Never Been Goth by William Van Meter

From Spin - November 2000

Michelle Trachtenberg is 15 years old. She has just made her debut as Sarah Michelle Gellar's protégée on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which gets more darkly brilliant every season. We asked her some questions.

Tell us a little bit about your character.

Her name is Dawn. She and Buffy develop a sisterly relationship.

What about you and Willow?

Dawn thinks that Willow is a really cool person -- because Willow is. That's all that has been revealed so far.

Is your relationship with Buffy like how Xena, the Warrior Princess has with her special little sister?

Buffy and I develop a sisterly relationship, and we have a lot of fun stuff to do together.

So, on the show, Buffy's, like, 19, and you're 14. It kind of reminds me when you're in high school, and the one loser from college would drive you places and get you beer and stuff just to hang out with the young girls. Why does Buffy want to hang out with such a young girl?

[silence]

Will you be slaying some vampires?

I am not allowed to say anything.

What about your parents on the show?

Buffy and Dawn will develop a sisterly relationship.

You are extremely secretive.

It's a secretive show.

Can I ask if Dawn is a boy or a girl?

She's a girl.

Just seeing if you'd know that one. What do you think the Hellmouth is a metaphor for?

I think it's just the Hellmouth. It's the bad demons come from.

Why are teenage girls drawn to goth?

I think that perhaps when people are raised, their belief systems are directed in one sort of way. Maybe they meet someone who intrigues them and they say, hey, why don't I try being gothic for a day or two? And they try it. I just never have.