• Alexis Denisof is an actor with an estimated net worth of over $1 million.
• He has Irish, French and Russian ancestry and was educated in Seattle, Washington and London, England.
• He has appeared in films such as "First Knight" and "The Avengers" and television series like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "How I Met Your Mother".
• He married actress Alyson Hannigan in 2003 and they have two children.
• Alexis was struck with Bell's palsy in the late 90s and had to undergo treatment for the condition.
Known for movies
Angel (1999-2004)
as Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
The Avengers (2012)
as The Other
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
as The Other
Much Ado About Nothing (2012)
as Benedick
Short Info
| Date Of Birth | February 25, 1966 |
| Spouse | Alyson Hannigan |
| Fact | Married to Alyson Hannigan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) on October 11, 2003 in California. |
Contents
Who is Alexis Denisof?
Alexis Denisof was born on 25 February 1966, in Salisbury, Maryland, USA, and is an actor, perhaps still best known for his work in the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in which he portrayed Watchers’ Council member, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. He also had a big role in the Buffy spin-off “Angel”. He is the husband of actress Alyson Hannigan, who is known for her work in the “American Pie” film series and “How I Met Your Mother”.
Why so serious? pic.twitter.com/zS6hqag4pb
— Alexis Denisof (@AlexisDenisof) February 12, 2020
The Wealth of Alexis Denisof
As of mid-2020, Alexis Denisof’s net worth is estimated to be over $1 million, earned through a successful career as an actor. While his work has been primarily based on television, he’s also appeared in various films, and has worked as regular characters in a variety of shows. He probably benefits from the success of his wife as well, as Hannigan has a net worth estimated to be over $40 million.
Early Life and Education
Alexis is of Irish, French and Russian ancestry.
Her mother worked as a doctor in Maryland when he was born, though the family later settled in Seattle, Washington State, where he was educated. During his youth, he developed an interest in acting which was supported by his parents. He took classes at the drama department of Highline College, and later attended St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, one of the most elite boarding schools in the US.
After matriculating, he moved to London, England where he worked for some time, also taking lessons at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), the oldest drama school in the UK and one of the most prestigious.
Career Beginnings
Denisof started his career on stage, working on a production of the Shakespearian play “Hamlet” as the fight director. He continued working behind the scenes in other plays, such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “Soul’s Dark Knight”, then moved to the BBC, and shortly afterwards made one of his first appearances, in the film “Murder Story”, portraying an investigative reporter. In 1995, he was cast in the film “First Knight” appearing in a support role as one of the knights of the round table, alongside Richard Gere and Sean Connery’s characters.
The film is based on the Arthurian legend, telling the story of the romance between the knight Lancelot and Lady Guinevere, who was set to marry King Arthur.
He also worked alongside Sean Bean in “Sharpe”, portraying the character Lord John Rossendale in three episodes of the show, which follows a fictional soldier during the time of the Napoleonic Wars. As the 1990s progressed, he continued in both film and television, with appearances in “True Blue” and “Rogue Trader”. He also did independent films as seen in “Beyond the City Limits” and “The Misadventures of Margaret”.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
In 1999, Alexis was introduced during the third season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, playing Wesley Wyndam-Pryce who was intended to replace Buffy in her role as a watcher. The show follows the story of the titular vampire slayer, who battles against various supernatural forces. It was very popular during the time, and was a success for the new WB Television Network that was just starting to compete in programming. He was set to be a part of the storyline only for the season, but he performed the character well and was given a choice on whether or not he would like to let the character live on.
While he didn’t return to Buffy after its third season, he was cast in its spin-off – “Angel” – which continues the story of the titular vampire whose soul was restored to him. After his failed relationship with Buffy, he moves to Los Angeles where he works as a private detective, helping others. He became a main cast member of the show, and appeared in all but the first 10 episodes of the series, over 100 in five years He was initially more of a comedic character, but later had a darker demeanor according to the events of the show.
Recent Projects
After his work in “Angel”, Denisof experienced a short lull in his career, when his only notable work was as a recurring character in the television series “How I Met Your Mother”, which featured his wife.
He auditioned for the position of James Bond for the film “Casino Royale”, but eventually lost out to Daniel Craig. After a few more guest appearances, he then ventured into voice acting, for the film “Justice League: Doom”. He also had a support role in “The Avengers”, playing the role of The Other, a servant of Thanos.
In 2013, he was cast as the lead role in a modernized version of “Much Ado About Nothing”, which received positive reviews when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Afterwards, he was cast as a recurring character in the show “Grimm”, playing Viktor Albert Wilhelm George Beckendorf. He then returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as he played the Other once more in the film “Guardians of the Galaxy” which was a box office hit.
A few of his later projects include “Finding Carter” and “I Love Bekka and Lucy”, and in 2018, he was cast as the character Adam Marsters in the second season of the Netflix show “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”. One of his latest main roles is in the show “Legacies” in which he plays Professor Vardemus.
Personal Life
During the late 1990s, Alexis met Alyson Hannigan while working on the set of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. She played the role of Willow Rosenberg in the show, one of its main supporting cast members. They married in 2003 and continued to support each other in their professional endeavors. The couple has two children, and the family resides in Encino, Los Angeles, California. While filming “Angel”, he was struck with Bell’s palsy, a condition in which the muscles of the face are partially paralyzed, and had to undergo treatment to cure the disease.
General Info
| Full Name | Alexis Denisof |
| Date Of Birth | February 25, 1966 |
| Height | 1.86 m |
| Profession | Voice Actor |
| Education | St. Paul's School |
| Nationality | American |
Family
| Spouse | Alyson Hannigan |
| Children | Keeva Jane Denisof, Satyana Marie Denisof |
| Parents | Gerald Denisof, Christiana Denisof |
Accomplishments
| Movies | Guardians of the Galaxy, Much Ado About Nothing, The Avengers, Justice League: Doom, Love, Wedding, Marriage, All-Star Superman, Rip It Off, Noah's Ark, Hostile Waters, Sharpe's Justice, First Knight, Innocent Lies |
| TV Shows | Finding Carter, Dollhouse, Sharpe, Angel |
Social profile links
Quotes
| # | Quote |
|---|---|
| 1 | He [Anthony Head] was superb in that production [of "Rope"]. I loved watching him work on that. Tony is a very interesting actor, very wonderful actor to work with - so giving and receptive at the same time, and that's a very sought after quality, for me. I really enjoy working with Tony. We have a lot of fun and we make each other laugh, and I respect him enormously. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 2 | [When] I came back [from London] Joss Whedon had conceived the idea of putting Wesley, my character from Buffy [Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)] onto the spin-off show Angel (1999). So I was lucky enough to get right off the plane and into a job. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 3 | [When asked, "What has been the most satisfying job for you personally?] Angel (1999). Definitely Angel (1999), because of the length and depth of the process that we're working, and the opportunity to examine at such a deep level the dynamics of this character's life. To have the chance to evolve character with detail and time - that's an amazing gift to an actor, and that's what I view long-term, episodic TV as, as a character journey. For the people that become interested in the show and follow it, that's part of the satisfaction for them - following the turns and curves of the character's lives, as well as all the great action and sci-fi and crazy stuff that goes on in the show. It's rooted in the journey of these characters through their lives, and the opportunity to work every day at the thing I love doing, with people that I love doing it with, is - well, priceless. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 4 | [About his early acting experiences] I had done some very early in professional theaters in Seattle, around the age of 11, 12 and 13. I had worked at A Contemporary Theater in Seattle, in a few plays there like A Christmas Carol. . . So I had shown an interest in it, but I certainly didn't know at 13, when I was going away to boarding school, that that's what I wanted to do as a career. But it was something that I was very comfortable with, and I felt at home with it creatively and personally. . . I was a kid. I still kind of thought maybe I'd be a professional soccer player or a fireman, or an astronaut, you know? So being an actor was pretty low on the list at that point. By the time I had finished my studies at St. Paul's School, I knew I wanted to be an actor. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 5 | ...Not that I would ever have gone into acting for money - you'd have to be insane. That's no way to make money. There are times when you can't make the check, and when no matter how talented and excited you are about your career, you haven't worked in six months. That's the sort of reality of it. Just an awful lot of people out there who want to do the same thing, and it's not a meritocracy. So the kid who did get off the bus in L.A., having thought to himself yesterday, "maybe I'll go to Hollywood and be a star" - well, he's actually as likely to get the job as you are, who's spent years dedicating yourself to this. That's an important lesson for me, to not qualify my experience against somebody else's. My experience is the experience that I wanted to have, and have created for myself, but it doesn't make me any more deserving than anybody else - or less. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 6 | I think my first job was a George Harrison video, for a song called "I've Got My Mind Set on You." I was thrilled. I think I got paid $500. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 7 | The challenge for me, both in life and in my work, is to live it, and create it to the fullest - whether that's on a rehearsal room or a stage or a film set, or whether it's in my own life. I think ... the critic is very closely allied to the ego ... The ego is our greatest enemy, really. It's the ego that sends us to war, and the ego that gives us road rage, and the ego that makes us a victim, or any of the challenges that we face in our daily lives. [Interview, February 11, 2003] |
| 8 | ... 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] |
| 9 | [Asked about his dream role] 'Playing Bond would be kind of a dream come true.' |
| 10 | I'm grateful for my time on Buffy-I met the woman of my dreams there |
| 11 | 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. |
| 12 | [on having Alyson Hannigan cross over from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) to play a role on Angel (1999) in the episode, Angel: 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 the Vampire Slayer (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]. |
Facts
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | HIs father's ancestry is Russian, French, and Jewish, and his mother has Irish roots. Alexis is a first cousin, twice removed, of poet and critic Sonia Raiziss, whose father, biochemist George W. Raiziss, from Odessa, was Alexis' great-great-uncle. |
| 2 | He is the second actor to play Rossendale in Sharpe. Rossendale first appeared in Sharpe's Regiment. Though he isn't named in the dialogue. The credit's list him as Rossendale. He's the soldier who takes Sharpe (Sean Bean) to meet the Prince Regent (Julian Fellows). Though there he was played by Alexander Armstrong. |
| 3 | Appearing in Arthur Miller's "All My Sons", alongside Michael Byrne, at the Liverpool Playhouse. [September 2006] |
| 4 | Auditioned for the role of Conner Macleod in the Highlander TV series. |
| 5 | Was considered for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale. |
| 6 | Second daughter, Keeva Jane Denisof, was born on May 23, 2012 in Los Angeles. |
| 7 | Alexis and Alyson Hannigan are expecting their second child [December 16, 2011]. |
| 8 | Denisof had been an excellent stage fencer for years when, as Joss Whedon says, he got to show off his skills in, among other episodes, Angel: Waiting in the Wings (2002). |
| 9 | He has appeared in episodes of three different series with Eliza Dushku: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Angel (1999) and Dollhouse (2009). All three series were created by Joss Whedon. |
| 10 | Alexis and his wife, Alyson Hannigan, became the parents of their first child, a girl named Satyana Denisof, on Alyson's birthday of March 24, 2009 in Los Angeles. |
| 11 | 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. |
| 12 | His mother has a PhD and teaches Drama in Seattle. |
| 13 | He and his wife, Alyson Hannigan, are godparents to Joss Whedon's son, Arden. |
| 14 | Named #3 of the Top Ten Sexiest Men of the Buffy / Angel universe in a fan poll by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanzine (2004). |
| 15 | He attended a boarding school in New Hampshire at the age of 13. |
| 16 | The series finale of Angel (1999) was his own 100th episode on the show. |
| 17 | His relationship with Alyson Hannigan was beset with many false starts at first. She asked him out when they first met on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (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. |
| 18 | When he returned to America, he was too broke to afford his own place and he couldn't find any work. Luckily, Mary Steenburgen, whom he had met and befriended while making Noah's Ark (1999) took him in, and he lived with Mary and her husband, Ted Danson, for a year. "Ted and Mary are my saviors," he has said. "I definitely wouldn't have made it without their psychological and emotional support." |
| 19 | Lived in London for 13 years before moving back to the United States. |
| 20 | His first film appearance was in one of the two music videos for George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set on You." He was in the one that features a young man trying to attract the attention of a young woman at an arcade, rather than the one that shows Harrison sitting and singing the song in a room in a country estate; Denisof played the young man. Alexis said he only took the role in order to meet the former Beatle. |
| 21 | Attended the exclusive St. Paul's boarding school in New Hampshire. |
| 22 | Married to Alyson Hannigan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) on October 11, 2003 in California. |
| 23 | Was born in Maryland, raised in Seattle, and spent 3 years studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. |
Pictures
Movies
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finding Carter | 2014-2015 | TV Series | David Wilson |
| Robot Chicken | 2015 | TV Series | Mr. Peanut |
| Grimm | 2013-2015 | TV Series | Viktor Albert Wilhelm George Beckendorf |
| Guardians of the Galaxy | 2014 | The Other | |
| How I Met Your Mother | 2006-2014 | TV Series | Sandy Rivers |
| Perception | 2013 | TV Series | Dr. Randall Vetter |
| H+ | 2012-2013 | TV Series | Conall Sheehan |
| Much Ado About Nothing | 2012/I | Benedick | |
| Little Women, Big Cars 2 | 2012 | TV Series | Woody |
| Little Women, Big Cars | 2012 | Woody | |
| The Avengers | 2012 | The Other | |
| Justice League: Doom | 2012 | Video | Mirror Master (voice) |
| Love, Wedding, Marriage | 2011 | Lloyd | |
| All-Star Superman | 2011 | Video | Dr. Leo Quintum (voice) |
| Dollhouse | 2009 | TV Series | Senator Daniel Perrin |
| Private Practice | 2008 | TV Series | Daniel Larson |
| Justice League | 2006 | TV Series | Mirror Master Sam Scudder Tony |
| Angel | 1999-2004 | TV Series | Wesley Wyndam-Pryce |
| Tarzan & Jane | 2002 | Nigel Taylor (voice) | |
| Beyond the City Limits | 2001 | Yuri | |
| The Legend of Tarzan | 2001 | TV Series | Henry |
| Batman Beyond | 2001 | TV Series | Zander |
| Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) | 2000 | TV Series | Richard Shelley |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 1999 | TV Series | Wesley Wyndam-Pryce |
| Rogue Trader | 1999 | Fernando Gueller | |
| Noah's Ark | 1999 | TV Mini-Series | Ham |
| Ruth Rendell Mysteries | 1998 | TV Series | Dennis |
| The Misadventures of Margaret | 1998 | Dr. Lipi | |
| Ghost Cop | 1998 | TV Series | Jonah Blade |
| Highlander | 1997 | TV Series | Steve Banner |
| Hostile Waters | 1997 | TV Movie | John Baker |
| Sharpe's Waterloo | 1997 | TV Movie | Rossendale |
| Sharpe's Justice | 1997 | TV Movie | Rossendale |
| Sharpe's Revenge | 1997 | TV Movie | Rossendale |
| Crime Traveller | 1997 | TV Series | |
| True Blue | 1996 | Ed Fox | |
| First Knight | 1995 | Sir Gaheris | |
| Innocent Lies | 1995 | Christopher Wood | |
| Romeo & Juliet | 1994 | TV Movie | Tybalt |
| Soldier Soldier | 1994 | TV Series | Lt Bob Steadman |
| Faith | 1994 | TV Mini-Series | Joel |
| Dakota Road | 1992 | Jacob | |
| La neige et le feu | 1991 | David | |
| Shrinks | 1991 | TV Series | Dexter |
| Murder Story | 1989 | Tony Zonis |
Soundtrack
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel | 2001 | TV Series performer - 1 episode |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Angel': Season 3 Overview | 2004 | Video documentary special thanks | |
| The Royle Family | 1998 | TV Series with thanks to - 6 episodes |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geil of Doylestown: Forgotten Explorer | 2013 | Documentary | Narrator (voice) |
| Nerdist: Course of the Force | 2013 | TV Mini-Series | Himself |
| Good Day L.A. | 2013 | TV Series | Himself |
| Sidewalks Entertainment | 2013 | TV Series | Himself - Guest |
| unCONventional | 2012 | TV Series | Himself |
| Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live | 2009 | TV Series | Himself |
| 'Angel': The Final Season | 2005 | Video documentary | Himself |
| 'Angel': Season 4 Overview | 2004 | Video documentary | Himself |
| 'Angel': Season 3 Overview | 2004 | Video documentary | Himself |
| Talking to Animals | 2003 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| 'Angel': Season One | 2003 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| 'Buffy': Season 3 Overview | 2003 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| HypaSpace | 2002 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Celebrity Adventures | 2001 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Test | 2001 | TV Series | Himself - Panelist |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe: The Legend | 1997 | Video | Rossendale |
Awards
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award | Behind the Voice Actors Awards | Best Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical Short | Justice League: Doom (2012) |
| 2013 | BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting Award | Behind the Voice Actors Awards | Best Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical Short | Justice League: Doom (2012) |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Saturn Award | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series | Angel (1999) |
| 2003 | Saturn Award | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series | Angel (1999) |
| 2001 | Saturn Award | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | Best Supporting Actor on Television | Angel (1999) |
Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
