See the cast of Angel reunite in EW's exclusive cover shoot

EW gathered the cast of Angel for an exclusive 20th anniversary reunion. The show's titular vampire David Boreanaz (second from right) was joined for the epic shoot by (L-R) Alexis Denisof (former Watcher Wesley Wyndam-Pryce), Amy Acker (shy Texan physicist Winifred "Fred" Burkle), James Marsters (fellow vamp Spike), J. August Richards (street-smart vamp hunter Charles Gunn), Charisma Carpenter (shallow-cheerleader-turned-champion Cordelia Chase), and series co-creator David Greenwalt. Click through the pics from the cover shot taken by photographer Matthias Clamer.

To read more from our exclusive Angel cast reunion, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, purchase a special limited edition cover featuring David Boreanaz (available online only), or collect both! And don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

"I got a phone call that Joss wanted to talk to me," says Boreanaz of Buffy creator Joss Whedon pitching him the concept of a spin-off with his character Angel, a vampire cursed with a soul. "The only thing he said was, 'I want you to come in to my office tomorrow.' And I'm like, 'I'm fired!'"

"Angel was this moody, dark, brooding, mysterious, tall, handsome guy who was pretty dark," says Carpenter. "When you bring a character like Cordelia — a big bright smile — to this dismal, dark thing, it provides a conflict or contrast that makes it interesting."

"We went to breakfast and Joss pitched the idea of bringing Wesley to Angel and changing the dynamic of the character," says Denisof. "I was incredibly excited and flattered and began what turned out to be what became a pretty extraordinary journey for that character."

"It's moving when people of color come up to me and say, 'I really responded to your character because at that time there weren't people that looked like me in that genre,'" says Richards. "That's something that I take from the show that's very important to me."

"I just feel like we got so spoiled because the writing and the writers on the show were so great," says Acker. "Every show should be this fun. We got to do all the things — the drama and the comedy, and the fighting and everything."

“On Buffy, vampires were just metaphors for all the problems that you have to get over in high school,” says Marsters. “Angel was the one that broke that mold. Knowing that I could come over to Angel and be a fly in the ointment again, I was just over the moon."

Cordelia’s relationship with Angel was “one of the leading reasons why she grew to be deeper and more complex,” says Carpenter.

“We sat Charisma down and she was pretty excited, but she was like, ‘If it flops, can I go back to Buffy?’” says Greenwalt of inviting Carpenter to join the spin-off show. He assured the actress she could if necessary.

"I know we’re not, but I secretly think of us as the first, original and real vampire show — but that’s because it’s the one I was on!" says Denisof, laughing. "In its wake many have followed, some similar and some very different, but I am partial to ours."

"I dyed my hair red because the head of The WB felt I was too clean cut for the role," says Richards of prepping for his audition. "I was done and I remember feeling really good about it, and then Joss just looks at me and goes, 'Now is that a spray? My wife's hair is that color.'"

“I was only supposed to do three episodes,” says Acker of her eventual 70-episode run. “Then they decided they were going to add another girl to the show."

"What I always wanted to say is, 'trying to become worthy of the life that you have is a life’s work; the fight is for always,'" says Whedon of the show's lasting message. "I always hope that people feel the difficulty and possibility of redemption within the show. The price will always be high, but if they do the work, it will always be worth it.”

To read more from our exclusive Angel cast reunion, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, purchase a special limited edition cover featuring David Boreanaz (available online only), or collect both! And don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

"When you hear people come up and say they love the show, that they still continue to follow it and that it still resonates with them — it's great to be part of that," says Boreanaz.

To read more from our exclusive Angel cast reunion, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, purchase a special limited edition cover featuring David Boreanaz (available online only), or collect both! And don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.