# Buffy Stars Who Almost Joined the Show

> Five celebrities nearly appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer but declined roles due to scheduling or personal choices.
- Title: Buffy Stars Who Almost Joined the Show · VICE | Shortify
- Summary: Five celebrities nearly appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer but declined roles due to scheduling or personal choices.
- Keywords: buffy the vampire slayer, sarah michelle gellar, britney spears, freddie prinze jr, katie holmes, ryan reynolds, natasha lyonne, news, culture, Buffy, Stars, Almost
- Source: VICE — https://vice.com/en/article/5-stars-who-almost-appeared-on-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-and-why-they-didnt
- Author: Haley Miller
- Published: 2026-10-18T21:46:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: buffy the vampire slayer, sarah michelle gellar, britney spears, freddie prinze jr, katie holmes, ryan reynolds, natasha lyonne, news, culture
## Britney Spears
Britney Spears was lined up to play April, a robot girlfriend, but had scheduling conflicts.
## Freddie Prinze Jr.
Freddie Prinze Jr. auditioned for Dracula but was replaced by Randolph Martin.
## Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes turned down Buffy to finish high school, later landing roles on the show.
## Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds declined Xander Harris to avoid high school roles, after his NBC sitcom break.
## Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne turned down Buffy at 16 to avoid committing to a network.
## Key takeaway

Five celebrities nearly appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer but declined roles due to scheduling or personal choices.