In the Beginning
The character of Jonathan wasn't always the ‘Superstar’ he is today. "I
had one line in the pilot so it wasn't exactly a lot of work," recalls
Danny. "I remember everyone telling me that Joss (Whedon) was really
happy with the work and that I would most likely be back if the show was
picked up. I was pretty flattered and a little surprised; after all, it
was only one line."
One line it may have been , but sometimes a minor character in a TV show
strikes a chord and finds their involvement blossoming. Such was the
case with Danny who, back in 1996, found himself working on a
‘presentation’ film intended to prove to network bosses that that a flop
film about a blonde teen vampire slayer called Buffy nevertheless had
prime time network TV potential.
"I don't have a lot of memories of shooting the pilot because I was only
there for a couple of hours. I couldn't believe it when they called in
season two and offered me the role of Jonathan. I thought they had
forgotten about me."
Throughout the second and third seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer,
the face of the 26 year old from Manhattan Beach, California was a
familiar one. Need someone to be threatened at gunpoint by a Tarakan
assassin? Danny could do that. Need a new boyfriend to get Cordelia
Chase back into the dating game? Call Danny. Need someone to be seduced
by an Inca Mummy Girl? Danny is your man.
"On ‘Inca Mummy Girl’ I had to get as close to kissing the actress (Ara
Celi) as possible without actually kissing her," Danny fondly remembers.
"It was one of my greatest challenges as an actor because she was truly
beautiful. She killed people with her kiss, but who knows, it might have
been worth it."
NEXT: Danny's cameos >>
