The SAG Award Winner Who Played Memorable Roles In Buffy & Numerous '90s Teen Movies
The near-constant rotation of villains in the seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" provided ample opportunity for guest stars, and some of these roles went to some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Sitcom star John Ritter is a killer robot in the season 2 episode "Ted," Kal Penn of "Harold & Kumar" plays the victim of a cursed beer in season 4, and "Enchanted" star Amy Adams is featured as Tara's estranged cousin in an episode of season 5. But even in that star-studded milieu, some of the most unforgettable performances in the series were given by breakout actors and indie darlings, like SAG Award-winning multihyphenate Clea DuVall.
You might have forgotten that DuVall made an appearance in "Buffy" — in fact, the actor's character didn't appear very much on-screen at all. In "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," DuVall plays Sunnydale High School student Marcie Ross, a girl who is so shy she turns invisible, causing her to lash out homicidally. Since her character is invisible for most of the episode, she doesn't get a whole lot of screen time. However, Marcie's dual nature of endearing meekness and terrifying violence is difficult to forget, and that incredible emotional nuance is all to DuVall's credit.
This season 1 episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was one of the first times that the actor had appeared on-screen. However, it would be far from the last time that she wowed audiences with her incredible talent.
Clea DuVall was just getting started when she appeared in Buffy
DuVall didn't have a whole lot of experience before she stepped on the set of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," having only had a few small roles on shows like "E.R." and "Dangerous Minds." The actor had no idea that this single-episode appearance would become a huge highlight of her career. She was a fan of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" movie before she auditioned for the series, but her episode was shot before the show had come out yet (as she once told the A.V. Club).
She had no idea if the WB series would be successful, but was nervous all the same. DuVall's greenness in the entertainment industry, along with her natural introversion, made her the perfect fit for Marcie.
"I think I was maybe 18 or 19 when we shot it," she recalled. "I was nervous and very shy, but really related to that character so much because I am a shy person. I am an introvert. I was so taken with the sensitivity and the emotion in that role."
The actor delivered most of her lines off-set into a microphone, which made her feel even more like her character. This also gave her another obstacle to overcome as a performer in order to connect with her scene partners and the audience. Although she was only in one episode and did most of her performance in voice-over, new generations of shy teenagers continue to see themselves in Marcie.
"The fact that it's one episode of a television show that was on for so long, and people come up to me and talk to me about it all the time," DuVall continued. "And they relate to it and they understood. We all feel that way. Probably the most visible people also feel invisible."
Her range is unmatched
After playing Marcie in "Buffy," DuVall went on to star in some of the biggest films of the late '90s. The year that her episode of "Buffy" aired, she also appeared in the sci-fi film "The Faculty" alongside a star-studded cast that included Piper Laurie and Salma Hayek.
In 1999 alone, DuVall snagged supporting roles in two major coming-of-age films, playing Graham opposite Natasha Lyonne in the boundary-pushing campy dramedy "But I'm A Cheerleader" and Georgina in the Winona Ryder and Angeline Jolie-led "Girl, Interrupted." Both of these characters were also lesbians, and at just 19 years old, DuVall was at the forefront of a burgeoning movement for LGBT+ representation.
In the 2000s, DuVall joined the main cast of the short-lived HBO period drama series Carnivàle from 2003-2005. She went on to do more work in television in the years to follow, with a recurring role in "Heroes" as FBI Agent Audrey Hanson as well as single-episode appearances in procedurals like "Law & Order" and "Bones." She also had a small role as Linda del Buono in David Fincher's 2007 crime film "Zodiac."
In more recent years, DuVall has flexed her comedy muscle a bit more in shows like "Better Call Saul" and "Broad City." More notably, she joined the main cast of the critically acclaimed HBO series "Veep" for its final three seasons as Secret Service agent Marjorie Palmiotti. Her work in the quippy political satire earned her and the rest of the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
DuVall is moving into directing and writing
"The Faculty" star is still a successful working actor in 2024 and has even branched out to other areas of the entertainment industry. She recently had a recurring role in the Elizabeth Moss-led Hulu series "The Handmaid's Tale" as Sylvia. DuVall also teamed up with her "But I'm A Cheerleader" co-star again in "Poker Face," the episodic detective show starring Lyonne and created by "Knives Out" director Rian Johson.
DuVall has moved into writing and producing in more recent years. She directed, wrote, and starred in the relationship dramedy film "The Intervention" back in 2016, which featured Lyonne, Jason Ritter, and Ben Schwartz. DuVall also created the animated series "HouseBroken" in 2021, which boasts names like Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte as well as her "Veep" co-stars Sam Richardson and Timothy Simons. In 2020, DuVall also co-wrote the Kristen Stewart-led holiday film "Happiest Season" with fellow actor Mary Holland, who was featured in the final season of "Veep" as Shawnee Tanz.
After co-starring in the acclaimed HBO series, the pair have since gone on to collaborate on several projects, first with "Happiest Season" and now with their upcoming television series, "Day Job." Holland is slated to star in the series as Meg, a hapless woman who cuts herself off from her high-powered business family and tries to fend for herself after being framed for her father's white-collar crimes (per Deadline). In addition to creating the next season of her animated show, DuVall will also write and direct the pilot episode of "Day Job" in 2024.
While DuVall has done so much significant work since appearing on "Buffy" as a teenager, it remains one of the most incredible performances of her long and storied career. It just goes to show: raw talent was there from the very beginning!