Marc Blucas is probably best known for his role as Riley on “Buffy, The Vampire Slayer,” which he appeared on for a year and a half. However,
since leaving the show he has stretched out into feature fi lms and is beginning to his lengthen his stride. His new fi lm, “First Daughter,” opens on Friday, and he was in Philadelphia last week to promote the movie.In the fi lm, Blucas plays a college student whom Katie Holmesʼ character falls for. “It was fun playing college again,” Blucas said about the role.
As for his own college experience, Blucas claims he was “square.” He went to Wake Forest University on a basketball scholarship. However, he was so focused on basketball that he ended up joining a fraternity to break himself out of his box and get the full college experience. He majored in business and communications, but throughout college he planned to go on to law school. It wasnʼt until the lastminute that he changed his mind.
“I was enrolled and accepted and my scholarships had paid for law school, and two weeks before I decided I donʼt love the law. I was doing this for the wrong reasons,” Blucas said. “Law schools wonʼt disappear. If that strikes me as something I need to go back and do, Iʼll go back and do it.”
Blucas admits that his fi rst acting gig was in the play Hansel and Gretal in the third grade and claims to have received rave reviews. During college he did perform small roles in Wake Forestʼs productions, but nothing that he could commit to completely.
“Iʼm never one to go after something half-heartedly and basketball was something I pursued to no end, almost to that obsessive level, and it paid off,” Blucas said. Now that he is pursuing acting, he is also making sure
that he is doing work of which he is proud.
“Iʼd rather work for two or three days for a great fi lmmaker on a small role, than do the lead of something I donʼt believe in, either in character or story,” said Blucas.
Blucas realizes that actors also need to continue to work, but is glad that he has reached a plateau in his career where he is able to be more selective in the choices he makes about his roles. “First Daughter” was one of those roles that he liked, but it got even better when the cast began to materialize.
“First and foremost I liked the script. It was more than just here is another fairy tale romance with ʻboy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl backʼ,” Blucas said.
“As soon as Forrest Whitaker and Katie Holmes became involved in it, I was stalking the project.” On the set during the three month shoot, which was donrmostly in L.A., Blucas and Holmes got along well. He ended up
in awe not just of her and director
Forrest Whitakerʼs talents, but also of them as people. “They are better people than they are talents. Those two are just genuinely great people.
Everyone knows their talent,” Blucas gushed.
The chemistry between Blucas and Holmes in the film, he said was instantaneous. “When I saw the final product I was really blown away. I really liked the dynamic Katie and I did with the characters,” he said.
Based on his relationships with Holmes and Whitaker, Blucas said he would work with them again in an instant, even in a sequel — during the interview ideas already came up. “I certainly push for some Caribbean island — as long as no hurricanes are sweeping through,” Blucas said with a laugh. “Give us a gun, give us speedboats and segway into a different genre.”
Because of the point he has reached in his career, Blucas has chosen to take some time off before deciding upon his next project. During his free time he likes to make furniture out of rustic hardware and wood and tinker on cars.
“Iʼm like a gearhead in training or a wannabe maybe,” Blucas admits. Blucas is one of those actors who has yet to become fazed by the career he has chosen. Blucas has maintained a great sense of humor which is sure to help him as his career continues to unfold.