Felicia Day on Dr. Horrible and Producing For the Web

By Fred Topel

Where did this idea that web producers and gamers weren’t heartbreakingly beautiful sweethearts? They’re all like Felicia Day, right? Star of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and Webby award winner for The Guild, Day plays World of Warcraft and knows the business of internet marketing, as she revealed at the Paleyfest ’09 panel for Dr. Horrible. Wait, they don’t all look like her? And they’re not all nice and friendly? Crap, I shouldn’t have let Felicia Day go!

Crave Online: Will this be your first public viewing?

Felicia Day: No, we had a public viewing at Comic Con so we’ve had a couple. Not very many. It’s like the third, I guess.

Crave Online: It’s designed to be watched online so how does it play in a crowd?

Felicia Day: It’s really amazing. People sing with the lyrics. They know this thing. It’s kind of Rocky Horror style. So it’s really exciting because everybody knows what’s going to happen. They even quote the lines and things like that. That was just from my two experiences so it’s been out there for a while. I think people know it even better.

Crave Online: What do you expect from tonight?

Felicia Day: It’s nice to be able to get back together. This is like a family. Doing the show is such a great experience. When we can see each other, it’s kind of a treat. It’s kind of a good excuse to get together.

Crave Online: They’re talking about a sequel so you wouldn’t really be dead, right?

Felicia Day: I can only hope. Whatever Joss feels like is best for the story. I’m not going to shove my way in there but, you know, it’s science fiction. That’s always on the dead actor’s side.

Crave Online: Maybe through the power of song.

Felicia Day: Maybe. There’s lots of operas with dead chicks starring in them, I guess, or at least participating in some way. Listen, it’s just such a great experience to be a part of it. It was a big turning point in web video so whatever I could do, even if it’s showing up to put food out, I’ll do it for him.

Crave Online: Why can’t girls see that guys like Captain Hammer are really A-holes?

Felicia Day: Well, listen, I read a lot of fantasy romance novels and there’s always these alpha guys, like, “I’m coming in and you’re mine.” I don't know what that is as far as a literature or male archetype. I think that it’s a lot more romantic in fiction so if you saw a guy like that in real life, I’d probably run the other direction.

Crave Online: What was your vocal training?

Felicia Day: I did musicals all my life when I was a teenager. In college I kept doing musicals. I started out as a dancer and then I saw that the singers got treated better, so I started taking singing lessons.

Crave Online: What has the fandom of being in a Joss project done for you?

Felicia Day: It’s an amazing boost. I was in Buffy and I know that millions more people watch my webshow for one.

Crave Online: But there were like 15 potentials in Buffy.

Felicia Day: It’s true. I was one of a herd. I made it to the end. I’m in the comics. I’m in Season Eight. I’m the head of the New York slayers so that’s kind of cool. When I saw that, I was actually really pleased.