Why does Joss Whedon use the same actors so frequently?
When I watch Joss Whedon's shows I'm very aware of how often the same actors appear. Here's a quick list of ones I've spotted.
- Eliza Dushku - Dollhouse and Buffy/Angel
- Alexis Denisof - Buffy/Angel and Dollhouse
- Adam Baldwin - Angel/Firefly
- Nathan Fillon - Firefly/Buffy
- Gina Torres - Firefly/Angel
- Summer Glau - Firefly/Dollhouse
- Amy Acker - Dollhouse/Angel
- Alan Tudyk - Firefly/Dollhouse
Has he ever given any reason for hiring the same actors in his different shows instead of finding different casts?
Best Answer
They have a camaraderie and a short-hand that only happens by having worked together before. Fillion said in an interview (maybe with EW?) that when the phone rang and he saw it was Joss Whedon calling, he answered the phone by saying "YES." And that's how he became a member of the cast of Dr. Horrible. It's the same reason Martin Scorsese works so often with De Niro and more recently DiCaprio. Many directors do this. Wes Anderson, Hal Hartley and Woody Allen. It makes the set more relaxed and communication easier because there's no "getting to know you" orientation when you're working with friends.
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