Michelle Trachtenberg: Chat

from CosmoGIRL.com, October 1, 2000

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg chats with her fans about her new role as Dawn, Buffy`s little sister, on WB`s "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and her previous movie work, including "Harriet the Spy."

CosmoGIRL!: Welcome to our chat with Michelle Trachtenberg. This chat is sponsored by CosmoGIRL! A magazine for REAL girls with REAL issues. Log on at www.cosmogirl.com!

Michelle: Hey everybody thanks for logging in and chatting with me. This should be fun.

Livy: How old were you when you first started acting?

Michelle: I was 3 years old when I did my first commercial, which was a Wisk Detergent commercial, and then I did TV and movies and so on.

Lindalou: What`s the biggest highlight of your acting career so far?

Michelle: I`ve been very fortunate to have many really exciting opportunities in my career. I think "Harriet the Spy" was definitely one of them, and "Buffy" is definitely a major step up in my career. I hope to be taking many more in the future.

Livy: Have you been involved with theatrical productions?

Michelle: Actually I haven`t done any theatre, but it`s something that I would love to experience. I think it`s very important to learn all the areas of drama because then you can combine your experiences into what you`re doing, and this is something I love and I hope to be doing it for the rest of my life. So hopefully one day I`ll experience theatre.

Harleqin Romantic: What`s it like being a sister to Sarah??

Michelle: It`s really fun. Sarah and I share a lot in common. Not only that we have worked together before on "All My Children." and working with her again is really great. The entire cast and crew of "Buffy" is so welcoming and just like a big family. And I`m so very excited to be a part of it.

Livy: Have you got any real brothers or sisters?

Michelle: Yes I have an older sister Irene who is 21 years old, and if you count my cat Casey, who will be turning 7.

Spiky: What is it like working on a great television show such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Michelle: Being that "Buffy" and "Angel" are my favorite shows, I`ve watched "Buffy" since day one. It`s really great. Joining a show in its 5th year can be somewhat nerve wracking. But like I said before, I was welcomed into the family with open arms. So it was a really comforting feeling, and getting to know all the stuff that happens behind the scenes isn`t half bad. It`s actually really rather cool.

Lindalou: Will your character have any slayer powers of her own?

Michelle: Well, I can`t reveal everything about my character yet. But, you guys will have to tune in to future shows if you want the scoop. I guarantee you it`s going to be cool.

Muffle: Were you a fan of Buffy before you auditioned for the role of Dawn Michelle: Yes, like I was saying before. If you ask me a question about "Buffy", I`ll not only give you the answer but some background. It was always just a really interesting show to watch. Because every week they had a new original story line that was just as interesting as the last, and since Angel debuted, everything`s great!

Hunan: What`s the most enjoyable part of acting? Least enjoyable?

Michelle: I`d say that the least enjoyable part is the 5:30 call time in the morning. But what makes up for that is the most enjoyable part of acting is that I get to be anybody I want. I can be a lawyer, a doctor, and I can do all those things being an actress and getting into every character always opens up a whole new world. So you really get to discover all these fabulous things.

DrkstDsyr: How does Buffy get a sister?

Michelle: Ohhhhh... Another thing that I cannot reveal yet! For all of you loyal fans out there I`m sure you have many questions about tonight`s season premiere but they will be answered soon enough. If it was my choice, I`d tell you, but I can`t.

Spiky: I love acting and have dreamed about being on Buffy the Vampire Slayer even as an extra I would love do be an actor. How did you do it?

Michelle: I think the most important thing about being an actress is, believing in yourself; if you don`t believe in yourself you can`t accomplish things. You have to have the confidence that you can reach your goal. Hard work is a huge part of acting. I`ve always loved being an actress; this is like breathing to me. The thing that I always remember most is to believe in myself. My mom told me that when I was very young and it has held true all my life.

ChatQueenREP: Well, that was interesting! What did you think when you read your first scene in the script?

Michelle: I was excited! I mean, being my favorite show! It was kind of like, what will they create for my character now. I`m sure some of you have already seen the premiere, due to the time changes but the season premiere is kind a tease episode for me. But it was kind of cool. Because I`m a new character I was kind of introduced in the end. The second episode is very cool and I`m very excited about it.

Manolis Varnasactor: What is it like to be a famous actress at this early age and how do you balance school with your acting career

Michelle: You know, thank you! The thing is it`s very flattering whenever someone enjoys my work. I love what I do, but it is hard work, and whenever someone appreciates it I know I`m doing something right. Whenever I have a couple of off days I go to regular school. But I have a teacher on set that talks to my school that gets all the work from school and I do it and send it back. This is a great method because it`s 1 teacher to 1 kid instead of 1 teacher to 30 kids, which is good. I`ve always been a good student. I think education is very important. No matter what you always have to have a background in education and everyone on set always makes sure I get my daily hours of school. Whenever I`m working half of the time I`m working has to be spent on school.

Jon: What do you think is the thing you miss most when you`re away from home?

Michelle: Well when I`m on location, like in Canada or something, I miss seeing my friends. I mean, I usually talk to them through email and on the phone, so that`s ok. I also miss my family, like my sister, cause she doesn`t go on location with us. But my cat comes with my mom and I.

Spanky: Well I`m from Australia and season 5 isn`t set to show down under until probably early next year. The first time I heard about your character I had all these questions and I`m really looking forward to the shows beginning. What is your character like? I heard that she had a telepathic ability of some sort is this true?

Michelle: Well, unfortunately there isn`t much that I can reveal about Dawn yet. She is Buffy`s sister, and she is your average teenage girl. She has her diary where she writes all her thoughts and she has a little crush on Xander. She thinks Willow is really cool. A lot of the stuff will be told to all you guys in the next show. So stay tuned, but I`m glad that I have your interest! And don`t worry "Buffy" will start airing soon in Australia.

SlickShady3: Are there any other additions to the cast or openings that will be coming in the future?

Michelle: I`m not privileged to say. I know I must sound like a broken record, and I`m sorry you guys but Joss Whedon has many great ideas planned, and I hope that you all will enjoy them, so keep watching.

Manolis Varnasactor: Do you keep in touch with Mathew Broderic and Rupert Everet from "Inspector Gadget?"

Michelle: I`ve actually spoken with Matthew a couple of times after the movie and that was a very fun experience working with all those special effects.

Isi: Were you a fan of Matthew Broderick before Inspector Gadget?

Michelle: Yes I was. I think I really enjoyed Matthew`s work in "Ferris Bueller`s Day Off." I think Matthew is a great actor and he was really great to work with. It was really cool working with someone of his experience and He has actually done a lot of theatre and encouraged me to try it one day.

Mary: Where did you grow up? And what do you think about living in LA?

Michelle: I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and don`t get me wrong, I absolutely adore NY; I think I`m a New Yorker at heart. But LA is really cool. There`s a whole different set of people here. The weather is great. It did take a little getting use to but it was really worth it in the end. I`m having a lot of fun out here

Sid: What is your affiliation with CosmoGIRL? Are you going to be on the cover?

Michelle: Actually, I subscribe to CosmoGIRL! I think it`s one of the really good quality teen magazines out there, and I did a little thing for CosmoGIRL! So you guys will be seeing it soon. It was very fun.

Flipalot: If you weren`t acting, and didn`t plan on being an actor, what would you do? What career would you want?

Michelle: I would definitely stay in the entertainment business. I might be a director, or a writer. I think directors have a very difficult but incredibly interesting job. I love putting all my creative juices in a good story. Maybe one day I`ll try that too.

Josh: When you get to take a break, whats your favorite thing to do to relax?

Michelle: In the summer time I go swimming in my pool and I relax and kick back. I`ve been watching the Olympics with its many ups and downs. I hang out with my friends. I actually do love to read and write. So I read a bunch of books and write stories, and basically do the teenage girl thing, talking on the phone, trying to keep my room clean...

Nunca: With such a busy life do you still have time to hang out with friends?

Michelle: Yeah, actually my friends and I talk through email all the time and we talk on the phone. And we see each other during the weekend. We`ll go to the movies or do stuff like going to the mall. I love shopping! They sometimes come to visit the set as well, so I get to see them when I`m working.

Symmy: Have you taken any acting classes? Do you want to?

Michelle: No, actually, ever since I was 3, I`ve gone au natural. I think that sometimes having outside help when you`re researching for a complicated help is very good. Actors like Al Pacino do it all the time. One of the most important things in acting is learning how to respond and accept other people`s opinions. So once you can do that, you have a clearer understanding of what you have to do.

Abbafan: Are you going to go to college? What do you want to Study?

Michelle: I`ve always set my sights high in education. Yale seems like a fabulous choice with such names as Jodie Foster and Claire Danes having gone through their programs. Definitely Drama would be my major and I`ll probably minor in English Literature.

EZGuest113: Your quite a role model.....do you have any role models? and do you feel you will stay in acting all your life?

Michelle: First of all thank you very much. That`s very flattering of you to say that. I definitely will continue to act for the rest of my life. It`s something that I love doing. I don`t like to take breaks between jobs. When I do, I`m always looking forward to my next job. When you love to do what you do, it`s a really great feeling. I have many role models. I`ve always admired Al Pacino as well as Jodie Foster. But I think my true roll model is my mom because she`s always able to look at the optimistic side of any situation. Not only that she has always been my greatest supporter and I will always be grateful for that. If it weren`t for my mom I wouldn`t be where I am today.

Manolis Varnasactor: Whats your favorite taste in music and do you Sing?

Michelle: I like a variety of artists. I`m into the whole Spanish beat with Marc Anthony and Enrique Iglesias. I also like pop music and every type of music that has a good beat to it. I actually don`t sing professionally but on the project that I did right before "Buffy" I played Dorothy in "100th Anniversary of the First Printing of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" it`s an audio version using the voice talents of Annette Bening, John Goodman, Phyllis Diller and so on and I do sing there, so that was my first singing in public kind of job. I have been part of my school choirs for a long time. So I had some practice.

Harriet: Do you get crushes on teen idols like N` Sync like a typical teenager? Or is it different cause you can meet them now? Michelle: Well actually, I don`t` have any crushes on the `N Sync guys, but I have met them and they`re very cool. They`re very nice and funny. But no crushes there! Sometimes I will, of course, admire someone who is in a movie. But no crushes come to mind. Sorry guys.

April: I was wondering if you prefer comedy over drama or vice versa? I just watched the premiere and the preview for next week`s episode. It looks hilarious. I know that Buffy has a little of both which makes it such a great show!!!

Michelle: Actually, you`re right on target April. Why "Buffy" is such a great show is because it has drama and comedy all rolled into one. You laugh, you cry and then you`re very scared. To tell you the truth, I don`t prefer one genre of acting to the other. Doing comedy is really great. Drama is a little more challenging, therefore requiring you to dig even deeper into your character. I hope to do many more dramatic roles in my career and just to spice things up I`ll slip in a little comedy here and there.

Wushu Fist: Are you learning Martial Arts for the show?

Michelle: Actually I have taken Tae Kwon-Do lessons before. That was just a thing a bunch of my friends and I did. I`ve learned some pointers from the show but as for a big old fight scene; you guys will just have to see. I wish I could tell you more.

Jaci14: Do you have any goals that you want to achieve while working on Buffy?

Michelle: Like I was saying before, being on "Buffy" is a step up in my career I hope to be taking many more steps up through the course of my acting life. I`m really excited to be part of this new season on such a great show. So hopefully all the goals that you guys have for my character I will reach. Let me know if you have any input.

Stef007: What is different form your life then regular teenagers today?

Michelle: There`s not a whole lot of difference. I do go to school and hang out with my friends and I have to do many chores. I think the big thing is that I do work everyday. A lot of teens out there may not have a set plan to what they want to do in life. That`s totally fine. I just know that I love to act and I`ve always set my goals in the field of acting. I`ve always been determined to reach them. I pretty much am the same as all other teenagers out there, and that`s the most important thing. You have to stay grounded. My family takes care of that. Actually after this I`m going to be cleaning my room.

Sternchen: Do people recognize you on the street or can you still go out unnoticed?

Michelle: Whenever I walk in the mall or go to a public area I do usually get recognized, but it`s really nice to know that I`ve left an impact on that person through my work so much that they`d recognize me in actual life, and tell me what they thought. Like I was saying, listening to opinions is very important.

Allisha: Do you like animals? Do you have any pets?

Michelle: I love animals. I have a kitty cat. Her name is Casey, and she will be turning 7 in October. Sarah, who has a bunch of dogs, brings them to the set, and I`m always in her trailer playing with them. They`re absolutely adorable.

Allisha: What do you like to write about? I think that is neat!

Michelle: You know, I love to write about all different kinds of things. Just like in my acting, I can write about comedy and I can write about drama. In my writing though, I usually tend to go more for the drama side. I don`t have a particular reason why. I just love to write about all kind of things. Things that I pick up from watching a movie, or a commercial or just walking down the street. Poetry is also a fabulous way to express your feelings and I have my little poetry journal.

Jason: What do you think of the Olympic games? Have you been able to watch them much?

Michelle: Yes I have been watching the Olympics as much as I can. My favorite sport of the Olympics is gymnastics, and I`m always at the edge of my seat hoping that no one falls. I admire these girls and guys in what they do because it takes a lot of hard work and concentration. Actually, in many ways acting is like gymnastics, in that you have to focus. The outcome is always very enjoyable.

Neo: Do you play any sports yourself?

Michelle: Actually I love tennis. I tried gymnastics at one point, but my tush got a whole lot of black and blue so that wasn`t fun. Tae Kwon-Do was very interesting.

Jer: What did you have to do in your audition for Buffy?

Michelle: I had visited with Sarah on the set a couple weeks prior and I met with people and saw how it works behind the scenes, and then when I got the call I went to read with Joss Whedon, and Sarah was always very supportive. And it was a very exciting process. Then I got the call saying you`re Dawn. So it was great.

Connie: Do you sometimes get scared on the set with all the spooky story lines?

Michelle: No actually I get to see the demons when they sit in the make-up chair when they aren`t demons. So that`s good, and the whole process is really fascinating but Joss always tries to think up a few story lines to scare me all the time.

Charisma: What`s been your favorite acting job so far?

Michelle: I`ve been really lucky to work on great projects. From "Harriet" to "Gadget" and now "Buffy". Harriet is always very special in my heart, because it was my first big movie. But working on "Buffy" is as exciting. So hopefully, I will have many more great experiences.

Cosmocutey: If you could be in a romantic movie with any guy, who would it be?

Michelle: Oh gosh! Oh I don`t know! I don`t have very many crushes on very many actors right now maybe fun and interesting people who come along. I Always thought David, who plays Angel, was interesting but not in a romantic way.

Dolphins0Dream: Have you got your own website where we can read more about you?

Michelle: I will be setting up a new Web site soon. When that happens, I`ll let you guys know. I used to have an official Web site up, but a new one will be coming out shortly.

Cosmogirl: Thanks CosmoGIRL! for a great hour! Any final thoughts?

Michelle: I`ve had a really wonderful chat. You guys have really good questions, and I look forward to talking to all of you again. Thanks for a fun filled hour and I`m off to watch the season premiere.

-THE END-