James Wesley Marsters was born August 20, 1962 in Greenville, California and grew up in Modesto, California. He wanted to be an actor and was educated at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and in Juilliard Drama School. His first few appearances were in the theater productions The Tempest, Teechers, Antigone, and Misalliance. His first television appearance was on Northern Exposure and Andromeda, and on independent films like Chance, Winding Roads, and Cool Money. His most notable performance, however, is his role as Spike in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Spike is portrayed by James Marsters in the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Before he became a vampire, Spike, then called William, was a poet. He loved his mother very much that when he turned into a vampire, he also turned his mother into a vampire. However, his mother was a soulless vampire unlike him. He could not stand the fact that she was so evil and unloving that he stabbed her to death. He has a violent sexual relationship with Buffy and later on falls in love with her. Spike's hair has gone through different transitions, from originally being medium brown then dyed black and slicked down, to the final look which was the bleach blonde hair. He usually wears long black leather coats. Spike has an appetite for destruction. He is dry and sarcastic, thus living on his own rules and no one else's.

(Photo courtesy of WB/CW)