Who plays Tara Maclay?

Amber Benson plays Tara Maclay in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Tara is introduced as a gentle, socially anxious college student who meets Willow at a Wicca group and gradually becomes her close friend, magical collaborator, and romantic partner.

Tara first appears in the fourth-season episode “Hush.” Although the character was initially created for only a few episodes, Benson’s performance and Tara’s relationship with Willow gave the character a much larger role. Willow and Tara became one of American television’s early prominent lesbian couples, and their relationship became central to the show’s emotional story.

Viewers may confuse Benson with Alyson Hannigan, who plays Willow, or with Iyari Limon, who plays Kennedy later in the series. Benson also contributed vocals to the musical episode “Once More, with Feeling,” including Tara’s solo “Under Your Spell.” Tara’s story ends tragically in season six, when she is killed by Warren Mears.