TV Guide: We're chatting with Buffy the Vampire Slayer star, Eliza Dushku aka: Faith. Send in your questions for the evil slayer, who's also starred in True Lies, Race the Sun, This Boys Life and That Night.

TV Guide: Eliza, thanks for coming.

Dushku: I'm so happy that you are interested, and here and ready to have a chat!

xadrez_1964: How long have you been an actor?

Dushku: Since I was around ten years old, for about eight years now. I kind of tripped and fell into it when I was 10.

Napios: Do you like to read? If so, what do you read?

Dushku: As much as I hate to say it, I'm honestly not a big reader. I'm starting to get into it. My parents were teachers and librarians and such, so for some reason we got sick of all the books in the house and didn't read much. I like scripts though!

Idiot_Jed: Got a movie project coming up? What will it be about?

Dushku: I'm sort of looking right now. As many people know there are a lot of bad projects out there that are either bites off of horror flicks or high school movies that have no reality to them. So if nothing comes up, I'd be just as happy going back to college on the east coast.

Napios: Are you a religious person? Do you adhere to a particular faith, no pun intended!

Dushku: I was raised Mormon by my mother. And slowly over the years kind of lost faith, I guess I'm religious, I am not a church-goer, but I do believe in a higher power.

Screamer529: Were you aware that your character was going to turn bad, or did the writers keep it a secret?

Dushku: I wasn't aware in the beginning. I was originally going to do five episodes. When the idea was to bring someone from the other side of the tracks for a little spice. But five turned into ten episodes, and the creator came to me and asked me straight out if I wanted to be the villain for the season and Buffy's nemesis. And I had to say, Of course, how much fun would that be!? It's been awesome, and it's easy to be the villain in a way, you get to live out your teenage rebellion without paying the consequences!

SpceCHK20: Do you feel any sympathy for your character Faith?

Dushku: Yeah, a lot. I know she does bad things, but why do people do bad things? Because they don't know any better. I'm not making excuses for her, but it's not a choice you make to do bad things, it's from not knowing better, from not being disciplined, and from not knowing about love growing up.

Scullisto: Is there a fair amount of joking around on the set of Buffy?

Dushku: Definitely. Cast members have been known to moon each other on various occasions. It's a light set, everyone has been working together for three seasons, or if someone new comes in they're welcomed with opened arms. Everyone's always messing with each other, cracking jokes. The producers will let you mess up a take to bring a little light heartedness to the crew and cast. Super fun. It's like the best crew I have ever worked with, honestly. The blooper reel is so absolutely hysterical. And all the mess-ups that come from trying to stage the fighting to make it look real, people getting kicked in the wrong spot. You know....

Swoop300: I read in the official Buffy magazine that you are a fan of women's ice hockey. Living in Boston, have you had aspirations to ever play? I bet you could kick butt!

Dushku: I actually did. My senior year of high school, we started the first girl's hockey team. We were so awful the first day on the ice when we couldn't even skate. But we formed this pretty powerful little team of fighters, checking girls into the sideboards, it was fun. Because we CAN kick ass!

BlackTrinity_99: What was your favorite episode that you were in?

Dushku: Hmmm. Maybe Enemies. It was the funnest to shoot, where I crossed the line and became really evil, trying to kill Buffy. Cause that was the baddest you get to be. And also I got to play around with the guys a lot. Hooking up with some of those handsome young stars on the show was pretty exciting!

delf_bronze: Are you excited about the season ender? Can you give us a bit of a hint?

Dushku: I'll give you the hint definitely to watch it, because it's going to be amazing. My character and Buffy really get to the point of... the cracking point, where she's completely frustrated with my career. We go to extremes, we face off, and it's very exciting. It was the hardest episode to shoot because there was so much action and twists and turns. We didn't get to see them before and I'm so excited to see it.

ashley_sims99: How do you feel about Earshots being cancelled?

Dushku: I support that it was cancelled because it was just so not appropriate after the tragedy at Colombine. Obviously the writers didn't expect that but it would have been really disrespectful to have aired something like that. Most people know that the content involved was a school sniper. It would have been so inappropriate.

JCs_Angel_18: Did you ever practice martial arts?

Dushku: I just started! When Buffy started, a little bit, I love yoga, but I don't like hurting people in real life! I'm more into mental heath, and I believe that physical health comes through first the mental aspect of it. Yoga has done amazing things for my body.

FaithnB: What do you like to do when you're not working on Buffy? (hobbies, etc.) Dushku: I live with my brother who is my best friend, he is kind of my partner in crime. So we make sure to tear up the town. So there is lots to see and do that's new. I love to travel. I love to socialize with friends. And I'm dying to learn to scuba dive and surf this summer. Both things were impossible to do in Boston comfortably.

orchid_111: When you did This Boys Life, did Leonardo DiCaprio intimidate you?

Dushku: No. I've never really been intimidated by actors. The first big actor I worked with was De Niro. Maybe I was so young. Also Leo, that was his first project from Growing Pains so he wasn't the Titanic star he is today. So mainly we were equals. He was cool.

faithfreak6: What's your favorite weapon that you've used on the show?

Dushku: Umm, my fists. They're the most powerful, slayer strength.

Othafa9: What was the biggest influence in your choice to be an actor?

Dushku: My brother and my agent. My brother just loves the art of acting, he studied at NYU for four years, and just kind of showed me how much you can really express yourself through it. And my manager has just had the utmost confidence in me from day one. And always just made me feel that with all the young actors out there, that I was better! Which is hard to tell a teenager who sees all these actors out there. But she's a tough lady, she kind of just drilled it in over the years. She was my agent, and only just now became my manager.

orchid_111: Who are some of your favorite bands?

Dushku: I love the Beastie Boys, Lauryn Hill. I love a ton of music, Bob Marley, Madonna. I like Metallica. Everything, basically. I have three older brothers who all have their own taste, so I got a mix of all three. Korn, too! I love Pearl Jam.

Screamer529: What was it like working with Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Dushku: He was like a father, but such a jokester, so funny. Super generous. Took me to Planet Hollywood when my friends were in town, would start food fights in the restaurant. Spent four weeks on top of a Miami savings back shooting the Harrier scene, so Arnold and I were stuck for days and days. And his favorite games were Bloody Knuckles and Some More. He would genuinely fall over backwards when he would make my knuckles bleed. And here I was 12. So cool. Smart guy, tough, but so smart. He would help me with my math, give me little algebra tricks.

Faithful_Watcher: Have you done or ever thought about doing theater?

Dushku: I actually have a little bit of stage fright to be honest. I can ignore a 400 pound camera if it's two feet from my head, but a live audience is a little terrifying for me! But I would like to do it I guess, it's overcoming another fear, which I guess is what life's about.

DruEsElla: What did you do for your 18th birthday?

Dushku: I was in Amsterdam. We spent Christmas in Ireland and New Year's in Amsterdam with two of my three brothers. And being older they showed me how to party like a legal adult I guess!

Cronous69: What is your favorite movie?

Dushku: I don't really have favorites, my only favorite thing is the color black. Black is beautiful.

Captain_DC: Have you ever got hurt on the set?

Dushku: Yeah, it was pretty much expected to come home with a fair amount of bumps and bruises and headaches, but nothing serious ever. But it was fun, fun bruises, because they were my war scars, you know, I jumped off this building, and happened to catch my leg!! I actually got bummed out when the bruises faded because I couldn't tell the stories anymore!

coolgurl14_98: Have you ever had to sing on stage?

Dushku: Yeah, I love to sing. Actually, when I was growing up and I would flunk the audition for the real part, and maybe half way through the play the director would hear me sing, and would make my own solo for intermission or something. We did Pinnochio when I was 8 and I got to sing Go to the Fair. I like singing, I'm loud. My neighbors get frustrated when I bust out the show tunes at 3 in the morning!

CalicoJackHairston: What's it like working with Joss Whedon, and since he is so passionate about the show, how does that make it easier to work on it?

Dushku: It makes it exciting because he's brilliant, a genius. He knows what he wants, and everything he wants is so smart, and works. Everyone on the show was trying to get the scripts as soon as they were finished because everything he would write was brilliant. Just when you thought it was impossible for him to come up with an episode that was more brilliant than the last — there it was. He's also probably the hardest worker I've encountered. Constantly up all night, and super devoted to the show and everyone on it.

Ask_4_More:Have you changed in any way since you've been on Buffy?

Dushku: I think I'm at the age where just in general I'm changing by the month. Coming out to California was my first time away from home, got my own apartment, it's now nine months later, I'm so much more independent. I'm growing up. You learn so much just living. Buffy was a big part, of course, but I'm still definitely in the years where you learn something new every day. And that's a fact, you know. I think I'm happier than when I first moved out. Still meeting friends out here, starting a life away from home. At first you're just terrified, then you start to love yourself and appreciate everything.

AngelsGal5: Which Buffy actor/actress do you hang out with the most?

Dushku: Everyone I guess. People I worked most with were Sarah, Nick, David, Anthony Head, I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to with Seth, Charisma, and Ally. But the times we were together it was twice the fun, a treat. Mainly Sarah and I worked together and she was such a sweetheart.

teen_hunter: Are you Albanian?

Dushku: I'm Albanian Danish. And I'm sorry that Albania has been recognized for something so tragic, but at least people know where it is. And they're not telling me, no, you mean, Armenian! Now they know.

Faithful_Watcher: Do you like musicals?

Dushku: Yes, and my brother is just starting to gain a new respect for them. He's very into them, and he's had me watching and taking more interest in them.

spacedog_tori_amos: Were you in a show called Bone Chillers?

Dushku: Not that I know of.

Philosophical_Christian: Your wardrobe on the show kicks ass... do you pick it?

Dushku: They bring in a huge rack, and the wardrobe designers and I find what works best, find the tightest, hottest leather, you know, all character based, to find out just how far she would go.

faithfreak6: I know your tattoo is a decal for the show. Would ever get a real one just like it?

Dushku: Yes, I'm planning on getting kind of a tribute tatoo when I turn 21 for a family member.

angelluv84: Did you watch the show before you became part of the cast?

Dushku: Honestly, I did not. I never was a big fan of sci-fi but have definitely gained a new respect for it. Especially on Buffy, I think they do an amazing job of taking something make-believe and making it so real. And I've gone out and re-rented Blade and other movies that I wasn't that into the first time.

TillyLady1: Do you get to keep any of the clothes you wear on the show?

Dushku: No, we don't. Believe me, I've begged and tried. They're nice about loaning things though. You have to establish early on that you're good at returning though. I kind of blew that early on....

FaithnB: Is there somewhere that fans can write to you?

Dushku: I guess through WB, I have gotten some really flattering fan mail!

KoRnkicxass: How do you keep your hair soooo straight after all that action? Dushku: Good hair dressers!

K_Stud_88: How was working with the experienced actors during Bye Bye Love? Dushku: It was good, it's always nice to work with experienced actors. I had already worked with Arnold and Jamie Lee Curtis, who was amazing. They'd been around, and they teach you something about professionalism, how to be on the set and in your work, and it's always such a gift to work with people like that.

chaddyboy_2000: Is your real name Eliza Dushku or has it been altered?

Dushku: What do you think? My name is Eliza Patricia Dushku, named after my amazing aunt who passed away, but she was like a mother. Honored to carry her name on. I'd never change my name. Arnold taught me that! "Believe me they will learn it", quoted from him!

TV Guide: Thanks for chatting with us, Eliza. Buffy's two part finale begins tomorrow at 8PM EST.

Dushku: There is a show on tonight, The Wish, but definitely tomorrow night its going to be amazing! Thanks to everybody for signing on today. Peace and Love.

Eliza Dushku chatted live on June 17,1999 at TVGuide.com,where the transcript was taken from.