lthough the Angel Investigations team may have closed the doors on the true and original Hyperion in favor of the plush ivory towers of the new Wolfram & Hart offices, Starfury made no such defection as the 2004 Angel event took place in the very familiar confines of the Thistle Hotel near London's Heathrow. Although just under half the size of its successful 2003 predecessor End of Days, the event that managed to sell out 13-months before it even took place still managed to play host to close to 900 conventioneers. Once again the stage in the Main Hall took on the semblance of the reception of the 1920's Hollywood hotel with the welcome sight of Smile Time's puppet Angel taking the role of receptionist. What was to be another fun-filled and exciting weekend for all, providing fans with yet another insightful look into and behind the scenes with the actors and crew of their favorite series, did not disappoint. With events scheduled throughout the weekend of Autograph and Photograph sessions, the Fancy Dress competition, three nights of disco partying until 3am along with a plethora of question & answer talks, auctions and merchandise to fill that one vacant spot in any fans collections. Welcome to Hyperion, check your bags at the door and let the festivities begin!

WELCOME TO HYPERION

With Glorificus herself, Clare Kramer once again acting as MC, she introduced the waiting crowd to the impressive list of Angel guests. First on stage was a man who was perhaps one of the most interesting people to attend End of Days. As key props man on Angel for five years, Ed 'Sparky' Servaites has lots of fascinating behind-the-scenes insights to share on what exactly goes on in the making of Angel. He was followed on stage by Emmy award winning make-up artist Dayne Johnson who over the past year or so has intrigued many fans with his make-up demonstrations but amused even more people with his on-stage antics with our favorite green demon. Brody Hutzler was a revelation in 2003 or rather his lean well toned body was a revelation and as he graced the stage on opening night, it was clearly his well defined abs and pleasing habit of revealing his fine physique that had the ladies in the crowd shouting "Off, Off, Off..." before Brody even said a word. The great thing about Starfury cons is the knack event organizer Sean Harry has of bringing actors over to the UK for their first ever convention experiences and for Hyperion, Sean managed to break in not one but two familiar Angel faces into the convention scene. For some, the addition of werewolf and Angel's love interest Nina Ash a.k.a. Jenny Mollen to the guest list had been a welcome surprise but it obviously proved to be quite a daunting experience for Jenny herself, "I'm so nervous right now," she confessed as she caught her first glimpse of the Angel faithful. Unable to say anymore she quickly ran off stage to seek comfort amongst the friendly faces behind-the-scenes. Nerves didn't seem to be a problem for the other con newbie as Sarah Thompson (Eve) happily smiled and waved and soaked up the plaudits of the Hyperion crowd. "I'm so excited to be here," she told everyone, "It's my first time in England and I love it! I'm looking forward to having a fabulous weekend."

There are some guests who no matter how many times they attend UK events, it is always a pleasure to welcome them. Julie Benz is as gracious as she is beautiful and to see her each year is like saying hello to an old friend. She has been part of the Angel family for so long that it is no wonder she is received with warmth. "I have to say," she begins once the noise has died down, "there is nothing like a British fan." No wonder the Brits love her so. During the final season of Angel, the familiar face of Angel's son Connor made a welcome return for a couple of episodes and at Hyperion the young man behind Mr. Broody Jr. Vincent Kartheiser happily matched that trend. His welcome on stage was loud but personal wagers between fans and friends were being made prior to the start of the opening ceremony as to which guest would raise the roof so much that an aircraft could pass by and not be heard either landing or taking off at nearby Heathrow airport. The vote was split between the big-hearted Andy Hallett and the ever-so-sweet Amy Acker. As most are aware, Andy has been suffering some pretty serious health problems recently and the fact that he was even in attendance is a testament to the kind of man that he is. Never one to let his fans down, the recent enforced cancellation of a US con meant that Andy, more than ever, was determined to be the 'life of the party' and the fans showed their appreciation of his inspirational presence the only way they knew how, with cheers, applause and the occasional burst of high pitched squealing. Everybody but everybody loves Amy Acker. Whether it be on DVD commentaries, in magazine articles or at conversations in an auto queue. Family, friends and fans alike all recognize Amy's engaging spirit and she was the last guess to be announced as her short-lived attendance at Hyperion was greeted with such an ovation that we're sure that was a Boeing 767 just quietly sneaking overhead. Amy, with her engaging duel performance of both Fred and Illyria this season, solidified herself as the reining Texan favorite of Starfury conventions! With all the guests on stage for one last welcome from the audience, everyone was ready to begin the first party of the weekend.

JULIE BENZ (Darla)

Saturday afternoon in the Main Hall was filled with much excitement and laughter as Julie Benz and Vincent Kartheiser took the stage together to spend a full-hour with the fans in what was to become the most interesting talk of the day. Julie is always emphatic to state what a wonderful and rich history her character of Darla has had over the course of 8-years in the Whedon-verse, but she herself has compiled quite a history with the attendees of Starfury and once again, all the fans where very happy to see her. Dressed in a beautiful, off-white, hand-knitted poncho, which she designed and knitted herself, Julie was as radiant as ever as she greeted and teased the fans, "How are you today? Did you get really drunk last night? Anybody hook up, no?" she questions laughing, "Anyone looking to get lucky tonight, maybe? I wish you luck."

The audience wasted no time in getting to the field of questions in their minds and with the appearance of 'mother' and 'son' before them the first question centered around Darla and Connor's relationship. "I feel really young to be his mother," Julie states with a laugh, and explains that she and Vincent had actually met prior to Angel, "We were auditioning for a movie together, and neither one of us got it. I was actually very excited that they cast a good actor to play my son. I remember when David Greenwalt said, 'Oh, we got this really wonderful actor, do you know Vincent Kartheiser?' I was actually really excited about it." In this final season of Angel, although Darla was 'officially' dusted (for a second time), Julie's character got to make a reemergence in a flash-back scene in the Italian episode, The Girl in Question, "We had a lot of fun filming that, I definitely would have liked to have had more time with the four of us working together," referring to David, James Marsters and Juliet Landau, "It was always a treat when we did work together but it was so rare when all four of us were there." And what about this Immortal guy? "Yeah, who knew about this Immortal? All these years I never knew and then there's this other guy! It was great to be back but it was a little bitter sweet though, it was the end and we knew this was it and it was a little hard. David and James have really great chemistry together; they have a lot of fun working together."

But when you are working on a show with the same people for so many season, there inevitably are a few embarrassing moments that occur and the fans, being fans, want to know all about them. "It was one of those flashback scenes," recalls Julie, "and for some reason in the middle of the scene I went completely brain-dead while we were filming, I said a line and I thought I was supposed to exit and so I exited. And the scene continued and I'm standing by camera and I'm watching and I can't figure out why everyone's looking at me. Then all of a sudden I realize, 'Oh my god, I have the next line,' and I wonder back on the set and David was like, ' Where'd you go?' I went, 'I have no idea.' Nobody stopped me; they just let me embarrass myself." On another occasion, the embarrassing moment came after the fact, "In the one of the love scenes, I think you guys got to see a little bit more then I thought I was revealing at the time. When we saw it on television there was a backside shot that I didn't realize was being filmed." Jenny Mollen confessed later in the weekend, that this event led to Julie writing on her person, 'If you can read this, you are too close!' Good lesson learned by the DP. But not all embarrassing moments happen on set as Julie tells the tale, "I get recognized when I'm doing something I really don't want anybody to know I'm doing. I was throwing a bachelorette party for a girlfriend of mine," she begins, "and I was in The Pleasure Chest, which is a store in L.A that sells all sorts of... yeah. I was putting together a funny little gift basket and this guy came over to me, 'Oh my god, I love your work,' and I'm like, 'What work?' as I'm holding something..." laughter prevents Julie from clarifying but the audience gets the picture, "He goes, 'On Angel, I just think you're an amazing actress. Wait 'til my dad finds out I met you.' And I'm like, 'I'm throwing a bachelorette party!' to explain the paraphernalia that is in my basket and that I'm holding and he's like, 'Yeah, sure you are.' It always happens at the most inopportune times, it's never when I'm doing something descent and ladylike. It's always embarrassing."

A serious moment pauses the side-slipping laughter sessions as Julie opens up to her personal ambitions, "I'd love to continue working as an actress but I have some other interests as well, I'd like to start my one line of knitwear. I'd like to start a family, I'd like to retire in Tuscany and drop out completely with my husband. I hand-knit everything, I was approached a couple of years ago because I had designed these really, great little sweaters for my two nephews, they were American flag sweaters and it was right after 9/11 and I was approached by a kids store. They really loved the sweaters and they wanted me to be their resident knitter. But for me it's a hobby," she confides, "it's my therapy, it's the way I deal with life and it's what I do on set, I knit a lot because there's a lot of downtime on set. So I wasn't sure at that point I wanted to turn it into a business, but since I started designing ponchos every time I wear them I get 6 or 7 people who want to buy them and I feel like I enjoy it so much at this point. I've never ventured into that side; I don't know anything about the fashion industry so I'm trying to educate myself at this point." Aside from attending conventions this summer and getting to spend some quality time with her husband John as well as a little traveling through Italy, Julie has keep busy with various TV and film projects. "I just did a movie for HBO which will be out in February and it's called, Rock & Roll Blues, and I had a movie out on Hallmark which I think will be coming here at some point and that movie's called, The Long Shot. Other than that I've been working on other television series in the states, Navy, NCIS and Oliver Bean and I'm plugging away, working hard."

"It's sad because we're losing amazing television programming... and it's dumbing down our society!" ~ Julie on Reality TV shows

Sunday afternoon found Julie on stage with another Buffy alum, Clare Kramer, and the girlfest began. There was no pause in the laughter as Julie answered a question regarding the many deaths of Darla and emotions involved, "By Season three when I finally did die, it was like, 'Alright, see ya next year,' and I was all sad because, 'No, I poofed again.' I didn't think you can poof twice and come back and they're like, 'No, trust me, you'll be back.' I'm like, 'No I won't, it's goodbye,' I was so sad and crying and giving everyone hugs. And David wouldn't even say goodbye to me," she stated, "he was like, 'Don't, just don't. I can't go there.' And of course they had me back the following year, then the following year. People kind of got jaded towards my character, except for me. Each and every time I thought this was it." CoA stepped up to ask a few questions and informed Julie about the forthcoming Angel Score CD that is in the works with Fox and EMI; Angel composer Rob Kral had released the first version of the track list and it boasts a 4-score Darla suite which was a testament to the character as the fans were the one who chose which scores they wanted on the CD. "That's really cool, during Season three I got a CD of the music from Season two and you don't realize how much music plays a part in your experience watching of a movie or a television show and how much it's part of the character," Julie states, "I really feel musically they've captured Darla and it helped, in an unconscious way it affects you as a viewer when the character appears, the music that's going on behind it. I think they've done an amazing job and I'm very flattered and honored. I thought you were gonna say they were going to make me sing again, I would have been like, 'God no!'" she laughed. There were indeed a lot of requests for Ill Wind, "No, I couldn't do that again, they'd have to use what's already there."

In a final show of respect for her craft and the viewers who understand excellence in the medium, Julie responded to what the mass production of Reality TV shows vs. quality television. "It's sad because we're losing amazing television programming because of reality shows, they're cheaper to produce, they don't have to go through the union, and they don't have to pay residuals, it's a cheaper format and it's dumbing down our society!" To this the audience broke out in a loud round of applause and cheers. "All I can say is turn off your television, don't watch those shows, don't make what we do obsolete. Eventually, you're not going to have scripted television and your not going to have shows like Buffy and Angel and then you won't have this community. I mostly watch cable programming; they're the ones doing the amazing shows right now with Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Sex in the City, that's what I watch." Fortunately with Joss Whedon still in the house, viewers may have hope in the very near future.

VINCENT KARTHEISER (Connor)

Vincent Kartheiser is an intelligent, talented and astute young man who has the ability to enwrap you with intellect one moment only to have you laughing in the aisles at his off-the-wall and slightly weird antics the next. On stage with Julie Benz on Saturday, Vincent displayed both these traits and helped to contribute to a very entertaining if not exhausting hour. Vincent played the role of Connor throughout the whole of Season 4 and for two episodes in Season 5 and during that time, fans witnessed Connor transform from a lonely, vengeful and hurting teenage boy to a well-adjusted teenager, Vincent truly enjoyed playing the two sides of Angel's son. "It was fun. I actually like playing the happy Connor more because generally I get roles where I'm a psychotic murderer or a drug-somatic syndrome boy or a nice kid who every once in a while goes out, gets hammered and rapes a woman. So it was nice to play a role that [cared] about other people." Vincent muses if he would have liked to have continued playing the new and improved Connor if the plug hadn't been pulled on Angel and there had been a Season 6. "I think I would prefer to see him come back but I don't think he would. I think they decided to do those episodes once they realised this was going to be the last season. I think they wanted to tie up loose ends and try not to leave too many things unresolved so if there was a season six, I don't think I would have snuck in at the back end of season five. But I would love to played light-hearted Connor more than I did because I played the other one for a year and a half."

Considering Connor had his memories returned and the impact that Cordelia had on him, Vincent pondered why Connor did not enquire after Cordelia, "I don't know, I think Connor probably has someone young and sweet at college," he joked, "He probably got his memories back but the last time he saw [Cordy] there was virgin blood on her belly that was blown open by a seven-foot tall black woman. Maybe he was a little turned off by that." At this point a audience member reminded Vincent of a lady that a year previous had tried to put makeup on him at End of Days. The lady in question was the gentleman's wife and after looking forward to Hyperion for so long, she was disappointed that illness had prevented her from coming and partying with her favourite actor. Being the dutiful husband, he asked Vincent if he would mind signing a 'Get Well Soon' card for her and of course Vincent agreed. While he was doing this Julie offered to field all questions including those aimed at her young companion on stage, so when she was asked whether Vincent wore Boxers or briefs, in the interest of staying true to her word, Julie leaned over towards Vincent, pulled the waistband of his trousers back and treated herself to a quick looky-loo. "Boxers!" she replied with a cheeky smile. Of course this answer would please most ladies in the audience, but the men didn't want to be left out and Vincent was asked if he should return the favour and check out Julie's preference. "No!" comes a shout from the back of the Main Hall as Julie's husband John Kassir made his feelings known on that particular subject. "Let's just say they're small and pretty," Julie said hoping to divert World War III. "Very small," John confirmed. "Very pretty," Vincent smirked, destined to have the final word but quickly gave way to John, "I really have no idea!"

Once the subject of cats reared its furry head during this session then the feline topic kept cropping up all over the weekend. During his solo Q&A session the following day, Vincent actually divided the audience and had a meowing competition getting half the audience to meow like a 'happy cat' and the other to meow like a 'hungry and angry cat'. "I actually bought my cat for my ex-girlfriend," he confesses, "and when she broke my heart and trampled all over it like a rhinoceros over a rice paddy field, I stole the cat." Vincent then goes off into one of his unique commentaries as he continues, "I swear it was like 1941, it was raining out and we jumped in the car and went 100 miles east to a little motel. We stayed down for three days and finally I go into my house and she's there [dramatic gasp], she's going to confront me. She walks up to me and she's like, 'So I guess you're keeping the cat?' I go, 'Yeah,' and she goes, 'I don't give a s*** as long as I don't have to see you again!' So I still have the f***ing cat." When Vincent goes off on one of his eccentric ramblings, there is nothing anyone can do but sit back and go along for the ride yet when he gets like that, how does anyone get any work done? "Actually on set I'm very, very focused and very quiet," he says quite clearly not taking himself seriously, "and I spend a lot of time meditating, getting in character, I do exercises..." Behind Vincent, Julie is pulling all kinds of faces at his words and starts to mime that perhaps he smokes something that makes him delusional. The crowd responds with laughter.

"I think Connor probably has someone young and sweet at college." ~ Vincent on why Connor never asked about Cordy

As Vincent is so good at ridiculing himself sometimes in rather a self-deprecating way, there can't be many moments when he gets embarrassed yet he quite easily recalls a moment from the second episode he ever appeared in, "I was wearing those leather pants with a seam from my navel to the top of my behind," once again he transforms into dynamic voice mode as he tells his tale, "I remember I was doing the scene where a young lady had been taken hostage in a car and I leapt onto the car grabbing a demon and slamming him down. In rehearsal I leapt up on the car like so and my pants ripped from the butt to the front and I looked down and I saw Jimmy! And I'm like it's your jimmy Vinnie, you've got to put him away!" Although there was a lot of joking and fooling around on stage, there were some moments where Vincent actually gave a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. Being in films from a very early age, Vincent was asked if there was any one film where he thought he could break away from the teenage angst roles and found his chance at being an adult actor. "There were probably a few in a row that I was really psyched about and I was like, 'This is going to be the one that is going to propel me into an adult career,' but it's funny, throughout my career ever since I was 11, it'd be 'you know this'll be the one kid, after this you won't be able to walk into a bar anymore' and I always looked at them and thought they were complete idiots and I was always right. So I get a lot of that even now and they're always wrong. Regardless of what film it is or who it's with I always find a way of helping it bomb," he joked.

Vincent's last film Dandelion played at the Sundance Film Festival yet he admits that there are no projects on the table at present other than appearing in Angel reruns. "I have a theory on this, which really pisses off every person that I know as it is exactly the opposite of what they all believe," he explains when asked about his ambition, "I have this idea that life is meaningless and everything in life is meaningless and pointless and that helps me sleep at night. I have this theory that we basically come into this world with everything we have and leave this world with it and regardless of how much money or how many projects or what you create in this world, it's all gonna go to dust and the only thing that really matters is the way that you treat the people you love and so I'm really abusive. No, seriously, ambition for me is to love the people I love. I'm not really interested in too much anymore. When I was young I wanted to star in a movie but then I did it and I realized that it didn't really fulfil me. It was fun but it's like the goal is never enough. If you're in a cycle of want or if you're in a cycle of ambition, you will always be there."