h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Amber Benson to attend the London MCM Expo on May 14th and 15th
From Londonexpo.com - 2005-04-13th - (as Tara Maclay on Buffy)

BENSON ENTERTAINMENT present a WORLD EXCLUSIVE in conjunction with the London MCM Expo

AMBER BENSON from Buffy & BENSON Entertainment to attend the London MCM Expo with WORLD WIDE EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE.

We are very happy to confirm that Amber Benson who played Tara in Buffy will be making a welcome return to the London MCM Expo on the 14th & 15th May.

As well as being an accomplished and popular actress she also produces her own movies and owns her own production company ‘Benson Entertainment’.

Her last movie ‘Chance’ was a very popular and well received movie, we are sure that her next production will prove to be even more popular.

The London MCM Expo is very proud to confirm that both she & Benson Entertainment have personally chosen to make the WORLD WIDE EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE of the full trailer to her new movie currently titled ‘Dirty’ along with personally hosting a presentation including clips from the project at this Mays event.

Thanks for the info Doc. Need I ask if your going? I'll see you there I hope. Phoned Black Eyes, she's not happy with us, she sounded most distraught when I broke the news.

All you guys that haven't met Amber, I recommend that you go, she is absolutely wonderful.

Xander

I am hoping to get there. I had a disaster last year and did not arrive until about 2.30 because of endless roadworks!

I weep for Black-eyes sometimes.


C

Don't worry, I'm sure she's doing plenty of weeping herself. Just have to sort something out for her and then not mention it for ages, through threat of losing vital pieces of my anatomy.

Xander

Hi Doc.

It looks as though we will be going on the Sunday now. One of Black Eyes friends wants to tag along and she can only make it on that day. So if you're going on that day, let us know and we could meet up.

Xander

I would like to be there. Trouble is that both events. The Milton Keynes one next weekend and Expo are held on the bank holiday weekends which are my busy times. If the weather turns a bit nasty I shall be in the car and on the road. I am still waiting to see what they are getting for Starfury at Norbreck Castle, at the moment it is the nerds, Xander and some potentials. Vi is there, I saw her with Tom Lenk in Hollywood...Is there something they are not telling us?

C

Was going to Starfury, but my current finances have put a hex on that idea. Thought about Collectormania, but not really a JM fan, an unpopular notion I know, Anya's more the JM fan and she's off to see him this Friday. So it's Expo or nothing this year.

Good news. Black Eyes may or may not have let you know that by the middle of next month, she should have full internet access. We've sorted her out with a new computer and Telewest come to install her broadband on the 16th.

Xander

Broadband!!!!!!

We still do not have broadband down here [or digital, or channel 5, or motorways] Jealous much!

C

Yes, Xand, it is tricky trying to decide where to go! I feel a bit guilty that the 500 mile round trip to MK to get autographs of JM, TH, Alexis and Kali Rocha does not seem as appealing as the 500 mile trip to see Amber and Robia La Morte. Either way it is £50 in Diesel. I was quite happy to do the 23,000 mile round trip to see Alyson Hannigan so if she was to arrive with Alexis...

C

I couldn't even think of an amount of mileage that would keep me away from Aly.

Xander

Happy Birthday To Amber Benson, 29 Today !
From Imdb.com - By Webmaster - 2006-01-8







Amber Benson

Date of birth : 8 January 1977

Location : Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Birth name : Amber Nicole Benson

Height : 5’ 4" (1.63 m)

Mini biography :

Amber Benson was born on January 8, 1977 in Birmingham, Alabama. As a young girl, she studied singing, dancing as well as acting. While still in her teens, she was involved in productions at the local community theatre. Her family moved to Los Angeles soon afterwards in 1992 so she could pursue a career in acting.

Her first movie role was a minor part in King of the Hill (1993) where she played a good-natured, epileptic teenager and hotel resident which was set in 1930s Depression era Indiana, which was immediately followed by another supporting part of Cheyenne, the best friend of Alicia Silverstone in The Crush (1993). A string of roles followed with her acting in three made-for-TV Jack Reed detective movies playing the daughter of the title detective as well as other minor and bit parts in Imaginary Crimes (1994), S.W.F. (1994), and Bye Bye Love (1995).

She’s also acted in a number of independent film productions and film shorts including Take It Easy (1999), Deadtime (1999), Don’s Plumb (2001), Hollywood, Pennsylvania (2001). But Amber is probably best known for playing Tara, the shy, withdrawn witch and love interest of Willow for three seasons on the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" from early 2000 to 2002.

Amber has also tried her talent at writing and directing, starting in 2001 with the little-seen independent comedy-drama Chance (2002) where she played the title character. She has also wrote various stage plays as well as the scripts for other independent movie productions like The Theory of the Leisure Class (2001) and Ghosts of Albion (2003) (TV).

Trivia :

Has had roles in movies with actors whom she would later join on the cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997): Lindsay Crouse and Eliza Dushku in Bye Bye, Love (1995) and Seth Green in Can’t Hardly Wait (1998).

She is most proud of her work in the film King of the Hill (1993), her appearances as ’Tara’ on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and her own movie project Chance (2002).

Loves to read and spends a lot of her "down time" on set reading. Lists some of her favourite authors as Ray Bradbury, Susan Cooper, Marion Zimmer Bradley, J.K. Rowling (the ’Harry Potter’ series), and Christopher Golden (the ’Body of Evidence’ series).

Lives in Los Angeles with her mother, her dog Pennsylvania (aka Penny) and her cat Benneton (aka Benny).

She traveled to Romania to film the movie Taboo (2002/I).

In 2001, at the age of just 24, Amber directed, wrote, produced and starred in her own movie called Chance (2002). It was presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002.

She was born on Elvis Presley’s birthday (January 8th) in 1977 (the year of Elvis’ death.)

Is a vegetarian.

Wrote a comic book based on the characters of Willow and Tara as part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic books series.

Amber was to return to "Buffy" in the 7th season, (following Tara’s death) playing a being posing as Tara Maclay. However, negotiotions with the show fell through. The character was retooled and the role went to Azura Skye reprising her role of Cassie Newton instead.

Amber Benson arrived late at a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" convention in June, 2003, because a deer ran into her mother’s car in upstate New York.

According to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" producer Marti Noxon, series creator Joss Whedon originally rejected her for the role of Tara, feeling she wasn’t the proper physical type. But Noxon insisted that she be allowed to read for the part again, and it was at the second audition that Whedon realized she would be perfect for the part.

Is exactly thirty years younger than David Bowie.

Has a publishing deal along with author Christopher Golden to write a series of original novels based upon their animated BBCi film, "The Ghosts of Albion."

Wrote a vignette for Dark Horse Comics’ "Tales of the Slayer" graphic novel, with Joss Whedon and other Buffy tv and comic writers. Benson wrote about a vampire slayer from The French Revolution period, who accidentally killed a man.

At age 6, she danced in the Alabama Ballet Company’s production of "The Nutcracker." She was also a member of the Birmingham Children’s Theater.

Parents are Herb and Diane Benson. Her younger sister, Danielle, is an artist.

Amber declined to return to BtVS in the seventh season, because creator Joss Whedon wanted her to play a villain masquerading as her slain character, Tara. Knowing how Tara’s death had upset so many of her fans, Amber did not want to further traumatize them by having the character seemingly return from the grave, but being evil.

She suffered a badly broken foot in early 2004 when landscapers left a barrel full of discarded sod in her yard, and she tried to move it to the curb and it fell on her foot. She had to film her part in "El Intermedio" on crutches as a result.

Joss Whedon originally wanted to resurrect Amber’s character Tara in the series finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy was to be given one wish, which she would agonize over for the entire episode. Finally, she would step aside to reveal Tara for the final shot.

Shares a birthday with director Francesco Roder and actress Sarah Polley.

She sang on two tracks of fellow Buff co-star, Anthony Stewart Head’s solo CD project, "Music for Elevators."

Yay, I had cake for her!!! And now I have toothache.

Why are all the hotties so short... is that to make the rest of us fell all protective so they can be around their fans and know that everyone taller than them is gonna wanna look out for them... or just look at them. lol.... I say that like they have a choice in being shorter.

Ignore me, Im crazy.