Charisma Carpenter’s Vampire-Era Serial Photoshoot

The cover itself is a masterclass in early-aughts moodiness. Carpenter, styled in a black spaghetti-strap top with a delicate sheer overlay, stares down the lens with a quiet intensity. The look is minimal, direct, and utterly confident. It’s less about the clothes and more about the presence—the “charisma,” as her name and the headline boldly declare.

Inside, the editorial unfolds like a character study. One shot finds her in a classic pin-up pose, all long lines and dramatic shadows, a visual echo of the Hollywood noir that Angel so often paid homage to. This was Cordelia Chase in her prime: beautiful, formidable, and with a history. In the accompanying interview, Carpenter reflects on that journey, describing her iconic character’s beginnings as a “spoiled rich girl” who was forced to find her strength. The photoshoot doesn’t just capture a celebrity; it captures a narrative.

Was anyone cooler than Cordelia Chase in 2002?

The conversation with Serial reveals an actress keenly aware of her character’s—and her own—trajectory. Even as she posed in these vamp-chic looks, Carpenter was already contemplating a future beyond the Hellmouth. She told the magazine she was eager to explore new roles, perhaps even playing a “married woman,” stepping into a life far removed from fighting demons in Los Angeles.

Yet, it’s the synthesis of drama and comedy she mentions, the very core of Angel, that radiates from the final, more casual photograph. Seen in a simple white and red athletic top, she appears relaxed, a stark contrast to the high-glamour poses. It’s a glimpse of the woman behind the witty one-liners and prophetic visions. When asked for her beauty secrets, her answer was refreshingly devoid of Hollywood pretense: no complicated routines, just the power of good sleep and good genes.