Dushku's first screen appearances came with the films That Night and This Boy's Life when she was 13, but when Buffy came along, she had to take drastic measures to ensure she was ready for the role. She was only 17 at the time, and was legally emancipated from her parents in order to comply with child labour laws while filming for Buffy. This meant she could work the longer hours required to shoot all of her scenes in her upgraded role. Dushku recalled that the odds weren't looking good for emancipation, with a lot depending on the judge, though the one presiding over her case was a big fan of the show and granted her wish, on the provision that Dushku gave her a signed photo.
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