She's said a few times that she used to be freaked out by them. But by the later years of the show I think she'd pretty much gotten used to them. The bit about refusing to film in real ones certainly isn't true. Especially since they filmed in a real one on a semi-regular basis right through the show's seven seasons.

[ edited by Impossible on 2007-03-14 23:21 ]

Impossible | March 15, 02:20 CET

That's what I was thinking, Impossible. I know I've seen her run through some that couldn't be all on set!

Rogue Slayer | March 15, 02:28 CET

Lots of solid ideas for practical "joax" tho, so it's an educational source.
Seriously, I don't have a fear of graveyards (I used to work funerals as hired help) but I when I'm in one I try...not..to...touch..the...trees.

DaddyCatALSO | March 15, 02:57 CET

Whether SMG is comfortable in graveyards or not, their reasoning for the Buffy graveyard set is definitely bull; it was just a heck of a lot more convenient to shoot right there at the Mutant Enemy offices, and (more importantly) way cheaper than going on location.

jlp | March 15, 03:28 CET

I remember reading somewhere that the first season they filmed in a real graveyard which freaked her out a bit, and she much preferred the (set) graveyard scenes from s2 onwards, but I can't imagine SMG being scared in graveyards by s7.
I think it had something to do with a fear of being buried alive, and that the scene in Nightmares where she comes out of the grave was scary for her to film...or maybe I'm just babbling.

lone fashionable wolf | March 15, 04:14 CET

lone fashionable wolf:

I remember hearing about SMG being scared of that scene in Nightmares too. I don't remember where I heard it though.

maje | March 15, 04:32 CET

During an interview conducted by Jancee Dunn and published in Rolling Stone maagine on 2 April 1998 in an article entitled 'Love at First Bite', Gellar says, "I have an irrational fear of cemeteries and being buried alive."

With direct reference to being "buried alive" in the S1 episode 'Nightmares', she goes on to say, "They basically made me do it, and I was hysterical. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done for my job, ever. Some people find cemeteries a turn-on. Not me. It was horrible."

alien lanes | March 15, 05:18 CET

I think there was an interview too, with some British guy in season six where he got to go on set and I think they did the interview in a real graveyard, but since I dont know the British guys name (I think he was black and a comedian but I cant for the life of me remember) Ill just say that. I had no idea about Nightmares though, they really buried her alive? Or not buried her alive but put her in that casket?

jerryst3161 | March 15, 05:26 CET

Jerry, that would be Richard Blackwood. There are clips of the on-set interview, including the cemetary, at YouTube (am I allowed to mention that?)

alien lanes | March 15, 05:44 CET

The Sky interview is called Buffy Meets Blackwood. The two are seen on the set of As You Were with Sam. They were filming at the Angelus Rosedale cemetary. Sarah shows no fear of cemetaries at that point, but she does admit to having a previous fear of them. Judging from the backgrounds BtVS used real cemetaries in S1, S5, S6, and S7; but, shot mainly on the backlot in S2 thru S4.

Anne 5_by_5 | March 15, 10:35 CET