Laya DeLeon Hayes is the Newest Vampire Slayer in ‘Slayers: A Buffyverse Story’ [Interview]

The newest slayer in a world where there are plenty of Slayers and watchers keeping evil at bay is bringing a new energy to the Buffyverse. 

Laya DeLeon Hayes plays the rookie slayer Indira in Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, the Audible Drama that’s reuniting the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I recently spoke with Hayes about what it was like to be a part of the project and to play the role of a slayer. 

While Hayes wasn’t familiar with Buffy the Vampire Slayer at first, she did her homework on the show before showing up to record. 

“I had to go through the internet and ask for episode recommendations to make sure that I was prepared and ready for what I was about to embark on. And I even remember the first day, it was like the first day of school with the jitters that you have and just being nervous, especially since everyone was so tight-knit and the cast was already formed.”

“I met James, and I got to meet Amber, and Kc, and Christopher all in person, and it was like immediately all my nerves went away,” Hayes recalled.

“You’re able to hear these voices, but also you can envision the characters, and you can vividly see them and that bond and the magic that they were able to create in the studio. It really was infectious, the love that they have for each other. And so I still feel very lucky to be a part of that.”

Hayes also shared what she loves most about her character, Indira.

“I think we’re very different as people. She is super fiery and feisty, and also can be impulsive at times,” Hayes said. “But I think my favorite part of Indira is yes, she’s very determined and she can have attitude and maybe be somewhat aggressive at times, but she has so much heart and so much compassion.”

“And that passion that she has even for being a slayer is coming from just a true love of the fandom, of Buffy Summers, of this whole Buffyverse. It’s all stemming from her true love for it, and that’s inspiring,” Hayes said.

“Even to play her, it was very inspiring to see just someone who loves something so much and her dream comes true. She becomes a slayer, and she’s doing everything in her power to be the best slayer that she can be,” she continued.

“I feel like I learned a lot from her even being in the recording booth, doing it, even though it was such a short period of time that we got to record, I was able to take a lot of things from her.”

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Slayers: A Buffyverse Story will be released October 12th on Audible. It is currently available for pre-order here.

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