, Alyson Hannigan will always be the magical Willow Rosenberg, while others know her best as How I Met Your Mother's Lily. Now it seems she's headed back to television for a very different role, though it does involve magic... 

Penn & Teller: Fool Us is a magic competition series airing on The CW, in which magicians attempt to fool the famed magic duo. If Penn & Teller can’t figure out how the trick is performed, then the contestant wins a trip to Las Vegas to open for the duo’s world famous magic show. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Alyson Hannigan will be joining Season 3, taking over hosting duties from British TV personality Jonathan Ross. Penn & Teller: Fool Us will air its third season sometime this summer.

This is Alyson Hannigan’s first major on-screen role since How I Met Your Mother ended in 2014. Since the finale, she’s guest starred in minor roles on CBS’ The McCarthys and provided her voice on Disney Junior’s Sofia the First, but this will be the HIMYM stars return for a more prominent role.

This seems like a great fit for Alyson Hannigan. While Penn & Teller: Fool Us will be her first time hosting a show, she’s no slouch when it comes to comedy. She’s had plenty of experience delivering jokes, having played Lily Aldrin on CBS’ smash hit comedy How I met Your Mother for 9 seasons where she held her own against comedy superstars Jason Segel (Freaks and Geeks, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Neil Patrick Harris (Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, Starship Troopers). She’s also been a staple in the American Pie films as the kinky band geek, Michelle Flaherty.

As Buffy fans already know, this is technically not Alyson Hannigan’s first time dealing with magic. She first rose to prominence in 1997 when she starred on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which was created by The Avengers writer/director and all around nerd king Joss Whedon) in which she played fan favorite Willow, a witch who would use her magic to help title character Buffy fight all sorts of supernatural baddies. She’s probably most remembered for falling in love with another witch and becoming one of the first onscreen lesbian couples. Willow had some of the best character arcs of the series, having to come to terms with her ever-growing magical powers and the consequences of using them. Hopefully, Hannigan will remember those lessons while dealing with Penn & Teller. 

What’s the best way to celebrate a new addition to the family? With an artsy photograph, of course. Just hours after How I Met Your Mother star Alyson Hannigan finally decided to confirm the rumors she’d given birth, the star took to her Instagram to introduce the world to her beautiful little girl via an emo, yet strangely awesome picture of her hand. You can take a look at the snapshot below…

As for the specifics, People is reporting Hannigan gave birth on May 23 without any complications. She and husband Alexis Denisof decided to name the little girl Keeva Jane, which reportedly means gentleness and beauty.

As names go, Keeva is a bit out there, but it’s not what you might call celebrity crazy. It’s just a little bizarre, and considering how quirky Hannigan herself seems to be, that’s probably a good thing. Thus, I approve, but I’d like to know what you think.

How would you rate the name Keeva? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below….

This poll is no longer available.

For more questions of the day, head here.

Buffy fans will appreciate this bit of news, which was revealed tonight by Alyson Hannigan via Twitter. It seems Hannigan is going to be reuniting with someone from the Buffyverse in an upcoming episode of How I Met Your Mother.

Details are vague right now but earlier today, Hannigan tweeted the following: “I'm working with an old Buffy friend this week on HIMYM. Any guesses?”

Hannigan confirmed that the correct answer is: Danny Strong, who played the recurring role of geek/superstar/geek-again/villainous-geek Jonathan in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. More recently, Strong appeared in Mad Men. He was also in one of my ultimate guilty-pleasure movies Sydney White (an underrated gem of a film and modern day take on Snow White). What Strong will be doing on How I Met Your Mother, Hannigan didn’t say, nor did she mention when he’ll be appearing. Still, it’s a Whedonverse reunion and we love those.

On a related note, CBS posted the podcast for this week’s episode (“False Positive”). You can catch that below and if you haven’t seen it yet, Barney’s blog has been updated to include his “Favorite Things.”

How I Met Your Mother airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.

Television fans know Alyson Hannigan for two huge roles she's had in the last decade or so. For seven seasons we fell in love with her as Willow Rosenberg on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she grew from a nervous wallflower into a powerful witch. More recently, she's an integral part of one of the best comedy ensembles on television as Lily on CBS's How I Met Your Mother.

Hannigan took some time out of her busy schedule to chat with me about the show, her new baby and a fun little holiday side project she's doing with Peyton Manning and MasterCard. As part of their priceless initiative, MasterCard has set up a new website: The MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder, in association with Amazon.com. And on hand to help you find the best gifts for those you care about are Manning and Hannigan with -- some interesting suggestion of their own.

But you don't want to hear me talk about any of it. Let's talk to Alyson.

CinemaBlend's Jason: How did you get involved with the Gift Finder program?

Alyson: I've always been a fan of Mastercard's "Priceless" campaign. When they approached me about this Gift Finder -- you can just go to priceless.com/giftfinder -- it was like the best thing ever, because it helped me so much. With having a new baby and being so busy, online shopping is kind of the way to go for me. And for somebody else to think about all the gifts and come up with a list, and I can just pick what I like, it's perfect. You just go on the website, answer a few questions about who you're shopping for, and they go through Amazon's database and pull up a great selection. It keeps you on budget, and if you pay with your MasterCard, you get $10 worth of MP3s to download. So you get yourself a little something, too. Everyone wins!

Jason: I jumped on the website and was playing around with it. I didn't expect all the funny little video intros for all the different categories. I found myself turning my wife into my grandmother and my mother-in-law just to see what all you guys had come up with.

Alyson: I know. It's fun, isn't it? I did the same [thing], and I knew what was coming because I shot the commercials.

Jason: I don't think I made it through all of them. How many of those shorts did you [and Peyton] make?

Alyson: There's a lot. I know that I did probably 30, and I'm sure Peyton did as well. So you have to buy at least 60 gifts for people.

Jason: I'm definitely going to have to get back on there.

Alyson: Definitely, it was a lot of fun. The ideas that they came up with were just hilarious. And the props; actually having like the novelty showercaps.

Jason: Yeah, when you guys started pulling out the props as your "great" ideas, I thought that was pretty brilliant.

Alyson: It was a lot of fun.

Jason: So, I guess since you were involved with that, your holiday shopping is completely done now?

Alyson: Yes. Well, almost. My husband (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel's Alexis Denisof -ed.) has taken the computer away from me, so it will be done soon. I'm one click away from finishing my shopping. Maybe a couple clicks.

Jason: As a new parent, did you go overboard this year with the shopping for the baby?

Alyson: I kind of did, and not because of the holidays either. Just because she's here. They grow so fast you have to keep buying them clothes; that's what I keep telling my husband (laughs).

Jason: Do you have any big plans for your first holiday season with the baby?

Alyson: We're just going to have Christmas at home and the family's coming in. The big thing is that she's with us. It's going to be so much fun, I'm really looking forward to it. To just be there and have her first Christmas.

Jason: You've also got her first birthday coming up, which is the same as your own. How are you going to juggle celebrating both birthdays through the years?

Alyson: I'm so happy to give it all to her. She can have them. It's the best of both worlds, because she's the best birthday present I could ask for, and now I get to plan the party and have a kid party on my birthday, too. She gets the birthday now, but I get to enjoy celebrating in a kid-fashion. That's what you always want on your birthday anyway! Now I have the justification for needing a bounce house. It's our birthday!

Jason: Most fans of How I Met Your Mother probably noticed that you and Cobie [Smulders] were pregnant. They had a lot of fun 'not' hiding that very well throughout the season. Now that you've both had your babies, how have things changed on the set? Do you have a nursery on set, or do the babies come with you?

Alyson: Mine does. Cobie's only brought hers a few times, but my baby comes pretty much every day. We have a big conference room they let us turn into a nursery. It's so nice to have my baby able to come to work with us. It makes it possible to go to work and not cry, because she's there. I would miss her too much. Especially on filming days, because there can be long 12-hour days on sitcoms. I just wouldn't be able to not see my baby for 12 hours. That's her whole day; she'd be asleep by the time I got home.

Jason: When you first announced your pregnancy, was there any consideration toward having the pregnancy incorporated into the stories, having Marshall and Lily have a baby?

Alyson: Actually, before I told them I was pregnant, they were toying with the idea. There was the episode with the cute baby sock; that was already planned. But they had decided not to go with it. I'm sure they had another conversation saying, "Well, we could easily work it in now." I think, over all they just decided it was too soon for them. We do a lot of drinking on the show. We spend a lot of time in the bar, and I think it would crimp their style a little bit to have me not be able to do any of that.

Jason: Or it would be one of those absent sitcom babies.

Alyson: Exactly, who's watching the baby while they're drinking?

Jason: Speaking of Lily, I think she's grown quite a bit over the years, and showed a lot of different sides to her personality. What have been some of your favorite developments and do you have any say in how she's turned out?

Alyson: We have say in the fact that we love certain aspects [of our characters]. The writers are amazing. It's weird to me when actors say, "Oh, well I think I should--" No, let the writers do what they do, because they're so talented. They're always open to us if somebody wants to pitch something. I can't ever come up with something better than what they're going to come up with. I [do] love when we discover something new about her.

Jason: Big congratulations on the upcoming 100th episode. Anything to look forward to in that? Will we find out who the mother is (laughs), or any other big developments?

Alyson: We will get as close to the mother as we've ever been before.

Jason: Okay, tell me this. I know you can't say who the mother is, but do any of the actors even know who she is or when it will be revealed?

Alyson: No, they're keeping it tightly under wraps. I think [creators] Carter [Bays] and Craig [Thomas] know, or at least how it's going to go. But, I don't think anybody knows other than Carter and Craig.

Jason: There's been some talk about how the show has become such a strong ensemble show, it doesn't really need the 'carrot' of who the mother is anymore to succeed. Do you think that's something that should still be held until the end of the series, or could it be revealed and the show can go on?

Alyson: I don't know. I've always assumed that it would be the very last episode. Because the expectation are so high. Who could possibly come in and not disappoint somebody? There's been this big, huge build-up. We've had people on where we were saying, "Oh, I wish you were the mom!" [For example,] I loved having Sarah Chalke on.

Jason: A lot of people thought she might be the one.

Alyson: Yeah, and she just fit right in and it didn't feel odd at all. It felt like she was there from the beginning, but I guess she's not the mom.

Jason: Well, shifting gears real quick if I can, there's been talk this year of a possible reboot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Obviously, you had a huge part in the TV series, but the director of the [original] movie is looking to do this. I didn't know if you were aware of it or had any thoughts about it. Supposedly, Joss Whedon is not involved.

Alyson: And that's a very big mistake in my opinion.

Jason: I agree. He shaped that whole universe beautifully.

Alyson: Yeah, I mean if Joss isn't involved, then it's only the title.

Jason: Would you have any interest in even doing a cameo or being involved in a project like that.

Alyson: Not without Joss. No way! Joss is the only reason that we would go back. I mean, it's just ridiculous to think of that TV show without Joss. That's just silly to me.

Jason: I agree completely.

Alyson: And all the fans know that, too, so I don't know what they're thinking.

Jason: Well, that's the biggest outcry. The series hasn't even been off the air that long, and those fans are wanting a movie or a continuation with you guys. They want the story to continue, so they don't want anything new.

Alyson: Yeah, you need Joss for that.

Jason: Speaking along those lines, when you're out on the streets, how are you getting recognized, as Willow, Lily or even just Alyson?

Alyson: I think I do get recognized mostly for How I Met Your Mother. That could be because I'm in New York, but I can only remember the last week of my life.

Jason: Well, that's parenthood for you.

Alyson: Exactly.

You can check out Alyson at the Amazon/MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder any time. How I Met Your Mother airs Monday nights at 8 PM ET on CBS.

There’s been talk for months now about a reboot of Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. Plans are underway to relaunch it as a new movie franchise (more on that here), a movie franchise with no connection to the popular television series and worse, no involvement from creator Joss Whedon.

Today we had a chance to sit down with former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Alyson Hannigan. She played Buffy’s nerdy yet loveable sidekick Willow during the show’s run and for my money it was she, not Buffy, who was by far the best part of the series. Willow’s one of the biggest reasons Buffy worked as well as it did and though Hannigan has now moved on to other things (like How I Met Your Mother) it’s almost impossible to imagine any Buffy project without her. Well start imagining.

We asked her about those Buffy remake plans and she seems as perturbed by the whole thing as the show’s fans. When we asked her what she thought of Buffy without Joss she said, "Yeah, and that's a very big mistake in my opinion.” Whedon wrote both the 90s movie and ran the subsequent spin-off television show she was a part of. So it makes sense that Hannigan says, “I mean if Joss isn't involved, it's only the title."

And without Joss, there’s no way they’ll get her involved in it. Not even for a cameo. She says, "Not without Joss. Joss is the only reason that we would go back. I mean, it's just ridiculous to think of that TV show without Joss. That's just silly to me… And all the fans know that, too, so I don't know what they're thinking."

Hannigan’s reaction to remake echos that of former Giles Anthony Stewart Head, who, rather gleefully trashed the notion a few weeks ago here. Look it's no mystery why they’re doing this. Vampires are hot and let’s face it, Twilight is basically just a watered down Buffy ripoff so why not bring back the real deal and get rich. But I’m pretty sure nobody wants it. Not the fans, not the Buffy cast, and probably not Twilight fans who are too busy swooning over Edward to notice anything else.