Biography

Lived in London for 13 years before moving back to the United States. When he returned, he was too broke to afford his own place and he couldn't find any work. Luckily, Mary Steenburgen, whom he had met while making L'Arche de Noé (1999), took him in. He lived with the actress and her husband, actor Ted Danson, for a year. "Ted and Mary are my saviors ... I definitely wouldn't have made it without their psychological and emotional support".

His relationship with Alyson Hannigan was beset with many false starts at first. She asked him out when they first met on the Buffy contre les vampires (1997) set, but he declined, citing a personal rule against dating coworkers. By the time he left the show, she was already dating someone else, but Alexis and Aly became friends regardless, eventually becoming so close that other people assumed they were dating. They finally decided to take the plunge and enter into a genuine romantic relationship, but not without fears that, if it didn't work out, they might wreck their friendship. Suffice to say, the relationship seems to be working very well.

Was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy just before filming of the final season on Angel (1999) commenced. During the first episode, director Joss Whedon was careful to keep most of Alexis's shots on his right profile, as the left side of his face was fairly immobile at the time.

The series finale of Angel (1999) was his own 100th episode on the show.

Was considered for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale.

[on having Alyson Hannigan cross over from Buffy contre les vampires (1997) to play a role on Angel (1999) in the episode, Orpheus (2003)]. "It's a blast. I feel like it's a play day. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm at work. My girl is here! We're not getting to see much of each other. She has three jobs on her plate -- she's doing the next "American Pie" movie, she's doing Buffy contre les vampires (1997) and today on Angel (1999). She's a busy woman, so it's a double delight. I keep looking at her, and inside I keep giggling, and I keep thinking to myself, 'I have to remember I'm in a scene. I can't just smile at my fiancée'. But, really, all I want to do is run over and give her a hug" [Buffalo News, March 17, 2003].

My family emigrated during the revolution. My grandfather was from outside of Moscow, and my grandmother, although some of her family were French, was from Odessa. They met as immigrants in New York in the early '20s. My mother's family came over from Ireland generations ago. That's where the silly name is from. But it's not made up! You couldn't think that one up. Mom says my father was torn between naming me Archibald and Reginald, and so I'm delighted he settled on naming me after my grandfather.

I'm grateful for my time on Buffy-I met the woman of my dreams there

[Asked about his dream role] 'Playing Bond would be kind of a dream come true.'

... my first theater job was the Royal Shakespeare Company, in a production of Hamlet, in which I was Fortinbras' understudy, Laertes. I still look at that as one of the most important experiences, because I so admired the actor, Mark Rylance, who played Hamlet. He runs the Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London now, and is a really formidable actor. I treasure that experience, just because of what I learned, and in watching him particularly, but also just a great company of experienced actors. I was a very young actor fresh out of school, and so to be working on Shakespeare's arguably greatest play and perhaps literature's greatest play, and to have it be worked on by people of such experience and talent - I regard that as one of my most important experiences, professionally. [Interview, February 11, 2003]