Alexis Denisof

[When asked, "What has been the most satisfying job for you personally?] Angel (1999). Definitely Angel (1999), because of the length and depth of the process that we're working, and the opportunity to examine at such a deep level the dynamics of this character's life. To have the chance to evolve character with detail and time - that's an amazing gift to an actor, and that's what I view long-term, episodic TV as, as a character journey. For the people that become interested in the show and follow it, that's part of the satisfaction for them - following the turns and curves of the character's lives, as well as all the great action and sci-fi and crazy stuff that goes on in the show. It's rooted in the journey of these characters through their lives, and the opportunity to work every day at the thing I love doing, with people that I love doing it with, is - well, priceless. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

My family emigrated during the revolution. My grandfather was from outside of Moscow, and my grandmother, although some of her family were French, was from Odessa. They met as immigrants in New York in the early '20s. My mother's family came over from Ireland generations ago. That's where the silly name is from. But it's not made up! You couldn't think that one up. Mom says my father was torn between naming me Archibald and Reginald, and so I'm delighted he settled on naming me after my grandfather. Show less «

I think my first job was a George Harrison video, for a song called "I've Got My Mind Set on You." I was thrilled. I think I got paid $500. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

The challenge for me, both in life and in my work, is to live it, and create it to the fullest - whether that's on a rehearsal room or a stage or a film set, or whether it's in my own life. I think ... the critic is very closely allied to the ego ... The ego is our greatest enemy, really. It's the ego that sends us to war, and the ego that gives us road rage, and the ego that makes us a victim, or any of the challenges that we face in our daily lives. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

[About his early acting experiences] I had done some very early in professional theaters in Seattle, around the age of 11, 12 and 13. I had worked at A Contemporary Theater in Seattle, in a few plays there like A Christmas Carol. . . So I had shown an interest in it, but I certainly didn't know at 13, when I was going away to boarding school, that that's what I wanted to do as a career. But it was something that I was very comfortable with, and I felt at home with it creatively and personally. . . I was a kid. I still kind of thought maybe I'd be a professional soccer player or a fireman, or an astronaut, you know? So being an actor was pretty low on the list at that point. By the time I had finished my studies at St. Paul's School, I knew I wanted to be an actor. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

...Not that I would ever have gone into acting for money - you'd have to be insane. That's no way to make money. There are times when you can't make the check, and when no matter how talented and excited you are about your career, you haven't worked in six months. That's the sort of reality of it. Just an awful lot of people out there who want to do the same thing, and it's not a meritocracy. So the kid who did get off the bus in L.A., having thought to himself yesterday, "maybe I'll go to Hollywood and be a star" - well, he's actually as likely to get the job as you are, who's spent years dedicating yourself to this. That's an important lesson for me, to not qualify my experience against somebody else's. My experience is the experience that I wanted to have, and have created for myself, but it doesn't make me any more deserving than anybody else - or less. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

He [Anthony Head] was superb in that production [of "Rope"]. I loved watching him work on that. Tony is a very interesting actor, very wonderful actor to work with - so giving and receptive at the same time, and that's a very sought after quality, for me. I really enjoy working with Tony. We have a lot of fun and we make each other laugh, and I respect him enormously. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

[When] I came back [from London] Joss Whedon had conceived the idea of putting Wesley, my character from Buffy [Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)] onto the spin-off show Angel (1999). So I was lucky enough to get right off the plane and into a job. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

... my first theater job was the Royal Shakespeare Company, in a production of Hamlet, in which I was Fortinbras' understudy, Laertes. I still look at that as one of the most important experiences, because I so admired the actor, Mark Rylance, who played Hamlet. He runs the Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London now, and is a really formidable actor. I treasure that experience, just because of what I learned, and in watching him particularly, but also just a great company of experienced actors. I was a very young actor fresh out of school, and so to be working on Shakespeare's arguably greatest play and perhaps literature's greatest play, and to have it be worked on by people of such experience and talent - I regard that as one of my most important experiences, professionally. [Interview, February 11, 2003] Show less «

[on having Alyson Hannigan cross over from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) to play a role on Angel (1999) in the episode, Angel: Orpheus (2003)]. "It's a blast. I feel like it's a play day. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm at work. My girl is here! We're not getting to see much of each other. She has three jobs on her plate -- she's doing the next "American Pie" movie, she's doing Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and today on Angel (1999). She's a busy woman, so it's a double delight. I keep looking at her, and inside I keep giggling, and I keep thinking to myself, 'I have to remember I'm in a scene. I can't just smile at my fiancée'. But, really, all I want to do is run over and give her a hug" [Buffalo News, March 17, 2003]. Show less «

I'm grateful for my time on Buffy-I met the woman of my dreams there

[Asked about his dream role] 'Playing Bond would be kind of a dream come true.'