Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Actors Who Almost Played Xander – Screen Rant

BeforeNicholas Brendon was cast as Buffy's close friend, Xander Harris, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a few other actors were strongly considered for the role. The part was loosely based on Joss Whedon, the creative mind behind the development of the supernatural drama series. Portraying Xander for six years served as Brendon's breakout role, but he nearly missed out on the opportunity.

Most viewers will also remember Xander as being the main source of comic relief throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Xander appeared in all but one episode ofthe series, the most of any character exceptBuffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Willow Rosenberg(Alyson Hannigan).A fellow student at Sunnydale High, Xander went on to become one ofBuffy's best friends and a member of the Scooby Gang, serving as a sidekick while facing dangerous threats. Xander never had supernatural powers, but that never stopped him from stepping up.

Related:Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Actresses Who Almost Played Buffy Summers

Young Hollywood stars had their eyes on Whedon's new TV project when it was being cast in the mid-'90s, so it's no surprise that the script attracted many big names. Ryan Reynolds auditioned for the role of Xander and impressed enough people to get an official offer, which he eventually turned down since he had just graduated high school and didn't want to relive the experience. Reynolds wasn't the onlyactorwho was almost cast as Xander, however.

Like Reynolds, actor Danny Strong was seriously considered for the role of Xander when Buffy the Vampire Slayer was greenlit on The WB. Though he didn't get the gig, Strong later became a recurring character for much of the series' run. He played the role of Jonathan Levinson, a fellow Sunnydale student who was often bullied by his peers. Strong's character appeared in five of the seven seasonsuntil he was revealed to be a warlock, and he helped form the villainous group known as The Trio.

Out of all the main actors cast in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Nicholas Brendon had the least acting experience. He had worked odd jobs in entertainmentand was down on his luck when he got a hold of the show's script. He only auditioned for four days before he was awarded thepart, andBrendon then portrayed the character throughout its run, except for a few instances when his twin brother, Kelly Donavon, served as Xander's stunt double.

Next:Who Was The Vampire Slayer Before Buffy?

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Kara Hedash is a features writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world's most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara's not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty. Kara can be found on Twitter @thekaraverse.

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Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Actors Who Almost Played Xander - Screen Rant

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