Original: Kristen NÃ el '' Kristy '' Swanson ( born December 19 , 1969 ) is an American actress best known for playing Buffy in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer , she also played Catherine '' Cathy '' Dollanganger in the movie version of the V.C. Andrews book Flowers in the Attic .
Simplified: Kristy Swanson ( born Renee Kristen Swanson on December 19 , 1969 ) is an American actress . She is best known for playing the title character in the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer and has also starred in the film Flowers in the Attic .