Guide Note

American actor James Marsters made his mark playing British-accented vampire [[Spike Character|Spike] in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spin-off Angel. He has since had notable recurring roles on the CW's Smallville and the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood.

Fast Facts

1. Born: August 20, 1962
2. Hometown: Greenville, California
3. Full name: James Wesley Marsters
4. First role: Northern Exposure (1992)
5. Also a musician

Marsters grew up in Greenville, California, a small town in the northern reaches of the state. Bit by the acting bug from a very young age, he attended both Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and Julliard Drama School in the early 1980s. Marsters has said that he was essentially kicked out of Julliard. He was heavily involved in the theater scenes in both Chicago and Seattle.

Marsters appeared in what was supposed to be a one-off guest role as evil vampire Spike on the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His character, a bleached-blond punk rocker with a flip sense of humor, a love of violence and a long history with the vampire Angel, struck and instant chord with the audience, who demanded his return. Spike became a regular character, fell in love with Buffy Summers, got his soul back, and moved on to Los Angeles to become part of the TV series Angel. Marsters originally auditioned for the role using a Georgia accent, but producers decided a London accent better suited the character. Reportedly, many cast members were not aware for quite some time that the actor was not British.

Marsters played Clark Kent's professor Prof. Milton Fine, a character that was soon unveiled to be the alter ego of Superman nemesis Brainiac in the television series Smallville. He has also appeared in Britain's hit supernatural TV series Torchwood, a series that was initially developed with the goal of bringing a show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to the BBC. Marsters' character, Captain John Hart, is omnisexual and amoral, with a flip sense of humor, a love of violence, and a relationship with the brooding male lead that spans across centuries - not unlike his breakout character Spike.