The continuation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer has gotten some extra star power as Chase Sui Wonders has joined the cast. Chase Sui Wonders, best known for her work on Apple TV+’s hit series The Studio and who recently starred in I Know What You Did Last Summer alongside returning vampire hunter Sarah Michelle Gellar, has signed on for what is expected to be a guest role in the Hulu pilot. Few details are known about Wonder’s role, except that she will be playing a character named Shirley who is expected to be a vampire.
Wonders opened up to Deadline about joining the pilot for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, revealing her love for the original series, saying:
“I’ve watched the entirety of the [original] series, so I’m really living inside Sunnydale at the moment. It’s very cool and surreal to see young Sarah Michelle just be a total badass, which I knew, but it’s cool to see that she’s been a badass for a long time. It’s the dream to bring back a show like this, to have someone who was there day in and day out and through the origin of the series, be the consultant. She’s the onset consultant for all kinds of things of like, how do you react to these types of vampires, or how does someone react to a bite, and all the lore she’s got stored in her brain. So, it’s very helpful.”
Wonders later elaborated on the project and what drew her to join the pilot. Part of it was her friendship with Sarah Michelle Gellar, whom she met on I Know What You Did Last Summer, but also the fact that the editor for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot, Erick Kissack, worked on The Studio. She also spoke about working with Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao. Wonders said:
“Sarah Michelle Gellar is just such a force to be reckoned with. We became fast friends on I Know What You Did Last Summer. She’s an incredible woman and just a cool person, and she asked me if I wanted to do it. Then she told me about Chloé Zhao directing and the Zuckermans showrunning. And then Eric Kissack, who is actually our editor on The Studio, is also editing the Buffy series.
Upon first meeting her [pilot director Chloé Zhao], I was like, this woman is very, very heart-on-her- sleeve, and she has a very unique approach to filmmaking and the process of it all. You can tell that her roots are in this very naturalistic indie filmmaking with non-actors. The Rider was a total masterpiece. To get to work with her on this canon, pulpy sort of fantastical series is really fun. She’s incredible.”
Chase Sui Wonders is a Great Addition to ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
At just 29, Chase Sui Wonders has already amassed an impressive resume. She was one of the main stars on the short-lived HBO series Generation before joining the cast of Bodies Bodies Bodies, which features a treasure trove of stars including Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la, Rachel Sennott, and Pete Davidson. Her role on The Studio as Quinn Hackett has garnered positive reviews from critics, earning her a Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nomination at the Astra TV Awards and an Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series nomination at the Gotham TV Awards.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is easily one of the most anticipated pilots being filmed, as it is the continuation of one of the most influential television series of all time. The star power of Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to the role of Buffy Summers is certainly enought to get fans excited and hopefully the series a full season order. While Gellar’s return is the big draw, the star of the series will be Ryan Kiera Armonstrong, who will be a new slayer that Buffy trains.
Even though Chase Sui Wonders is only expected to be a guest star for the pilot episode, if she proves popular enough, she could always return. James Marsters’ Spike was originally set to die in his second appearance, but fan reaction to the character was so strong that he not only became a recurring character but later a lead of the series and even joined the cast of the spin-off, Angel. Chase Sui Wonders might be busy with her commitments to The Studio, which was renewed for Season 2, but hopefully, the producers and writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will leave the door open for her to return.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
