Best Actor/Actress in the buffyverse

[Nina]

Who was the best actor/actress in the series? I know it's a random question. But random questions are sometimes fun, so ... who is it?

You can pick more than one ofcourse, because making a choice between a good cast is difficult.

I think Alexis Denisof did a fantastic job. Wesley had so many faces. And his English accent never slipped. He was so much fun on BtVS and so sad in Ats.

Anthony Head is also a fantastic actor, the way he played Ripper and Giles at the same time ... I loved it. And in Passion, he broke my hart.

And David Boreanaz ... in BtVS is was sometimes painful to watch him. But in season 4 and 5 of his own show he was outstanding. He could act with his eyes, in Damage when Andrew tells him that the trust is gone, you can see so much emotions in Angels eyes. I think it's fantastic. I can forgive David for the really bad first seasons because his Angel is in the last seasons of Angel so beautiful. And Angelus ... he is my favourite psycho.

Julie Benz and Stephanie Romanov were also fantastic. They should have a bigger role. And Vincent Kartheister ... he had a really hard role to play. But he did a fantastic job.

A big part of the cast can make me cry, laugh, love them, hate them ... it's a really good team of players. But the three above are IMO the best.

Okay: Let's try to make a poll *tries*
I think it worked. *cheer*

[Enisy]

God, I love all of them. I would have voted for more than half of those options if I let myself go, so I tried to stick to the very best:

James Marsters: His 30+ years of theatre background and his Juilliard training definitely show. Joss had magic in a bottle with this 'un, and he must have known that, since Spike climbed the ranks from disposable villain to male lead. And, Spike's not the only one who wears his heart on his sleeve; James's face is always open and expressive, his body language always evocative. He was living and breathing Spike in those last three seasons, to the point that he "would go home in tears", to the point that he had to go to therapy over it.
My highlights: his break-down after Buffy's death in "The Gift", his reaction to seeing her again in "After Life", the church scene in "Beneath You".

Anthony Stewart Head: Do I need to say anything? I haven't met any Buffy fan who's blind to Tony's charisma and experience. Giles's father/daughter relationship with Buffy was my first love in the show.
My highlights: his excitement about his night with Jenny in "Passion" climaxing in the "ecstasy of grief", his cold-blooded murder of Ben in "The Gift", his scene with Buffy in "Once More, With Feeling".

Sarah Michelle Gellar: She carried the show on her back for seven years, she totally sold even those scenes she had personal issues with, she made me fall in love with the lead, when I always root for the underdogs.
My highlights: her clarity when she realizes what she has to do in "The Gift", her last moments with Spike in "Chosen".

Alexis Denisof: James Marsters said of him, "Alexis is twice the actor I am, and I've read too much Shakespeare not to know that with absolute brutal clarity". For James to make a compliment like that, you know there's something there.
My highlights: his struggle with Lilah's death and her feelings for him, his unhesitant murder of his "father" when he pointed a gun at Fred, his death scene.

Honorable mentions: Nicholas Brendon, Andy Hallett, Vincent Kartheiser, Eliza Dushku, Julie Benz

[KingofCretins]

Before I answer, I want clarification -- are you asking who are the best actors that have been on Buffy as regulars based on their whole body of work, or based entirely on their performance in the Buffyverse?

[Jenni Lou]

Here's who I chose:

Alyson Hannigan. She does well with both the comedy and drama. She has some great facial expressions and excellent timing.

Anthony Head. Pretty much the same as Alyson. He can really make my heart break with a single glance.

James Marsters. Whether or not you like Spike as a character, I think it is pretty clear that James is a fantastic actor. He can steal scenes and has uttered some of the best lines of the series.

Andy Hallett. He plays Lorne so effortlessly. He really does. And he is funny and moving. I love his delivery.

Seth Green. Seth is great in everything he does. He really is. I've always been a big fan.

[Pandora's_Box]

Ouah, good for Anthony Head, even if I prefer the character of Spike, I must say he's definetely th best actor of the Buffyverse. Voted for him.
For the actress, honestly, Sarah and Alyson weren't that good in the first seasons, but they've definetely become amazing actresses at the end. But I choose Sarah for her performace in The Body.

[Nina]

Before I answer, I want clarification -- are you asking who are the best actors that have been on Buffy as regulars based on their whole body of work, or based entirely on their performance in the Buffyverse?

On their performance in the Buffyverse.

[vampmogs]

I'd say Sarah is the best actor in the Buffyverse, I don't think anyone has matched her incredible acting in 'Prophecy Girl,' 'The Body' and 'The Gift.'

In 'The Gift' during her talk with Giles and she slowly starts to break her voice as she expresses her wish that her mum was still with her, is IMO the finest acting we've seen period. Such a small scene but she made it so real, I'm still amazed by that scene.

I also voted for Anthony Head, Nick and Alyson because I've always found the core scoobies such a delight to watch on screen and all of them conveyed so many emotions during different points during the series, and made their characters so loveable. Alyson and Nick are amazing in 'Grave.'

And I also picked DB because he improved the most throughout the shows IMO, and was amazing in Ats. One of his finest moments is in the end of 'You're Welcome' and when he smothes Wes with a pillow

[Kold]

The dead best? Sarah Michelle Gellar. Her range and conviction was absolutely stunning. She carried her show with whatever it needed all throughout and really proved how good she was in episodes ranging from "Prophecy Girl" to "Life Serial" to "Seeing Red".

The runners-up I'd pick would be Amy Acker, David Boreanaz and Alyson Hannigan. All three got to show their range on their shows and most of the time did it expertly. DB particularly as Angelus, or in season 3 of Angel, Amy going from her original character to this polar opposite of Illyria and Alyson being able to play pretty much every facet possibly available to Willow.

But both shows are actually really good for having really great cast members. I mean -- Eliza Dushku, what an intense actress. Charisma Carpenter brought a magnetism and likability to Cordelia, and despite what people say acted a pretty fine villain. Anthony Head, Alexis Denisof: both actors with a great grasp of comedy and drama.

[sueworld]

James Marsters, ASH and Alexis Denisof. All superb actors, that make you actually care about the characters that they play.

Nuff said really.

[cheryl4ba]

While I think most of the characters were great actors, Sarah Michelle Gellar stands out for me as being the best. Episodes such as I will remember you, Becoming, Amends, Surprise, Innocence, The Body, The Gift, Prophecy Girl comes to mind. The girl can make you feel.

[Nostalgia]

Sarah and James are without a doubt the two best actors.. both are amazing at what they do and know exactly how to change their attitude or character in an instant.

[KingofCretins]

This was pretty hard.

Anthony Stewart Head: Best actor on the series, I'd say. He manages to do so much without going to extremes that when he does unload, it means so much more.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Her performance speaks for itself. Not much I can add to what others have said.

James Marsters: It takes a lot of skill to get over as both a bad guy and a good guy.

Alexis Denisof: An American that can do a satisfactory english accent, first of all, second -- his development of Wesley through the two shows was just incredibly layered.

Alyson Hannigan: She's the opposite of Tony Head -- she can do so much with her extremes that when she slows down it gets way awesome. Best cryer, by far.

Emma Caulfield: She is a comic genius. Joss, and many others, would tell you that the comedy is always the hardest stuff, and she really is a brilliant comic actress as Anya, and still able to deliver the funny in painful and dramatic moments.

[Jenni Lou]

Poor J. August and Michelle have no votes. I actually think they both did pretty well with their characters. I think they were both iffy at times but they were both still great! Gunn is just such a straight character; there isn't as much to play with for the actor, I think. He'll get a funny line every now and then but otherwise, it's not the most layered character ever.

Just wanted to say that I don't think they are awful!

[Nostalgia]

No actor in Buffy is bad.. they're all excellent. Even Clem.. he was a great character

[Weredog]

I voted for Gellar.

She is probably the most underrated actress in Hollywood.
She nailed the character of Buffy since the first episode; consistent with the character which proves she was playing the character rather than playing along with it.

I love Alyson Hannigan's performance in the show as well, however I've seen her in a couple other movies and they were rather weak. Gellar on the other hand can turn any garbage into art.... well, aside from Scooby Doo......

[Phoenix]

I voted for Eliza Dushku, Alyson Hannigan and David Boreanaz.

I think all of them portrayed their characters exceptionally well, and with so much depth imo. Alyson's cute expressions were just so perfectly Willow And David's eyes held alot of emotion in most of Angel scenes which was brilliant, and i think Eliza brought so much to her character that she just was Faith.. although i may be a little biased with her

[Willow's Tara]

I would say Amber Benson..But I can think of one or two more Best actress (I still love her, but it doesn't mean that I think she is the best out of the best). Juliet Landu I think did quite a fine job on Drusilla, she really did look crazy (Dru, not Juliet lol), and somehow you can tell the different between Sane Dru and Insane Dru (Like Lover's walk but Dru is yelling at Spike, she seems so...normal?).
I agree Anthony is a great actor as well.

James/Amber/Anthony gets the best singer thought out of it

[Maggie]

Got to give a shout out to SMG's performance in Intervention. I kept forgetting that the two characters were being played by the same actress. I forgot to vote for Emma on comedy -- but SMG does comedy very well.

Had to vote for the three 'british' guys. ASH's reaction scene in Passion will always stand out for me. Wesley haunts me -- the whole range of his performance. And Marsters brought my favorite character ever to life. He's got a few cringe-worthy moments, but many more that are great. FFL is a tour de force.

[Enisy]

And Marsters brought my favorite character ever to life. He's got a few cringe-worthy moments, but many more that are great.

Which ones do you consider cringeworthy? Outside of Angel, the only thing that comes to mind is the alley scene in "Beneath You".

[Wolfie Gilmore]

No actor in Buffy is bad.. they're all excellent. Even Clem.. he was a great character

Yeah, getting a little tempted to vote clem! But no...Alyson gets my vote. I feel she showed Willow's growth, change (and steps backwards too) amazingly well. There were moments when I found her too breathy and cutesy, but I see that as more of a direction choice (because I think she rocks and therefore defend her ). THough SMG also excellent. ASH was a bit too stiff and upper in the first season, so I think I only really and truly rated his Giles from season 2 or the end of season one. He did bring it after that though. And then he brought it some more.

James Marsters also took a while for me, as his ennunciation was a bit annoying at the beginning. Especially in School Hard. But after that, also excellent.

For me, I feel Xander isn't such a stretching role on the whole, so I don't think Nicholas Brendon had such a hard job to do as some others. But I don't know that much about acting so perhaps his effortlesness is leading me astray? Perhaps the fact that he doesn't seem to be acting at all is where the skill lies? Not sure. Any acting pro's here (or drama students)?