Why ‘Buffy’ Star Sarah Michelle Gellar Refuses to Talk About Joss Whedon Allegations
Sarah Michelle Gellar is back in the spotlight after a few years of relative silence. Her new series Wolf Pack is making big waves. The actor, who became a cultural icon after the popularity of her ’90s breakout Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has remained closely associated with the series over the years, with many fans turning to her to set the record straight regarding the show’s controversies. Still, there’s one incident that Gellar is planning to keep her silence on — and that’s the scandal involving Buffy creator Joss Whedon, who was the target of some very concerning allegations.
What are the allegations against Joss Whedon?
Whedon has long been one of the most acclaimed creators in Hollywood, with a wide variety of projects to his credit, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, in 2017, things blew up in Whedon’s face. Firefly writer Jose Molina claimed that Whedon would grossly mistreat his female writers on set, making them cry on several occasions, while Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot claimed that Whedon “threatened” her.
The hits kept coming for Whedon, with Justice League star Ray Fisher taking to social media to claim that Whedon exhibited “abusive” behavior with his cast and crew. While Whedon denied all of the allegations, it was too late for many fans, who deemed the longtime fan-favorite filmmaker as being misogynistic.
What did Sarah Michelle Gellar say about the Joss Whedon scandal?
Eventually, as more and more stars came out against Whedon, Gellar got in on the conversation by posting a heartfelt message to Instagram. “While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don’t want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon,” Gellar wrote. “I am more focused on raising my family and surviving a pandemic currently, so I will not be making any further statements at this time. But I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out.”
These days, Gellar is ready to move on from the conversation, while fully acknowledging that she has a story of her own. In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gellar admitted that “I’ve come to a good place with it, where it’s easier to talk about. I’ll never tell my full story because I don’t get anything out of it. I’ve said all I’m going to say because nobody wins. Everybody loses.”
Other ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ cast and crew members have spoken out
In recent years, other Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars have condemned Whedon — most notably, Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase. According to Screen Rant, Carpenter has been a vocal critic of Whedon, calling him “casually cruel” and claiming that he called her fat when she was four months pregnant. Carpenter has been one of the most outspoken former Buffy stars, but other members of the show’s cast and crew have detailed their experiences with Whedon as well.
As reported by Screen Rant, the show’s stunt coordinator, Jeff Pruitt, and Sophia Crawford, who worked as Gellar’s stunt double on the series, have both claimed that Whedon’s abuse forced them to leave Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the fourth season. They also claimed that Whedon threatened them when he learned that they were involved in a romance, telling Pruitt and Crawford that he would ensure they no one would hire them. Ultimately, it seems as though Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a show with a complicated history, in spite of its status as a cult classic.
