Xander Harris on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

Newcomer Nicholas Brendon, who portrays the sardonic Xander with sensitivity and humor, already has an impressive list of credits in television, film and theatre.

With his aspirations of playing professional baseball quashed when an arm injury cut his sports career short, he turned to the acting game for a new challenge. Soon after, he made his television debut in a Clearasil commercial.

Yet, as roles were few and far between, he persevered in entertainment and switched to the other side of the camera, working as a television production assistant on "Dave's World." When he nailed an audition for a guest-starring role on the series, Brendon gained the confidence he needed and continued to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Fate soon smiled upon him and he was called in to audition for the role in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

In television, he had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera "The Young and the Restless," and starred in the pilot "Secret Lives." He played an evil corn follower in the feature film "Children of the Corn III-Urban Harvest," and starred in Los Angeles theatre productions of "The Further Adventures of Tom Sawyer" at Theatre West, "My Own Private Hollywood" at The Black Hole Theatre and "Out of Gas on Lovers' Leap" at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Offsreen, the Los Angeles native enjoys basketball, camping and spending quality time with friends and family, including his identical twin brother, Kelly, with whom he shares a home.