Cordelia is a well-to-do snob whose role in life is to
take care of herself, which is often at the expense of
others. It's Cordelia's world, and we just live in it.

Charisma Carpenter didn't intend to be an actress. A
classicly-trained dancer, she was once a San Diego
Charger Girl cheerleader, and worked as an aerobics
instructor to support herself through school. But when
she was spotted by a commercial agent (while waiting
tables in L.A.), a new career followed.

A veteran of 20 TV ads (including a Secret
anti-perspirant spot which ran for two years), Charisma's
first big TV break came when she made a guest
appearance on "Baywatch." She secured a talent agent
the very next day. She then auditioned for television
heavyweight Aaron Spelling, and won the role of Ashley
in "Malibu Shores."

Q&A: The Important Stuff

UltimateTV: Who's your favorite actor?
Charisma: Jack Nicholson.

U: And actress?
C: Holly Hunter and Anne Heche

U: How about movies... what's your favorite?
C: Legends of the Fall

U: And TV... what's something you try to catch regularly?
C: Party of Five

U: Music, what kind of music do you like, and what are
some of the hot bands, according to you?
C: All kinds... blues, jazz, alternative and a little
country. Some favorites are Chet Baker, Velvet
Chain (who've appeared on "Buffy") and
Soundgarden.

U: And what would you say is your favorite song?
C: I have lots of favorites, "Kiss Me" by Tin Tin and
"Trouble Me" by Natalie Merchant are rad.

U: What do you like to do when you're not on the set?
C: Rollerblading and hanging out with my golden
retriever Sydney.

U: How are you like your character on the show?
C: I like clothes like Cordelia, but I'm not as good at
shopping. Other than that, I'm nothing like Cordelia!

U: What do you think of the occult, vampires and the
other odd occurances in the show? Fact or fiction?
C: I was never into vampires and blood and gore,
but the way Joss has incorporated it into the show
is cool. A bunch of kids came to the "Buffy"
premiere at Planet Hollywood in Miami dressed in
gothic attire and they looked so beautiful, so I
guess the show has exposed me to some things I
might not have gotten to experience otherwise.

U: And, finally, what's something memorable from when
you were on the set working on the show?
C: In one episode, we had tarantulas -- millions of
them -- big, fat, hairy, poisonous, threatening
spiders crawling all over this guy’s head, on his
shoulders, through his hair... I didn't see them until
they yelled action, and then I screamed! Spiders
give me such a heebie jeebie feeling!

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