Talking to Quinn, it’s not hard to see why success found him early. He’s got the piercing eyes and rugged good looks of a leading man, with the devilish grin of the neighborhood pal who used to get you in trouble by making you laugh in church. Factor in a little lock o’ the Irish and a repertoire of dead-on impersonations ranging from Sesame Street’s loveable Grover to intense character actor Christopher Walken, and you’ve got the makings of a natural showman.

He is best known for his rose as the convincingly-American-accented Mark Healy, Becky Connor’s (played by both Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke throughout the years) ne’er do well boyfriend and eventual husband on Roseanne. His list of credits also includes an on-screen kiss with Oscar winner Gwenneth Paltrow in 1991’s Shout, the short-lived but critically acclaimed television series Covington Cross, and horror fare including 1997’s Campfire Tales and 1992’s Dr. Giggles.

Now with a starring role in Angel, Quinn journeys to the darker side of acting once again as the good-hearted demon Doyle. The roll seems tailor-made for Quinn, Doyle’s a fun-loving Irishman with a serious side when it comes to the business at hand--usually saving lives and acting as a streetwise guardian angel to his brooding vampire friend.

He and Angel himself, David Boreanaz, have also become friends. Quinn hung out a bit with Boreanaz and his wife (who shares the same last name as Quinn, but is no relation) during a vacation over the summer in Ireland.

While Quinn is immersed in the Hollywood spotlight and Doyle attempts to remain one of Los Angeles’ underground secrets, both are down-to-earth character using their gifts for good. Both the character Doyle and the actor Quinn seem like the kind of guys you’d like to sit down with and share of couple pints of Guinness while they tell stories of supernatural acquaintances or what it’s like to work with John Travolta. While Goldfingers, the LA nightclub Quinn co-owns with friend and fellow Irishman Mark Leddy, isn’t nearly big enough to seat the millions of fans who will be tuning-in to see the October 5th debut of Angel, we humbly offer this interview instead. Read and enjoy with the beverage of your choice. Cheers!

Buffy the Magazine: U2 or Iron Maiden?
Glenn Quinn: U2, or course. The boys! They’re my boys. They’re good guys.

BTM: Did you know Doyle was Irish before you auditioned?
GQ: It was an interesting thing. I went and I read it American and [Joss Whedon] said, “Hey, let’s do this Irish and see where it takes us.” Sometimes I tried to do that when I went in to read for things, so the Irish thing just really clicked.

BTM: Many people are probably wondering if you’ll be convincing as Irishman Doyle. Since you were born and raised in Ireland and naturally speak with an Irish brogue in real life, how do you like your chances?
GQ: What do you think? [laughs] I was just back in Ireland, and the accent’s not real thick, but it’s definitely audible. It should be an interesting and memorable character. It’ll definitely appeal to a lot of people.

BTM: Was it tough to pick up the American accent?
GQ: Not at all. I’ve done a couple of TV movies, and I had done a film with John Travolta [1991’s Shout], and all of a sudden I went in on a guest-starring role for Roseanne, much like David [Boreanaz] did on Buffy, and they kept me on. It was really successful. I have no problems doing the accent, because I’ve always been mimicking people my whole life.

BTM: What was it like walking into a top rated show and suddenly being famous?
GQ: At that time, Roseanne was number one, and I don’t even think I knew what I was getting into. It was so huge, it was amazing to get on that show.

BTM: How does doing an hour-long series compare to working on a sitcom?
GQ: Well, you’ve got to figure what we do in one and a half days on Angel was my whole week on Roseanne. This is like making a nine month movie. It’s definitely a lot harder. You say goodbye to your normal life as you know it. It’s a challenge, it keeps you out of trouble, and it keeps you on the go.

BTM: Did you know much about Buffy the Vampire Slayer when you were called about doing Angel?
GQ: Not anything.

BTM: In Angel’s past there was another demon named Whistler that helped him out. is Doyle an update on that character or is it the same type of rose?
GQ: They actually sent me those tapes, and it turns out that the guy who played Whistler, Max Perlich, is a friend. I don’t know if there’s a little bit of Whistler in Doyle, but I don’t think he is Whistler at all.

BTM: Doyle has these visions from time to time. Have you ever had any psychic experiences?
GQ: No, but quite a number of women have told me that I am psychic. [Nonchalantly] Mmm-hmm. I know where the buttons are [laughs]. Or where they’re not, depending on who you’re talking to.

BTM: Have you foreseen becoming a big-time TV hero and a popular teen heartthrob?
GQ: Everybody’s saying that to me. I’ve kind of gone through that, but I never did any publicity on Roseanne. Everybody used to go, “We like that guy, but why isn’t he doing anything?” This is more of a featured role. It’s a great showcase for me, and whatever comes is really part of the whole package. You’ve got to do that and keep a level head on you.

BTM: Have you had any previous experience with vampires?
GQ: No, but I come alive at night. I’m definitely a night person, and I’ve been into the whole vampire thing for years. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always imagined being one. I hate the sun.

BTM: So you probably don’t mind the many Angel night shoots?
GQ: Actually, it really screws you up. You don’t know what day it is. The weeks are flying by here. This is Thursday already, but I feel like it’s still Monday, yet the weekend is right around the corner. It’s very odd.

BTM: Do you ever get stuck with a late night shoot followed-up by an early morning call?
GQ: They have to give you a 12-hour turnaround--that’s the union law.

BTM: Much like yourself, Doyle seems to like the nightlife. He has an eye for the ladies and works odd hours with David Boreanaz. Where does Glenn Quinn stop and the Doyle character begin?
GQ: Glenn and Doyle are all one. I take over where he leaves off. I suppose it’s a vicious circle.

BTM: Except for the part about Doyle being a demon?
GQ: I’ve always been a devil.

BTM: What was your impression of the character when you first learned about who and what he is?
GQ: I had a lot to bring to him, and when they gave me a character description, I was all over it. Every day, you get another little pinch of what he’s all about. Every day, you try another shoe on, and it fits. Its’ really groovy, man. It’s a lot of fun to screw around with.

BTM: Of all Doyle’s quirks and personality traits, what’s your favorite?
GQ: His sense of humor, I think. He doesn’t want anything to do with all the fighting and all that. Although he has to, he doesn’t want anything to do with it. He’d rather be on a plane to Vegas.

BTM: For a pacifist, your character is in a pretty dangerous line of work and in a pretty seedy part of Los Angeles. What was the worst job you’ve ever had?
GQ: Which one? There were so many of them. I was working on power plants when I first came here and that really sucked. A lot of insulation removal and all that crap. It was a pain in the ass.

BTM: Angel and Doyle may be friends, but they have very different personalities. For example, Angel tends to brood a lot, whereas Doyle likes to party. Eventually even the best of friends get on each other’s nerves, so if the two characters clash, who wins the fight?
GQ: I think that, of course, him being around longer, he might. But who knows who has the upper hand? We’re gonna have to wait, I suppose, until it lands on paper, but I think [the producers] are talking about it. We don’t know what Doyle’s all about yet. Slowly but surely, they’re revealing more and more to me and to everybody else. Hypothetically, he’d probably beat the crap out of me, and I’d just drink the pain away.

BTM: All right, not to start trouble, but let’s say Boreanaz ticks you off and the two of you throw down. Who’s going to win that celebrity deathmatch?
GQ: Oh, easy. I’d take him. [laughs] I think it’d be an even fight and we’d sit around after and laugh about it.

BTM: It seems like you, David Boreanaz and Charisma Carpenter get along well and are having a really good time together. Is that accurate?
GQ: Everybody’s got their feet firmly on the ground. There’s only three of us now, you’ve got to remember that, whereas, Buffy was a bigger ensemble, but there’s no egos flying around here. David’s great, Charisma’s a doll, and I didn’t bring any crap from the other show over. I’m just grateful to be working, because there’s a lot of people that aren’t.

BTM: How about the guys running the show? Being the new guy, what’s been your impression of David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon?
GQ: David’s a real terrific guy. You got to figure, they created these characters from the success of Buffy. I mean, they’re very smart, intelligent people. They’re doing it for a reason.

BTM: Did you already know Joss Whedon from your previous work when you auditioned for the part of Doyle?
GQ: I didn’t, no, but I heard that he used to write on Roseanne the first season. But I didn’t know him.

BTM: Would you describe Doyle more as a Robin to Angel’s Batman or are the two of them more like Wonder Twins?
GQ: He’s not really a sidekick. He’s more of a mentor and kind of lectures Angel on what to do and what not to do, but won’t really get involved himself, because he’d much rather be out having a drink or playing the track or in Vegas having fun. But he’s definitely a pal.

BTM: So you’re not concerned with changing the show’s name to Doyle?
GQ: David’s a good actor. It’s his name leading the show in, and I didn’t mind playing second to him at all. He’s a great guy and a good actor, and the two of us together, I think, are really good. And it’s not cheesy, because I didn’t want to do anything cheesy, obviously--who would? I think it’s going to turn out really well.

BTM: One of your past projects, Campfire Tales, which had some scenes directed by frequent Buffy director David Semel, has been making the rounds on cable lately.
GQ: That was the worst thing I’ve ever done. I did that in a two week gap of Roseanne, and I looked really bad. David Semel’s a great guy--I hear he’s going to come in and do an episode of Angel. It would be fun to work with him again.

BTM: We liked Campfire Tales and were kind of hoping for news of a sequel. Bummer.