Buffy icon Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood reflect on their earliest film memories – and the key thing Gellar learnt on Buffy

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It’s often difficult for child actors to continue finding success as adults, but Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood are widely considered to have made the transition smoothly and successfully.

Both started acting in movies and television when they were children in the 1980s, and have since become famous for their roles in iconic franchises – she’s best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, while he’s celebrated for his work in Lord of the Rings.

The cast of the new horror sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, now playing in UK cinemas, includes several well-known genre stars alongside Samara Weaving.

In celebration of the release, TopMob interviewed the duo as part of our Film Flashbacks series, covering topics from their earliest movie experiences to important moments in their careers.

You can check out the full interview below.

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What are your earliest memories of going to the cinema and watching films when you were younger?

Sarah Michelle Gellar says her first movie experience involved seeing both E.T. and the animated Snow White on the same weekend. Seeing Drew Barrymore in one of those films inspired her to become an actress herself.

Elijah Wood said that’s incredible and difficult to top. He fondly remembers watching ‘Gremlins’ as one of his earliest movie experiences, though he was too young to see it in theaters and watched it at home instead.

SMG: Oh, my God, didn’t you want one of those? I used to beg for a Mogwai.

I really loved Gizmo and the movie Gremlins! Seeing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with my mom at the Chinese Theater was another incredible experience for me – it really stuck with me.

You were both acting from quite a young age. What are your earliest memories of being on film sets?

I have a funny story from my very first movie job. It was filmed on Shelter Island during the winter, which isn’t a popular place to be then because of the heavy snowfall. The snowdrifts were huge, and since I was small, they actually hired someone to carry me between filming locations! They were worried I’d get lost in the snow. It’s completely true!

I have really vivid early memories. Actually, my very first film role was in Back to the Future 2 – I played someone at Cafe 80s, which is amazing when I think about it.

SMG: What?

So, I was hanging out in the back of Cafe 80s, and there were these two kids struggling to play this light gun arcade game, Wild Gunman. Michael J. Fox – playing Marty McFly, of course – came over and showed them how it worked. They were amazed and said something like, ‘You mean you actually have to use your hands? It’s so simple!’ And I was one of those kids who couldn’t figure it out until he helped.

SMG: My world has just been changed. My world is forever changed.

It was incredible for me, growing up in Iowa and then moving to Los Angeles to work in commercials. Then, to actually be on the set of that movie – I was a huge fan of Back to the Future! Being in the downtown area, set up to look like Hill Valley in the future, was just amazing.

I’m really struggling right now, and I don’t think I can continue with this interview. I’m too caught up in my own thoughts and feel like I’m just going through the motions.

EW: It was pretty awesome.

We’re here today to discuss horror movies. Can you share your first experiences with the genre? Do you recall a specific film that frightened you, either when you were a child or later in life?

My older brother, who is seven years my senior, started renting horror movies when he was a teenager – that’s what he and his friends liked. He’d let me watch them too, but only if I kept it a secret from our parents.

I first got into horror movies when I was really young, around six or seven years old. I especially remember seeing Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and it’s still one of my all-time favorite horror films – and probably my favorite in the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

I’m a big movie fan, and I especially enjoy going to the cinema. Luckily, my kids share my taste in movies! I mentioned this yesterday, but when they were young, their godmother worked on the movie Goosebumps. She offered to host a special screening on the studio lot for their birthdays, which was amazing.

My kids were thrilled to invite their friends – they were around five and seven years old – to a special advance screening at a movie studio. Unfortunately, none of their friends were brave enough to come because the movie was a horror film and they were too scared. Luckily, my kids enjoyed horror movies even when they were young, so hopefully their friends will be able to watch them now!

Can you describe a movie experience with a fellow actor that significantly altered your perspective on acting and filmmaking?

I believe that covers all the films I’ve worked on. With each project, I pick up new knowledge – not just from the actors, but from everyone on set, like the crew and production designers. If you’re not always learning from these talented people, you’re really missing an opportunity.

Early in my time on Buffy, I realized this kind of opportunity might not come again, so I tried my hand at every job on set. I operated the boom mic, I focused the camera – I wanted to learn how everything worked behind the scenes.

Many actors think their job is simply to deliver their lines and stand in the right spot. But that’s not quite right! If we change the order of our lines, it throws off the boom operator, who then has to follow our movements instead of anticipating them. So, I believe acting is a constant learning process where you’re always picking up things from everyone around you.

I completely agree – it’s fantastic! I love the feeling of working with a team to make a film, where everyone brings their unique talents and contributes to the whole process. Being part of that creative energy is just wonderful.

Looking back on my life, seeing the movie The Ice Storm directed by Ang Lee was a turning point for me. I started pursuing this work when I was eight, and that film really marked the shift from my childhood efforts to the work I do now as an adult.

It surprisingly ended up being a perfect fit for me. I was a teenager, probably around 14 or 15, and I got to work with Christina Ricci and a truly incredible cast, including Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. It was a really wonderful experience and a great film.

I was asked to participate in a way that was completely new for me as an actor. It felt like a major shift, a fresh start, and opened up a whole new creative space.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is now showing in UK cinemas.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming services. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time, he’s interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

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2026-03-26 15:36