Alexis Denisof

Biography:
Born in Salisbury, Maryland on February 25, 1966, Alexis actually grew up in Seattle. Here, he began his acting career at the ACT (A Contemporary Theatre). For high school he attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. Upon graduation, he was accepted into the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, which he attended for three years. After finishing his education and training, he stayed in London for ten more years, working both on stage (including a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company opposite Ian McKellen) and screen.

Upon returning to the United States, he was too broke to afford a place to stay, so he stayed for a year with some friends that he had worked with on the television series "Noah's Ark". It wasn't long, though, before he tried out for the small guest role of British pansy Wesley Wyndham-Pryce for the popular "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". It was on the set for this show that he first met and befriended Alyson Hannigan, who was immediately interested in the gorgeous Denisof, and asked him out. He refused, based on a personal rule that he would never date coworkers.

Soon, his guest appearance on Buffy ended, but less than six months later he was asked to reprise the role, in a much more permanent fashion, on the spinoff "Angel". He has played that role ever since.

Since he was no longer working directly with Hannigan, he was willing to consider dating her, but by that time she was already in another relationship, so they became good friends instead. Eventually, Alyson's other relationship ended, and very soon thereafter, she and Alexis embarked on a romantic relationship that recently, in October, 2003, culminated in their marriage.

Comments
Alexis Denisof is clearly an actor to be reckoned with, as his impressive theatrical record points out. In Angel this is certainly clear. Perhaps more than any character in the show, Wesley goes through great changes over the course of the seasons, growing from a cowardly, inexperienced young man with little to recommend him as a hero into a strong, controlled fighting machine with a useful penchant for demonology. During this growth, he runs the gamut of emotional expression, portraying everything from puppy love to a somewhat scary cold fury. Still, it is always possible to see the terrified, unsure boy that we first met hiding just below the surface. Because of Denisof's strong portrayal, the creators of Angel have hinged much of their show on him - perhaps more, in fact, than the title character.